From December 8 to 11, 2025, the clergy participated in a spiritual retreat at the Armenian Catholic Ordinariate in Yerevan. At the invitation of His Excellency Archbishop Kevork Noradounguian, the retreat was led by the newly appointed pastor for Armenian Catholics of the Asian part and northern regions of Russia, Rev. Fr. Hovsep Meliksetyan, a member of the Society of Jesus. The words of the Prophet Samuel addressed to God: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam. 3:1-10), served as the topic of the spiritual retreat.

The retreat was conducted according to the methods of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. The priests were offered six evangelical passages to perform the exercises—that is, to engage in reflection and mental prayer—as well as several points for the examination of conscience. The specific topics, selected on the basis of the evangelical passages, were as follows:

-Making decisions: in favor of eternal life or destruction, according to Deut. 30:14-20;

-Meeting Jesus and following Him, according to John 1:35-39;

-Loving God in an absolute way, according to Mark 12:28-33;

-Being open to listening to God following the example of the Prophet Samuel, according to 1 Sam. 3:1-10;

-Being grateful and rendering thanks to God, according to Luke 17:11-19;

-The prayer-supplication of the Canaanite woman and our own prayer, according to Matt. 15:21-28.

The spiritual exercises based on these topics were accompanied by silent prayers of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and personal meditations.

The final day, December 11, was entirely dedicated to meetings: first, the Meeting of the Deans with the participation of three Deans, the Ordinary Archbishop and the secretary. The meeting was followed by the General Assembly of the Clergy, attended by all ecclesiastics. During these meetings, the five-year strategy and actions of the Ordinariate were approved. Information from questionnaires, filled out by the clergy regarding the current situation and future tasks of the parishes, was presented, and the main challenges and problems were discussed, alongside the steps taken in 2025 and those planned for the future to resolve them.

As a result of the discussions with the clergy, the Ordinary Archbishop made a series of decisions and appointments, which will be confirmed by corresponding decrees. Furthermore, it was instructed to establish committees for religious education, publications, and liturgical affairs, together with clear working programs.

Fr. Hovsep Galstyan

Chancellery of the Armenian Catholic Ordinariate

December 15, 2025