Due Process or Cover Up?

Submitted October 20, 2005

DUE PROCESS OR COVER UP?

Every so often God sends a courageous person on the scene to shed truth’s light on injustice, ignorance, and on the facts in order to wake people up and expose wrongdoing.

In this article, I will write about such a person who exemplifies the saying “Kill the messenger.” I’m writing about a person who took her position as Parish Council treasurer at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Oak Lawn, Illinois in January of this year very seriously. Whenever she pointed out errors she found in the financial books of the church and asked questions at the meetings of the Parish Council she would not receive the correct answers. Often she would be berated in an unchristian-like manner and even be intimidated. She was not allowed to sign checks, examine the books or even point out anything that did not seem right. She was surprised that the Council officers and members really ignored her observations. Some asked her to resign. She refused saying she was duly elected to do the job and needed some real answers on why the books were kept the way they were which amounted to no oversight. Soon the attitude became Let’s get rid of the bearer of bad news. Some members probably did not grasp the problem and kept quiet. Soon respect for the treasurer was aggravated and the idea that she was not allowed to sign checks but the priest was allowed to, was ignored. The members, most of them not talking at all, were not in the mood for any bad news or controversy.

This points to the truth that many people don’t want to face the truth even when it’s very evident. It reminds me of Jack Nicholson in the movie “ A Few Good Men,” who said You want the truth? You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!

Susanna Searl, the duly-elected treasurer of St. Nicholas Church Parish Council would not just go away. Perhaps she was chosen on purpose thinking that she would be gullible or not very knowledgeable about finances. From the beginning, when she saw that the Council was not serious about her findings, she decided to keep notes on the meetings, a sort of diary or log of what transpired. Repeatedly, she was told she did not know what she was doing or what she was saying. Archimandrite Timothy G. Bakakos, the presbyter of the church and others in the Council berated her instead of answering her legitimate questions. I have read in her log of these meetings and her notes of matters that did not sound right to her. It is eleven typed pages long and we do not have enough space in this column to repeat the observations about such things as salaries reported lower than they were in order to reduce taxes; large deposits put in otherwise small accounts which were never explained; the signature on many checks in accounts were not signed by the treasurer but by the priest; certain vague for “cash” checks signed by the priest; and other important, unexplained practices.

Eventually Searl realized that she must go to a higher authority to explain her doubts and suspicions since the Parish Council would not face the issues. She wrote a letter to His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos asking for a meeting with him. She was told the Metropolitan was away on vacation. She wrote a second letter and this time gave it to the Chancellor, Archimandrite Dimitri Kantzavelos and spoke with him about her findings. She brought evidence of questionable cancelled checks and other allegations of wrongdoing. He arranged a meeting with the Treasurer of the Metropolis, Mr. Bill Vranias, Father Bakakos, and another unknown lay person. Vranias would keep her original documents and go over them. The thought was that they could not really see anything wrong in face of the records. The unknown lay person kept saying many times, “We must trust.” Father Kantzavelos told Searl ‘Why don’t you resign?’ at one point. She said no.

Father Bakakos had a heart attack a few days after this meeting and many on the Council blamed Susanna as the cause.

A Petition for a Special Assembly (Article 31 section 7 of the Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese) had been called for by Searl and a few others and had the signatures of 10% of the parishioners as required. But because Fr. Bakakos was in the hospital, the Special Assembly had to be cancelled. Peggy Zippmann had signed the petition and this is thought to be the reason why she was removed from the Parish Council. Susanna wanted to explain her reasons so she wrote a letter to all the parishioners and mailed it to them. Surprisingly support for her on this matter was apparent.

Still Searl had not received word from Metropolitan Iakovos who was still out of the country, Indeed, Searl has never met with the Metropolitan even after his return around the middle of September.

Yet Searl received a letter dated September 2^nd (before he arrived in the U.S) informing her and another letter informing Zippmann that on the advice of Father Bakakos he was removing them from the Parish Council. Father Bakakos followed with his letter dated Sept. 13^th the day before his heart surgery. The two letters to both ladies were hand-delivered to them at their place of employment by the president and a member of the Council in envelopes as though they were subpoenas. They asked Searl to surrender her keys for the church and for any records she had. (She had given original documents to the Metropolis’ treasurer, Bill Vranias, which he had never returned although he said he would.) He has the original documents but she has duplicates.

It is impossible to put all the details in a short article. I’ve tried to give the highlights of this whole saga of a church treasurer which no one wanted to listen to. No one seemed to care and the Council did not exercise their responsibility to get to the bottom of things.

What is the point of this? It is not difficult for us to come to two conclusions. First, that Susanna Searl and Magdalene (Peggy) Zippmann have not had a hearing with the Metropolitan who only knows what the Chancellor and parish priest have told him. He has made a serious decision without hearing the treasurer’s side which means that the highest authority in the Metropolis, Metropolitan Iakovos has never met with these ladies but has removed them from the Parish Council with no specific reason stated in his letter. That hardly can be considered fair or responsible and who is to say what information was given to him. Which indicates that the whole thing smells of a COVER UP, and a rather clumsy one at best.

Where was the DUE PROCESS? This might be acceptable in lands where there is the Taliban but not in this country. It shows no respect for a layperson duly elected by the parish and then elected by the Council to be its treasurer but not allowed to do her job. This would have been a good time for the Metropolitan as a wise father to gather his children and listen to both sides and try to rectify whatever was wrong and settle the matter in a Christian manner, correcting any mistakes on both sides.

Instead it shows that the three: Metropolitan, Chancellor, and priest decided the problem would quickly go away with a letter of dismissal. Think of the “angst” this must have caused the two who were removed so casually. It’s as though they were the wrongdoers. This was meant to shame them.

But wisdom does not always come with age or power. Metropolitan Iakovos did not question whether the second-hand story from his priests was accurate. He did not question the irregularities of the books and checks, and he did not hold anyone accountable but punished the only two who showed accountability and who did their duty. The Parish Council got rid of a treasurer who showed them what was wrong, and they closed their eyes – a much easier reaction – than seeking the truth. The Parish Council forgot they were representing the parishioners.

God help our Church if this goes on in some other parishes. The Metropolitan let us all down because if he did a disservice to two people, then he did it to all of us. He showed his clergy they can break the rules and not be reprimanded. He did not respect the rights of these two women. He just pushed the onus of blame on the “messenger” or “whistle blower.” That was the easiest way out of the dilemma. But I’m afraid it backfired because it raises more issues in the minds of the parishioners.

It remains for the members of St. Nicholas Church to not accept this travesty of justice. They should hold their assembly. Invite the Metropolitan to come and listen and speak. They should demand to hear both sides of the story and decide for themselves. If the ladies were dealt with unjustly, then they should be reinstated and the stigma of guilt would be erased. The Metropolitan needs to deal rightly with the pastor. He must have oversight over his clergy, the parish councils, the members and to see that whatever transpires in any parish is transparent, legal, honest, and honorable.

I can sympathize with Metropolitan Iakovos who oversees over 59 churches and is spiritual father to 200,000 Greek Orthodox in six states. It is a heavy load. But before he makes a serious decision he must get all the facts from both sides. He did not do this. If he was deceived by his priests then he owes it to all of us to rectify the injustice. He must show he cares for the least person in his flock. He must oversee his priests and correct them when needed. He must assume responsibility and not leave decisions on serious matters in the hands of his Chancellor and at his discretion. None of us are infallible. But whoever has power must use it wisely and responsibly.

We look to His Eminence for justice, guidance, and kind direction. Perhaps what we can all learn from this is that our parish councils should be made up of laypeople who can think for themselves and not be quick to trust everything. As the late Ronald Reagan said often in his relations with the Communists TRUST BUT VERIFY.

Will our Metropolitan step up to the plate and bring peace to St. Nicholas by doing his most important work as an Episcopo which means to oversee his children and encourage the good and rectify the wrong? We suggest he investigate the facts; re-instate the women until the truth is known and if they are wrong then remove them from the council; audit the church’s books and if needed correct the way the finances are handled by the treasurer and the priest; if the investigation finds the treasurer wrong then state the cause for her removal; Peggy Zippmann’s only “sin” was signing the petition for a special assembly which any member of the parish has the right to do according to Article 31 Section 7.

I suggest that when all persons have been heard, and the books audited, that the Metropolitan write a letter to the Parish Membership with his findings undistilled by others.

I also suggest that every year a planned seminar be held by the Metropolitan as a prerequisite especially for those on the parish councils who want to become officers to go over the duties and responsibilities of the members of the P.C.s and review the printed Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America with all its four parts and 35 articles and in particular Articles 24-35 dealing with the local parish council, some 20 pages in all. The priests could also have a similar seminar. I doubt if many of us have ever realized the importance of governing our parishes responsibly, honestly, with nothing to hide, accountable to the parish and transparent especially in the financial aspect of the parish’s governance. Then more trust would be warranted and we would deal with problems in a Christian Orthodox way as our Lord expects.

May this sad experience open our eyes and hope for thriving parishes where the priest and laity can co-operate together with respect and love.

God bless St. Nicholas, its clergy and parishioners and especially our Metropolitan who must be just and evenhanded to all his people, clergy and laity.



Volume 7 Number 45 - Tuesday, November 15, 2005	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY