A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 31 - Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Steam Rolls Proposed Regulations at Clergy Laity Finale Archbishop Demetrios “suggests” to delegates how to vote. New York (July 30, 2004) – In what is being called a sham by many delegates, the last day of the Clergy-Laity Congress saw a new set of Uniform Parish Regulations (UPR), rammed through the final Plenary Session on Thursday afternoon. Many of the delegates were barely aware of the contents of the proposed regulations contained in a 42-page complex document including a clause stating that they are no longer members of the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese, which did not follow its own rule that requires parishes receive the proposed Regulations as part of the Congress Agenda a minimum of 60 days prior to the convening of the Clergy-Laity Congress, caused confusion as many delegates and most parishes did not have the opportunity to carefully study the Regulations which in effect changes the operating structure and character of the Archdiocese. As a result, the Congress’s Administration Committee was unable to complete its initial review and the Regulations were approved in a chaotic final Plenary Session of the Congress in which there was no opportunity for discussion or thoughtful input. In an unprecedented move, as it appeared the work might not be completed prior to the mandatory end time of the Congress’ official business, Archbishop Demetrios spoke to the delegates and, in effect, suggested how they should vote to speed the process. Essentially they were “pushed through just as the Archdiocese had planned all along” some delegates stated, leaving the meeting in indignation and disgust. Indicative of the refusal of the handlers of the Congress to acknowledge dissenting views, was the refusal to permit the filing of a Minority Report, which provided for a motion to permit delegates to vote by written ballot, to accept or reject the Charter which the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Hierarchs are still attempting to impose on the Archdiocese and which is the subject of a pending Declaratory Judgment action in New York’s Supreme Court. That motion was ruled “out of order” and in violation of the Parliamentary Rules of the Congress, no appeal from the ruling of the chair was allowed. The minority report also reflected the fact that a motion was made to defer consideration of the proposed Regulations to permit time for the parishes and delegates to review them, discuss them intelligently and act upon them at the next Congress. The steam roller was evident from the beginning as only 805 of the possible 2,200 parish delegates even bothered to travel to New York and participate in the Congress as voting delegates.
“Frankly, we are all appalled at the arrogant and
intolerant behavior of the Congress leaders.” said
Peter Haikalis, President of the Orthodox
Christian Laity, who was declared ineligible by
church officials as a Congress Delegate despite
being elected by his parish. He underlined the
disconnect between the Archdiocese’s leadership
and the laity at the parish level by saying, “The
Faithful throughout the country, who have built
the churches and pay the bills, understand the
issues The Archdiocese changes the rules at
their convenience so our voices can’t be heard.
This is only an early chapter in a book that is
yet to be finished and we are NOT going to give up
our church that easily.” |
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