Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson resigns in wake of child abuse cover-up

July 30, 2018 By administrator

Archbishop Philip Wilson resigns

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Philip Wilson, who was convicted of covering up child sex abuse by a pedophile priest. It was the second resignation the pope has accepted in the last three days.

Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson, the most senior Catholic official in the world to be convicted of concealing child sex abuse, has stepped down, the Vatican confirmed on Monday.

Wilson, 67, was convicted in May for failing to report to police the repeated abuse of two altar boys by a pedophile priest in the Hunter Valley region north of Sydney during the 1970s.

The Adelaide archbishop refused to resign while his case was pending appeal. He acknowledged as recently as last week that calls for his firing were increasing. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was one of those voices, urging Pope Francis to sack Wilson earlier this month.

Francis accepted Wilson’s resignation on Monday night Australia time, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said in a statement.

Turnbull welcomed Wilson’s decision to quit, which “belatedly recognizes the many calls, including my own, for him to resign.”

“There is no more important responsibility for community and church leaders than the protection of children,” Turnbull said in a statement.

Crackdown on child abuse

Wilson is the second church official to resign in the last three days. US Cardinal Theodore McCarrick resigned from the College of Cardinals on Saturday.

The pope stripped the former archbishop of Washington of his rank as cardinal and ordered him to live in seclusion. McCarrick, 88, has been accused of fondling a 16-year-old teenager nearly a half century ago, an accusation he has denied.

The sex abuse scandal is expected to dominate Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland next month, the first papal visit to the country in almost 40 years. The pontiff is under increasing pressure to sanction bishops who have botched handling abuse cases or otherwise covered them up.

One of those bishops is Chilean Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, the archbishop of Santiago who prosecutors recently summoned to testify about his role in the alleged cover-up of years of abuse by Reverend Oscar Munoz. Ezzati has said he knew nothing of the abuse before Munoz came forward.

Ezzati had already offered his resignation when he turned 75 last year. Francis hasn’t moved on Ezzati’s resignation yet, supposedly waiting to find the right candidate to replace Ezzati as leader of Chile’s most important archdiocese.

dv/kms (AP, dpa, Reuters)

Archbishop of Armenian Diocese of Egypt on explosion in Coptic Cathedral Complex

December 13, 2016 By administrator

Leader of Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Egypt Archbishop Ashot Mnatsakanian has spoken about the explosion in the Coptic Christian cathedral complex during the interview conducted by the correspondent of the Hay Dzayn (Armenian Voice) news agency.

“We know that all this is temporary and whatever happened has also been denounced by the Egyptian population. This is comforting for us as we feel that the majority of the country’s population do not share their viewpoint,” the Archbishop noted.

He said the explosion had taken place not in the Coptic Cathedral but in the big church located in another part of the city. “Currently no specific steps have been taken yet. The entire neighborhood is under the control of the security officials who are trying to specify the details of the explosion. Thus the details are changing at any moment. For instance a few hours ago it was announced that the suspect is a woman, later it was stated that the suspect is a 22-year-old boy,” the Archbishop added.

He said that although many details have not been revealed yet accurate information will be provided soon so as the society becomes aware of the incident, as “the incident raises grave concerns.”

“The concerns refer not only to the fact that there is a big community of Copts living in Egypt who have their churches where they frequently hold ceremonies, but also to the efforts directed to maintain the overall stability of the country. This incident destroys the measures taken by the Egyptian government to maintain peace and security in the country,” Archbishop Ashot Mnatsakanian added.

In response to the question whether the Armenian Church held a liturgy during the incident he said the following: “We have our own Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Cairo which is closer to the Coptic Patriarchate. But we also have chapels in the middle of the two cemeteries and we hold six liturgies in each of them annually. The Saint Minas, the church of our old cemetery, is the oldest church of Egypt constructed in 1843. On the day of the incident we organized a pilgrimage to the church celebrating St. Minas’s holiday and during that time we were in the church which is far away both from our cathedral and the Coptic cathedral. However the news spread quite quickly and we immediately gave instructions to avoid unexpected incidents.”

Armenia reserves an icy reception at the Armenian archbishop of Turkey

June 21, 2016 By administrator

archbishop of turkey The Armenian Archbishop Aram Atesyan Turkey, Vicar General of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, has warned treading the red carpet for religious leaders on arrival at Yerevan Zvartnots airport, it should be welcomed by demonstrators. The controversial message addressed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the vote of 2 June the Bundestag recognizing the Armenian Genocide, has not in fact helped to make it popular among armenian.

Archbishop Aram Atesyan to be Met With Protests in Armenia

June 17, 2016 By administrator

Archbishop Aram Ateshyan, General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, will be met with protests in Armenia following his statement contending German Bundestag’s vote recognizing the Armenian Genocide. (Source: ArmRadio)

YEREVAN (ArmRadio)—Archbishop Aram Ateshyan, General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey Aram Atesyan will be welcomed by protests at Zvartnots airport.

The move comes after the Archbishop’s highly controversial message to the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the German Bundestag’s vote on the Armenian Genocide.

“At a time, when Bundestag MPs of Turkish descent urge to ban Erdogan from Germany, we, as descent children of the Armenian nation, which respects the memory of the 1.5 million canonized victims of the Armenian Genocide, won’t allow Atesyan to enter Armenia,” reads a statement of a Facebook initiative, which calls itself “We won’t allow Aram Atesyan to enter Armenia.”

Historian Gevorg Yazichyan believes that the Armenian Foreign Ministry should have declared about the inexpediency of Atesyan’s visit. He’s disappointed by attempts of some clergymen to justify the Archbishop’s behavior.

Member of Parliament, Zaruhi Postanjyan, said that Aram Atesyan’s statement is “anti-human, not anti-Armenian.”

To many Armenians across the globe, it is unacceptable that Aram Atesyan remains a member of the Supreme Religious Council of the Armenian Apostolic Church and will visit Armenia to participate in the meeting of the Council. According to Yazichyan, the assertions that the Armenian Church has no right to defrock Archbishop Atesyan are groundless.

VOTE BUNDESTAG Reaction of Echmiadzin on the letter from the archbishop Atéchian Erdogan

June 8, 2016 By administrator

Father vaham melikian Father Vahram Mélikian, head of media relations of the Supreme Catholicosate of St. Echmiadzin yesterday reacted to the letter sent by Archbishop Aram Atéchian, Vicar General of the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, the Turkish President in which he expressed his regret at occasion of the vote Buntestag and reaffirms the loyalty of the Armenian community in Turkey against the authorities of that country. The expression is not without resonance for us since we return more than 100 years ago, at a time when the Turks called themselves Armenians “loyal nation”.

In an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net, the Mélikian father said that the Catholicos of All Armenians sent a few days ago a letter to the President of the Bundestag to thank him for this historic vote by German lawmakers and ask him to convey to the people German the thanks of the people and the Armenian Church.

The father then says Mélikian sending this letter with the words “In this case, we are against Turkey and its policy … We must blame and not hurt anyone, but simply to remember the statements made earlier by Patriarch Mesrob [Moutafian] and Archbishop Aram himself. The Patriarchate is responsible for the Armenian community in Turkey. I think that such statements only serve to solve problems locally and have no importance from the standpoint of the general position of the Church. Turkey is trying to solve its problems of all kinds by this or that way, and, again, I do not exclude the pressure [on the government Patriarchate].

Translation Philippe Nazarian

Istanbul Vicar’s ‘Deep Regret’ for Bundestag Vote Angers Turkish-Armenians

Istanbul vicars bundestag ISTANBUL (Armenian Weekly)—Archbishop Aram Atesyan, the General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarch in Turkey, sent a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slamming the German Parliament’s June 2 adoption of an Armenian Genocide resolution, saying that the Bundestag’s decision “about the events happened during the tragic times of World War I caused regret in our nation.”

“[I]t is unacceptable that a parliament, which was formed by the votes of German citizens and has the duty of establishing laws for the peace, prosperity, and security of their nation, expressed its opinion, though it has no right to do so. It is unacceptable that this parliament legalized its decision on behalf of the entire German nation and considers itself a judge,” Atesyan wrote in his letter, which made no reference to the Armenian Genocide as such.

In his letter, shared on the Armenian Patriarchate’s Facebook page, Atesyan criticizes the use of the “tragedy that traumatized the Armenian nation” in international politics and claimed that such resolutions cause “sorrow and pain.” “Unfortunately, this historical pain of the Armenian nation is considered as a tool for accusing and punishing Turkish state and nation. And because of this ugly mentality, sub- and supra-identities of Turkish Armenians are harmed. The ones who are willing to see the truth can realize how Armenian nation has been abused by imperialist powers,” reads a part of the letter, which concludes with prayers to God to bestow “health, success, and happiness” on Erdogan.

In response to Atesyan’s letter, the Turkish-Armenian Weekly Agos wrote a critical letter to the Archbishop, condemning his praise of Erdogan, despite the President’s gross violation of human rights, anti-Armenian and racist policies, and denial of the Armenian Genocide.

“You define the systematic and almost complete annihilation of a people by the decision of the state itself as ‘the events happened during the tragic times of World War I’; this is an affront to the ancestors, victims and the survivors in the eyes of the society to which you also belong,” reads a part of the letter, which goes on to claim that the Archbishop lacks a “dignified attitude” and that he does not represent the entire Armenian community.

The letter specifically criticizes the Archbishop’s claim that the Patriarchate “will continue to pray for the fellowship of Turkey and Armenia” as unjustifiable, considering Erdogan’s continued threats against Armenian citizens

The letter also criticizes Atesyan’s claim that “the role of German Reich is slid over by a few sentences” in the German Armenian Genocide resolution, stating that 80 percent of the resolution, which declares German Reich as an accomplice to the genocide, consists of Germany’s confrontation with its own history.

Below is Agos’s letter to Atesyan in its entirety:

Dear Mr. Archbishop,

We have read your letter about the Armenian Genocide resolution of Bundestag, which is addressed to the President and signed on behalf of “Turkish Armenians Society,” with sorrow, anger and shame. Please regard this letter as the voice of those members of that society who disagree with the content and style of your letter.

You define the systematic and almost complete annihilation of a people by the decision of the state itself as “the events happened during the tragic times of World War I;” this is an affront to the ancestors, victims and the survivors in the eyes of the society to which you also belong.

The society that you defined as “Christian-Armenian Turkish citizens who perform their obligations to the state perfectly, got over the delusion of seeing themselves different from the other citizens and know how to protect their rights when necessary” doesn’t have a homogeneous structure; rather, it consists of individuals who have their own independent feelings, opinions, and firm acknowledgment of truth. The thing is, Armenians are not the ones who see themselves different from other citizens. After 1915, whenever the political atmosphere gets intense, Armenians become subjected to discriminatory, fascist, and obviously threatening discourses and threats, especially in times of 1942 Wealth Tax and [the] Sept. 6-7 plunders. And on Jan. 19, 2007, they witnessed the assassination of Hrant Dink, one of the most precious figures who devoted himself to the peace between and in two peoples.

You said, “We, as the Patriarchate, will continue to pray for the fellowship of Turkey and Armenia”; how could you justify this statement of yours, given the fact that your addressee President Erdogan threatened the citizens of Armenia to send them back to Armenia two days ago? Doesn’t it trouble your conscience? Let us remind you those statements of the president, in case you have forgotten: “Currently, there are almost 100.000 Armenians in my country. Almost half of them are Turkish citizens. However, the other half are citizens of Armenia and we can send them back to Armenia, like Europe did.”

You said that you are aware of the fact that “some people are not happy with your stable attitude that you maintain by abiding the traditional way.” Honestly, we are having difficulty in understanding how forelock-tugging can be considered as an attitude.

The Armenian Genocide, as a crime against humanity, is a concern of the whole humanity. You said that you pray for the good of two peoples. The common future of those peoples would be possible only when an honorable reconciliation is achieved, because then, there won’t be this kind of oppression that caused you to deny even your own history.

Dear Mr. Archbishop,

Since you said that “the role of German Reich is slid over by a few sentences,” we see that you have failed to comprehend the content of the resolution. Almost 80% of this resolution, which declares German Reich as the accomplice to the genocide, consists of Germany’s confrontation with its own history.

Let us continue: you said, “using this tragedy that traumatized the Armenian nation in international politics causes sorrow and pain.” Indeed, the oppression that led you to write this letter causes sorrow and pain. Also, the sub- and supra-identities of the Armenian society in Turkey is not harmed by this resolution, but by your words. Above all, your words on “abuse of Armenian nation by imperialist powers” are recorded as an example to the denialist discourse; not by the ones who will take advantage of your usage of the official state discourse, but by your own people. In the near future, we will see who will appreciate your discourse with “enthusiastic applause.”

On this occasion, borrowing your style in your letter, we once again express our sorrow, uprising, and anger, and pray to God for you; may God bestow sense, intelligence, and comprehension on you.

We also pray to God for giving you a dignified attitude, which you obviously lack, since you said that “you pray to God for making the state dignitaries, who work for the good of people, succeed in their services” in a time when tens of people are being killed every day in a civil war.

Cordially,

AGOS