An uplifting spirit and warm tributes at the Diocesan Assembly Banquet
The Diocesan Assembly Gala Banquet on Friday, May 2, 2025, was an uplifting evening of heartfelt tributes, capping a Diocesan Assembly built on the theme, “Love One Another.”
The host parish, Holy Archangels Church of St. Michael and St. Gabriel, of Haverhill, MA, ensured that the banquet was an elegant stage on which to honor church leaders for their contributions to the life of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America.
Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan presided over the evening. Diocesan Legate Archbishop Vicken Aykazian delivered the invocation. Words of welcome were given by parish council chair Kim Kazanjian Dandurant, and Diocesan Assembly chair Diran Jebejian offered a toast. Host parish Assembly Committee chair Mark Kazanjian served as Master of Ceremonies.
Performing artists for the evening were vocalist Knarik Nerkaryan and pianist Arpine Arakelian, who offered selections by Satyan and Babajanyan.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of Diocesan awards to two distinguished honorees, each of whom was introduced with a short video and a personal tribute from a longtime friend.
Host parish pastor Fr. Vart Gyozalyan introduced the 2025 “Friend of the Armenians” award recipient, Fr. John Delaney, pastor of Sacred Hearts Catholic Church of Haverhill, MA. In remarks filled with emotion, he paid tribute to his personal friendship with Fr. Delaney, which began during a prayer service after the Boston Marathon bombing, and blossomed in the years after. He expressed gratitude for Fr. Delaney’s generosity in opening his church to the Armenian faithful of Haverhill when their own church was under construction.
Fr. Delaney accepted the award in the names of “all the parishioners who have built bridges between the two faith communities” throughout that time. “We are truly blessed by this deep friendship,” he said.
He lovingly recalled his own passage to Armenia as part of a pilgrimage led by Fr. Vart. Being in the company of faithful Armenians, praying together before the Genocide Monument at Dzidzernagapert, and having an audience with His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, were all deeply moving experiences for him, he said.
Fr. Delaney also mourned the recent passing of Pope Francis, whom he called “the people’s Pope.” “The Pope’s historic visit to Armenia in 2016 was an expression of the bonds of love and friendship that exist between our churches,” he said, “and I am honored to be reminded of that friendship in this award.”
A message of gratitude
To introduce the “Armenian Church Member of the Year,” Diocesan Council member Gregory Kolligian delivered a touching tribute to his lifelong friend, James Kalustian—this year’s award recipient. “My friendship with Jim has made me a better servant of Holy Trinity Church and our Diocese,” he said, extolling the honoree’s modesty as “a testament to the upbringing he received from his parents, Martin and Mimi.”
James Kalustian—a member of Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge, MA, and an ordained deacon with a distinguished history of service to Holy Etchmiadzin and leadership in the Eastern Diocese—approached the podium to say he felt humbled by the evening’s presentations. “Today should not be about me,” he insisted, “but about our entire Armenian Apostolic community, and the many blessings we’ve received.”
In his uplifting message about service, gratitude and looking to the future, Jim Kalustian acknowledged the blessings all Armenian Americans share, and the personal blessings he received from his parents. He appealed for outreach to Armenia and its people, adding: “But let us not only think of Armenia, or our church communities, when we think of giving back. People around us here need our help, too.”
“Give thanks, assess the present moment and look to the future,” he said, reflecting on words of advice offered by His Holiness Karekin II. “I can only stress that I will continue to strive to be worthy of your kindness.”
To conclude the program, Fr. Gyozalian spoke graciously about the inspiration he had received from each of the honorees, and expressed thanks to Bishop Mesrop, the parish committee, his parishioners, his wife Yn. Lusine and their children.
At last, Bishop Mesrop offered his own words of blessing on the honorees and the banquet attendees. Reflecting on the sense of vision that precedes every meaningful achievement and every great stride forward, the Primate asserted that “Vision, fueled by love, allows us to see miracles happen.” He went on: “That’s the spirit we need—in our Diocese, and throughout our church and community.”
Holy Archangels Church’s Diocesan Assembly organizing committee, under the leadership of pastor Fr. Vart Gyozalyan, included Mark Kazanjian (Assembly Committee chair), Vania Mardirossian Kim (vice chair), Kristina Bebirian (vice chair), Armen Derderian (treasurer), Viken Dumeciyan (assistant treasurer), Diane Shadbegian (recording secretary), Sarah Tavitian (corresponding secretary) and members Yn. Lusine Aharonyan, Barbara Arthur, Eleni Bebirian, Michael Bebirian, Myles Couyoumjian, Knar Felegian, Charlene Hovanasian, Anahit Kibarian, Ervant Kibarian, Nathan Kibarian, Andrea Korbey, Robert Korbey, Kathy Meranian, Elaine Meuse, Stephanie Naroian, Nancy Sahagian, Scott Sahagian, Robert Serabian, Daniel Shadbegian and David Tavitian.
The parish also extended special acknowledgements to Debbie Ohanian (in memory of Michael and Sonia Ohanian), Ira Dewitt, David Tavitian, Andre Garabedian and Andrea Aghavnie Korbey—all of whom contributed to a pleasant and hospitable weekend.
Click the following links to view a photo gallery of the Diocesan Assembly Awards Banquet, and to watch a video digest of the assembly and banquet proceedings (both by Mano Baghjejian).
Meet the 2025 Diocesan Award winners
Every year, the Eastern Diocese bestows its “Friend of the Armenians” and “Armenian Church Member of the Year” awards to express gratitude to people who have profoundly benefitted the church; to deepen existing relationships with important figures in the community; and to strengthen the honorees in their continuing efforts.
The 2025 honorees are people of extraordinary vision and determination, motivated by a belief in something greater, and a responsibility to share the fruits of their accomplishment with others.
This year’s “Armenian Church Member of the Year,” James M. Kalustian, has been actively involved in the life of the Armenian Church since his childhood. At age 10, his pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge, Fr. Papken Maksoudian, invited Kalustian to serve on the altar as a candleholder, and he has continued his altar service for over 50 years, rising through the ranks to deacon. His dedication expanded over the years to the parish, Diocesan and global levels. At Holy Trinity, he served on the parish council for 12 years, and six years as chair. Kalustian sang with Fr. Oshagan Minassian and the Erevan Choral Society. He was elected to four six-year terms as a Diocesan delegate, and serves as Chair of the Parish Trust Fund, which manages the parish’s endowment.
Kalustian served on the Diocesan Council for 18 years, including four years as chair. He implemented the 401(k) retirement plan for the staff and Diocesan clergy. He created a performance review, development plan for the staff, and brought Diocesan borrowing from its endowment under control, and then, to zero. Kalustian was appointed by the Primate to work with the Lawrence and Haverhill parishes to guide the process leading to the unification of both churches into a new Hye Pointe church—now Holy Archangels Armenian Church. While chair of His Holiness Karekin Il’s Pontifical Visit to the Eastern Diocese in 2007, he developed a relationship with His Holiness, and this connection led to His Holiness’ visit to Hye Pointe during the consecration of the cornerstone of the new sanctuary.
Kalustian served on the Supreme Spiritual Council of the worldwide Armenian Church for over 15 years, where he helped to develop the Global Church bylaws, the National Ecclesiastical Assembly and the By-laws for the Dioceses within Armenia. He committed to his role on His Holiness’ advisory committee raising funds, distributing aid and services to the displaced population of Artsakh after the 2020 war.
Kalustian has been blessed more from his involvement with the Armenian Church and community than he has given back. The root of his involvement and support of the Armenian Church and community comes from his parents, Martin and Mimi: both children of Genocide survivors who grew up from humble stations. Strong believers in family, church and community, they instilled in their son a love of church and heritage. Most of Kalustian’s philanthropy is done in their names.
He serves as president of the Armenian Heritage Foundation, which secured the land, designed and built Armenian Heritage Park on the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The Governor of Massachusetts appointed Kalustian to serve on the Board of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy. He participated in the U.S. Board of City of Smile; served on the Board of NAASR; and is a member of the Armenian Assembly and Armenian National Committee. He served on the Visiting Committee of Radiation Oncology at Mass General Hospital, is a member of the Leadership Giving Committee with the Harvard College Fund, and is a Corporation Member and class agent at Belmont Hill School. He is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the St. Gregory the Illuminator and St. Nersess Shnorhali Medals from Holy Etchmiadzin, as well as the Movses Khorenatsi Medal from the President of the Republic of Armenia and the Medal of Appreciation Erakhdakidoutiun from the Prime Minister of Nagorno-Karabagh, among distinctions.
Professionally, Jim Kalustian has spent the past 30-plus years founding and helping to scale entrepreneurial healthcare services and technology businesses. He served most recently as co-founder and chief operating officer of RxAnte, and prior to that, served in high-level capacities with such innovative enterprises as the Board of Ambassadors Group, Health Resources Information Network, Fair Isaac Corporation, Braun Consulting and Vertex Partners. Kalustian holds a BA from Harvard College and an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
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The 2025 “Friend of the Armenians,” the Very Rev. Fr. John W. Delaney, is a native of Lawrence, MA, the son of Dorothy and Jack Delaney. He attended local schools and graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1983. He possesses advanced degrees in Chemistry and Engineering. He worked in the field of environment chemistry and analysis for several years before entering St. John Seminary and being ordained to the Roman Catholic Priesthood on May 20, 1995. He celebrates his 30th anniversary to the priesthood this year.
Fr. John has been blessed with his parish assignments in the Archdiocese of Boston—St. Joseph, Needham, St. Michael, North Andover and, currently, Sacred Hearts, Bradford/Groveland. Fr. John describes himself as a “general practitioner” in the field of ministry. He enjoys all aspects of parish life—working with people of all ages, celebrating the sacraments, visiting the sick and homebound, counseling, preaching and teaching the Catholic faith. He is a staunch supporter of Catholic education, through Catholic Schools and parish faith formation programs.
Fr. John is actively involved in the community. He currently serves as the police chaplain of the Haverhill and Groveland Police Departments and fire chaplain for the Haverhill Fire Department. He has served on several Boards in the community including Mary Immaculate Nursing Home, Lawrence, Pennacook Nursing Home, Haverhill and the Trauma Intervention Program, North Andover. On the Archdiocesan level, he serves as Vicar Forane (lead priest) for local parishes and has served on the Clergy Personnel Board and several other committees. He also serves as a supervisor for men who are in the seminary training to be future priests. In his free time, Fr. John enjoys oil painting, golf, reading mystery novels and walking the beach.
Fr. John values his close friendship with Rev. Father Vart Gyozalyan and the Holy Archangels Armenian Church, St. Michael and St. Gabriel community in Haverhill, Massachusetts. When Fr. John arrived at Sacred Hearts in April 2012, Fr. Vart was the first clergy person to welcome him to the community. Since then, the friendship between them and their two faith communities has deepened. During construction of the Holy Archangels Church and Hall, the Armenian Church used Sacred Hearts Chapel and hall for worship and fellowship. This visible sign of ecumenical spirit fostered a deep friendship and respect between membership of both communities.
Fr. John participates in various liturgical and faith formation celebrations at Holy Archangels as his schedule allows. He enjoys attending the parish picnics and food festivals that are held at Holy Archangels throughout the year. Fr. John traveled to Armenia in the summer of 2018 and experienced firsthand the beauty of Armenia, its people, culture and food. Most recently, Fr. John attended the dedication and consecration of Holy Archangels Armenian Church, St. Michael and St. Gabriel. Fr. John prays that his friendship with the Armenian Church will continue to deepen in the coming years and is honored to receive the 2025 “Friend of the Armenians” award.
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