[2013] Armenian Diocese in Canada in Disarray - Article about Bagrat Galstanyan in Canada published in 2013 in The Armenian Mirror-Spectator
Old article / Հին հոդված
Source: https://tert.nla.am/archive/NLA%20TERT/Mirror-Spectator/200713.pdf
July 20 2013
The Armenian Mirror-Spectator
Pages 1 and 16:
Armenian Diocese in Canada in Disarray
Editor’s Note: A crisis erupted at the Diocesan Assembly on May 25, 2013, when the delegates voted to elect a new Primate in the person of the Very Rev. Aren Jebejian. Partisans of the former Primate Bishp Bagrat Galstanyan took the waves of electronic media, trying to reverse the decision of the delegates. Adding fiction to facts, they tried to expand the scope of the crisis reviving old grudges and settling scores.
Eventually, Bishop Galstanyan returned to Echmiadzin, where he was assigned to a new position. Fr. Jebejian resigned grace- fully, preferring not to get involved in a cri- sis to which he was not a party. Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II dispatched Archbishop Nathan Hovhanissian to Montreal to serve as a interim locum tenens, until tempers cool and the Diocese convenes for its annual assembly to elect a new Primate.
It is understood that neither Hovhanissian nor Galstanyan will run as candidates.
A group of sober-headed members of the church have released a statement focusing on the real issues plaguing the church com- munity in Canada. Had these facts been known earlier, the majority in the commu- nity would have perhaps reacted in a more balanced way.
Here below we reproduce that statement.
The community must now be informed that Bagrat Serpazan’s conduct has had two opposite facets. Most have known one only. They now need to know the whole story.
Vehapar is announcing an appropriate Pontifical arrangement for our community.
Archbishop Nathan Hovhanissian will oversee the Canadian Diocese Operations Bagrat Serpazan’s conduct has disqualified him from future posting in Canada. This text has been prepared based on informa- tion gathered from a number of well- informed sources It is very sad to witness the turmoil cre- ated within the Canadian community, fol- lowing the Diocesan Elections of May 25, which were held in exceptionally orderly manner with strict compliance with the pre- vailing bylaws of the diocese. Unfortunately, however, vicious statements are continuing to be spread on the Internet, all instigated and fed by Bagrat Serpazan and his collabora- tors.
This year was the regularly scheduled elec- tion or re-election time of the Primate in Canada. Bagrat Serpazan did not obtain the majority of votes; therefore, according to the universally accepted system in the Armenian Apostolic Church, he is now to be replaced.
This is not an unusual event by any means. Like in any other election in a civilized com- munity, the loser congratulates the winner and continues his journey without leaving destruc- tion behind him.
Archbishops Aris Shirvanian, Sion Manoogian and others lost elections, and they acted gracefully. They moved back to Echmiadzin and eventually were reassigned other positions.
Why did Bagrat Serpazan choose instead to instigate a violent and vicious social media and Internet campaign, slinging mud and slander- ous accusations left and right? Why did he insti- gate, and still continues to feed, this communi- ty destroying action?
It is being said that on the Internet thousands are asking him not to leave. A good number of the latter are genuine in the expression of their feelings, but ignorant of the causes that led Bagrat Serpazan to lose the elections. A number of others bear grudges and find this to be a con- venient opportunity to get at the dedicated pas- tors and at the prominent architects of our com- munity who have impeccable track records.
Canadians must realize that a very large num- ber of the Facebook writers are from any place on the planet such as Russia, Israel, Australia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and quite a few use fake names.
In previous statements, we asked that the comments by the two sides stop in order to stop the issue from expanding further.
However, insults, lies and incriminations con- tinued to be spread. So-called interviews by unknown individuals continue to spread poison in our community. They have to be stopped.
Therefore, the community must now know that Bagrat Serpazan had two very different types of conduct in this community.
He was, and could indeed be, friendly when and where he wanted. He could be a very pleas-ant dinner companion, travel and concert orga-nizer, a very close family friend for some. Those who have been exposed to this side of him are understandably quite upset by his departure. But they should not hope for his return.
Indeed Serpazan’s other type of conduct is known only to those who have been involved in the pursuit of the serious daily business of the diocese.
He has been arrogant and bullying with his subordinates; he was equally arrogant and uncommunicative with those who would nor- mally be his colleagues. You could either agree with him or be classified in his book as an enemy.
His judgment in serious matters of gover- nance of the community have been proven to be wrong or even worse, very costly and cata- strophic, and yet he would turn down any and all advice in those very serious matters, when advice was given to him beforehand.
Our community must know that due to his unwise but stubborn actions, where he found a few willing accomplices, this community came to the brink of losing for good our beautiful St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral. Do his “admirers” realize what that means?
Indeed, he has driven secretly and illegally according to our bylaws, together with his accomplices, the financial negotiation to mort-gage this church. The prepared documents of this transaction, bearing the names of the par- ticipants, with the Chomedey Caisse Populaire are available. It was stopped only because of the prompt action of a few conscientious parish-ioners who asked for an extraordinary general meeting where the illegal plot led by Bagrat Serpazan was exposed and stopped.
The above mortgaging plot was actually prompted by Bagrat Serpazan trying awkward-ly to bring his kind of fast “remedy” or cover up to an even bigger financial blunder in the Laval project.
Unknown to many, he actually was, as usual, ordering those around him to get into a succes-sion of incomprehensible actions leading to the waste of several hundreds of thousands of dollars from funds raised at the expense of well-meaning parishioners of the Laval Holy Cross church. When out of funds, he arranged and forced to make loans left and right. The church now is under the burden of over $1 million in debt.
A detailed accounting was given at the joint meeting of the Laval Parish Council with the Diocesan Council and the Board of Trustees. Our readers should ask for the official reports.
It was only one year ago that those involved in the daily operations of the Laval project have sounded a desperate alarm to intervene and stop the senseless actions in the Laval project which were led by the insistent permanent bul- lying of Bagrat Serpazan, even though he, as a Primate, actually should have stayed entirely out of such primarily financial and legal issues which are outside his domain.
To cite only one of these actions, it was revealed that Bagrat Serpazan had pushed at one point, the financially desperate parish, to accept a $100,000 loan that he personally had arranged at an extravagant interest rate of 36 percent. This is unheard of! A few months later, he told them to not pay that outrageous inter- est. How about the consequences…? Nothing, as far as he is concerned…! In his judgment such things are “small” matters. Those who find this hard to believe should ask for the details from the Laval Parish authorities.
How do Serpazan’s admirers feel about such behavior?
Should one still talk also about a recently dis-covered performing artists promoting private company, registered in Quebec, of which Bagrat Serpazan, as vice chairman, is one of the main officers? Was that part of his religious mission as Primate of Canada?
In conclusion, Bagrat Serpazan’s failure to be elected is the normal result of all of the above and many more of his acts, nothing else. No personal vendetta, no political party inter- vention, none of the latter; those are convenient labels to cover up his very serious problems.
Legally-elected delegates have legally voted him down because of his very serious actions that are only partially exposed above.
It is sincerely wished that he learns from his mistakes in order to serve the Armenian Church elsewhere in a more responsible way in the future.
Coming back to our community, it is now known that given the incredible and highly-dis- turbing turmoil that has been created in our diocese, Vehapar is taking the appropriate extraordinary pontifical measures to bring rem- edy to our community. The legally elected Primate Arèn Jebejian does not deserve to be exposed to the hostile atmosphere.
In spite of all of the above, the primary inter- est of our community now is to heal the wounds and get back to constructive work, all together.
We appeal once more to all to stop further exchanges on this matter. Let us get together to repair what is broken and continue to work to the benefit of our outstanding Canadian com-munity.
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