A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 18 - Tuesday, May 4th, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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IN CHICAGO Chicago, IL - The annual Spring Meeting of the Archdiocesan Council of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America was held at the Marriott Downtown Hotel in Chicago, IL on Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25, 2004. The Council Meeting began Friday afternoon with an Opening Address by Archbishop Demetrios which included words of thanks to the Hierarchs in attendance and the Council members for their work and dedication to the Archdiocese. The agenda included review of the detailed work of the Archdiocesan Council Administration Committee in revising the Special Regulations and Uniform Parish Regulations (UPR) to include the roles and responsibilities of the Archdiocese and the Metropolises, and clarify the responsibilities of the Parishes. This new document, entitled Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, includes information concerning Real Estate Guidelines, a Conflict of Interest Policy and a Policy dealing with Dispute Resolution. The Regulations document was prepared by the Administration Committee over the past year using the current Charter and UPR. The Committee considered UPR related Resolutions from Local Councils and Metropolis Assemblies. Also, the Committee sought to work in consultation and cooperation with the church organizations familiar with the current issues our Church must address, by requesting input from the chancellors of the Metropolises, the Archdiocesan Benefits Committee, the Retired Clergy Association, the Presbyter's Council and the Finance Committee of the Archdiocesan Council. Mr. Anthony Stefanis, Chairman of the Administration Committee commented, "These Regulations were developed to clarify the role and responsibilities of clergy and laity at all levels of our Archdiocese and to focus specifically on governance and accountability." Comments have been requested from members of the Archdiocesan Council and from the Hierarchs of the Holy Synod and will be incorporated into a final document that will be reviewed at a special meeting of the Archdiocesan Council in June. The Regulations will then be distributed to the delegates for discussion and adoption by the full body of the 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress, scheduled for July 25-29 in New York City. The Regulations will then be forwarded to the Ecumenical Patriarchate for approval as provided for in the 2003 Charter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Following this discussion, the Archdiocesan Council, after hearing Mr. Emanuel Demos, Legal Counsel of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, comment on the matter of the Lawsuit filed by certain individuals against the Archdiocese, unanimously adopted the following resolution: WHEREAS, certain individuals have filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court of the State of New York against the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Archbishop Demetrios which is unacceptable on both canonical and ecclesiastical grounds and does not represent the views or desires of the faithful across the country, and WHEREAS, the members of the Archdiocesan Council, representing the faithful across the country acknowledge the absolute validity of the 2003 Charter, NOW THEREFORE IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED: The Council adopts by reference the resolutions passed by the local Assemblies of San Francisco, New York and New Jersey, and by the Council of the Denver Metropolis (being the only meetings that occurred after the commencement of the Lawsuit), and it is further resolved, That those Plaintiffs in the Lawsuit are requested to reconsider their actions and remove their names as Plaintiffs in the Lawsuit, and further, That they use their best efforts to obtain the dismissal of the Lawsuit at the earliest, and further,
That our clergy
is requested to pastorally approach the plaintiffs
to assist them in understanding that they are
misinformed regarding the full process that was
taken in granting the 2003 Charter. |
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