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Orthodox Christian Laity Task Force on Unity Meets With Metropolitan Herman

(L-R): Anthony Carris, Board Member; George Matsoukas, Executive Director; Lee Kopulos, President; Andy Kartalis, Vice President; Metropolitan Herman, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA); Archbishop Nathaniel, Ruling Hierarch of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America; Very Rev. Fr. Robert Kondratick, Chancellor of the OCA; George Karcazes, Secretary.

The setting was the holy and peaceful Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God, Rives Junction, Michigan. It was the weekend of August 13-15^th, when the Monastery celebrates the Feast of the Dormition and pilgrims come from far and near to participate in the many services honoring the Mother of God. This year was especially poignant because Father Roman Braga, Mother Gabriella and the Sisters had just laid to rest the first abess of the Monastery, Schema Nun Benedicta Braga. May her memory be eternal!

Following the Sunday August 14^th Divine Liturgy and the hospitality luncheon, the OCL task force members pictured above met with His Beatitude, Herman, Archbishop of New York and Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, His Eminence, Nathaniel, Archbishop of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate and spiritual advisor to OCL and Protopresbyter Robert Kondratick.

The participants discussed the fact that the People of God in all Orthodox Christian Churches in America want to work together in Unity to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission. This was very evident amongst the 3,500 Church leaders who participated in the recently completed Church Assemblies held in mid and late July 2005 by the Orthodox Church in America and the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. The members of the OCL Task Force on Unity discern that the majority of the members of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese are also ready to be part of one Orthodox Christian Church in America, governed by all the canonical bishops presiding in North America and an elected lay Church Council.

The group discussed the leadership requirements needed to move ahead to meet the needs of the People of God presiding in North America who have made it clear that they want to make each of their parish communities missions for all people. The Orthodox faithful also want to go farther and want to reach out beyond their Church walls and bring the Orthodox Christian faith to all people who seek their Christian roots. The people are ready and want to work with their leaders to make Unity a reality.

The members of the Task Force left the almost three-hour meeting, inspired by the prayerful, frank and constructive discussions on administrative Unity and committed to continue offering their time, talents and resources to serve the bishops who are leading the effort to achieve administrative Unity.

The vespers and lamentation services that followed that evening were a source of spiritual renewal for all the faithful. The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrated on the feast day was concelebrated by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit GOA, and His Grace Bishop Irineu, nine deacons, more than 30 area priests and over 700 faithful parishioners from all over the Middle West. The two choirs – the sisters and the local choir singers- were heavenly. The faithful were treated to a hospitality luncheon, and many stayed for the afternoon Holy Unction Services. Everyone left spiritually refreshed, because they were in a holy place filled with the Grace of God, and they were united in their praise of the Mother of God on the feast of her Holy Dormition.



Volume 7 Number 34 - Tuesday, August 23rd, 2005	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY