A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 29 - Tuesday, July 20th, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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Greek Orthodox Hierarchs Attempt to Deny Eligibility of Duly Elected Delegates to the Clergy-Laity Congress Action to Assert Authority over Parish General Assemblies Denies Rights of Members of Ascension Greek Orthodox Cathedral and St. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral New York (July 15, 2004) – In an extraordinary and an arbitrary move, Metropolitan Anthony of San Francisco and Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh, have directed communiqués denying both Dr. Peter Haikalis, President of the Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL), and Mr. Andy Kartalis’, Vice President, OCL, eligibility as delegates representing their respective Cathedrals to the 2004 Clergy-Laity Congress. This last ditch effort of intimidation comes just two weeks prior to the Clergy-Laity Congress to be held in New York City, July 25-30, 2004, and raises a number of questions not only about church policy, but the assertion of Metropolitan authority over parish rule. On July 1, and July 14, 2004, the two Metropolitans directed identical letters to both Reverend Anastasios Paris of the Ascension Greek Orthodox Cathedral and Reverend Stephen Callos of St. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, respectively, informing the priests that Dr. Haikalis and Mr. Kartalis are not eligible to be delegates representing their respective churches at the 2004 Clergy-Laity Congress. These letters site the two are, “required to respect and to be obedient to the ecclesiastical authority of our Holy Church,” with carbon copies directed to Archbishop Demetrios of America. “The use of coercion to, and frighten people from attending the Clergy-Laity Congress meeting, is a strong arm tactic which has no place in the Greek Orthodox church or in American society. It is an unacceptable intrusion and has created much anguish for those of us delegates who will be attending the Congress, and frankly, is an unfortunate abuse of pastoral responsibility,” said Peter Haikalis, the President of the Orthodox Christian Laity. “What is the benefit to the church, and what is the example to our children and others who are trying to understand what it means to be Orthodox in a pluralistic American society which recognizes the right of free speech.” In response to this communiqué, Dr. Haikalis has sent a letter along with memorandum clearly stating the current Rules and Regulations governing the Church – both are attached for your review. In addition, at a parish council meeting at Ascension Cathedral on Wednesday night, the Council agreed to take NO action, as Dr. Haikalis is an elected delegate to the Clergy Laity Congress, sighting that the Metropolitan had no authority to over rule a duly elected delegate from their General Assembly.
Haikalis
continued, “Parishioners are not sheep to follow
blindly and unquestioningly in response to the
misguided demands of their hierarchs. Nor are our
leaders monarchs to issue edits and pronounce laws
on all those who oppose their wishes.” |
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