Armenian patriarch seeks interfaith unity

Tom Heinen reported in the Oct. 27, 2007 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on the visit here of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos (universal leader) of All Armenians. His ecumenical purposes are limited.

This month, he spoke in Washington, D.C., in support of a now-stalled House resolution that would label as genocide the killings of, according to some estimates, 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks from 1915 to 1923.

Since the Ottoman Empire no longer exists, what's his point?

Karekin said that recognition and condemnation of this genocide are needed to help prevent future genocides.

If the story included his citing examples of how past recognition and condemnation of genocides prevented subsequent genocides, that would help dispel the notion that the resolution is more about giving Armenia political leverage against Turkey.

At his request, Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba organized a reception at St. Francis Seminary that drew local leaders of various Christian denominations and the Jewish community.

Which made the deadline for our Milwaukee Catholic Herald's October 25, 2007 cover photo, but its report won't be published until the next week's issue.