On October 30–31, 2026, the second two-day spiritual retreat of this year for the Legion of Mary took place at the Ghazanchi Parish Center under the leadership of Fr. Hovsep Galstyan, focused on the theme “Can We Be Saints?”

The retreat was attended by 24 legionaries from the praesidia of Yerevan, Spitak, Ghazanchi, and Mets Sepasar. The intensive two-day agenda included:

-Daily Holy Mass,

-Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the Rosary prayer,

-two talks on the topics “What is Holiness?” and “How Can We Live in Holiness?”, inspired by the ideas from Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate (“Rejoice and Be Glad”) and Servant of God Frank Duff’s article “Can We Be Saints?”. These were accompanied by reflections and group discussions on questions related to the theme,

-a screening and discussion of the 1972 film Brother Sun, Sister Moon dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, with an introductory commentary,

-a screening and discussion of a documentary film about St. Carlo Acutis.

Holiness is the primary goal of the Legion of Mary’s mission: to live in holiness as a legionary and to help others become holy, thereby waging war against evil together with the Blessed Virgin as a faithful soldiers of Mary. This year we celebrate 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis. His example led the legionaries to reflect on the ecclesiastical challenges of the 13th century and those of our times: how can we live out radical commitment to the Gospel and rsemblance to Christ today? What was the “poor” Francis’ main message to Italian society and the Universal Church, and what does that message have to say to us today as 21st-century Armenian Catholics fighting in Mary’s army through prayer and voluntary missionary work? Joint discussions on these topics, accompanied by the Rosary and Litany prayers under the divine rays of the Most Holy Sacrament, served as a unique spiritual impetus for the legionaries carrying out difficult mission work conditioned by the region’s specific characteristics.

Fr. Hovsep Galstyan

Chancery of the Ordinariate for Catholic Armenians

November 1, 2026, Solemnity of All Saints