wfn.org | [SCOBA] Encyclical of SCOBA for Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday - June 1, 2008

[Communications Department <Communications@GOARCH.ORG>]

SCOBA
The Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas
8 East 79th Street, New York, NY 




I was in prison, and you visited me.
St. Matthew 25:36 


June 1, 2008
The Sixth Sunday of Pascha


The Hierarchs of the Standing Conference
of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas

To all the Clergy and the Laity of the Holy Orthodox Churches in the 
Americas


Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Christ is Risen!

We, the Hierarchs of SCOBA, are by the grace of God blessed to designate 
the Sixth Sunday of Pascha, this year on June 1, 2008, to be Prison 
Ministry Awareness Sunday in all Orthodox parishes of North America.  For 
this reason, SCOBA took on the sponsorship of the Orthodox Christian 
Prison Ministry (OCPM), accepting it as an Agency of SCOBA, much like 
International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and the Orthodox 
Christian Mission Center (OCMC).

We have embraced this diakonia in keeping with the example of our Lord, 
Who shunned not the sinners, but preached His message of love and 
forgiveness to tax collectors and sinners, and Who included visiting and 
ministering to prisoners as the basic expressions of Christian faith and 
love (St. Matthew 25:36).  SCOBA encourages the faithful to learn about 
supporting prison ministry and the prison ministers who actually enter 
these institutions to bring the Gospel of hope and salvation to the 
incarcerated. 

Most prisoners suffer from the burdens of their consciences, from their 
confinement, and from their fears of being unable to function in society. 
By guiding them to the spiritual way of life found in the Church, we not 
only help to make better citizens for our society, but we also make 
potential citizens of God’s Kingdom.  By teaching prisoners the joy and 
perspective on life that repentance brings, we open to them the path to 
conversion leading to the fullness of life granted by Christ.

We ask all of our parishes to find ways to support OCPM, and perpetuate 
this good work, which can literally bring salvation to countless prisoners 
by providing literature and ministry opportunities to those who thirst for 
God’s mercy and compassion.


With paternal blessings and love in the Risen Christ,


 
+Archbishop DEMETRIOS, Chairman 
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America 
 
+Metropolitan PHILIP, Vice Chairman 
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America  
 
+Metropolitan CHRISTOPHER, Secretary 
Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada 
  
+Metropolitan NICHOLAS of Amissos, Treasurer 
American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese in the USA 

+Metropolitan HERMAN
Orthodox Church in America 

+Archbishop NICOLAE
Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America and Canada 

+Metropolitan JOSEPH 
Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church 

+Metropolitan CONSTANTINE 
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA

+Bishop ILIA of Philomelion
Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America