The Diocese
Posted: 05/07/2021
The Ladies Society Central Council (LSCC) held its 69th Annual Assembly through a Zoom gathering on May 6, 2021 at 10:30AM. Father Sknork Demirjian, the Parish priest of St. Peter Armenian Church of Van Nuys, California, delivered the opening prayer. His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the Dioesan Primate, presided over the virtual gathering. He addressed the attendees in his opening remarks with the myriads of immensely painful challenges that the Armenian community faced and continue to face here in the United States, as well as in Armenia and in other Armenian Diaspora communities. He stressed the importance of family in times of angst and difficulties and stated that “every household is a church and all mothers are saints”.
LSCC Chairlady Gladys Saroyan greeted the chair ladies and delegates of various Ladies Society chapters of the Western Diocese parishes and commended them on maintaining consistency and communication with their fellow ladies society members, despite the lockdown and health danger and fear that the whole world encountered this past year because of Covid-19 pandemic infections.
“This is the first-ever Zoom assembly in the history of the Ladies Society assemblies since they were formed in 1952,” Saroyan said. She also added, “Our gathering today is a triumph of human will over events that are completely out of our hands.”
Chairlady Linda Wall Farsakian of St. Mary’s Armenian parish in Yettem, California, spoke about the unexpected “spark” that the pandemic lit within the St. Mary’s ladies society which unexpectedly gained members, and helped the community connect with each other through various safe and compassionate means.
The present chapter chair ladies introduced their parish priests as well as their delegates and presented a short summary of their activities during the last year. These included contacting the members through Zoom meetings, welfare checks, telephone calls, as well as delivering food and other supplies as needed to those who were confined in their homes. Fundraising was also accomplished through drive-through food pickups and outdoor limited gatherings.
The chair ladies and delegates approved the election of the LSCC new executive board members whose names are the following:
Gladys Saroyan, (incumbent) St. James Armenian Apostolic Parish, Los Angeles
Belet Shahbazian, (incumbent) St. Leon Armenian Apostolic Parish, Burbank
Aida Sethian, (incumbent) St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Parish, Pasadena
Aida Askejian, (incumbent) St. Garabed of the Desert Armenian Apostolic Parish, Rancho Mirage
Nancy Berberian Thompson, St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Parish, Fowler
Darlene Chardukian, St. Paul Armenian Apostolic Parish, Fresno
Lisa Manoogian, St. Vartan Armenian Apostolic Parish, Oakland
A somber remembrance was held for the Ladies Society members who passed away these past two years. No candles were lit, as is the custom of the annual assembly, but a special prayer was said in their names by Father Mesrop Ash, parish priest of St. John parish of San Francisco.
His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian shared with the ladies the numerous activities and planned events that are in the process of being implemented in the Western Diocese, as well as a summary of the Clergy Assembly which took place in person the day before, May 5, 2021. “The family,” he stressed, “is our focus.”
The meeting was adjourned at noon.
