wfn.org | GOAA - ARCHDIOCESAN COUNCIL HOLDS SPRING MEETING IN CHICAGO

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
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Email: communications@goarch.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2004

Contact:  Nikki Stephanopoulos

ARCHDIOCESAN COUNCIL HOLDS SPRING MEETING 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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