A parish in Cleveland, Ohio has sent a strongly-worded letter to Archbishop Demetrios, head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America outlining a series of demands its members want fulfilled in order to continue sending their dues to the Archdiocese and questioning the leadership of the Archbishop.
Richard Warren, the president of the parish council of Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral, one of the largest parishes in the Metropolis of Pittsburgh, sent the letter to Archbishop Demetrios after a parish general assembly where one of the main topics of conversation was the financial problems the Archdiocese is facing.
Unlike a parish in Wisconsin, which voted to safeguard their dues to the Archdiocese by placing them in a local bank escrow account rather than sending them to New York, Saints Constantine and Helen will continue sending its dues until a review of the situation in May 2018.
According to the letter, a full copy of which is here, there was a spirited discussion which took the majority of the time of the general assembly which focused on the “sad state of affairs of the Archdiocese.”
The letter targeted the leadership of Archbishop Demetrios, directly, stating that “under your direct leadership, all aspects of the Stewardships of time, talent and treasures of not only our parish but of every parish in your flock, have been violated.”
The letter went on to call what has transpired in New York as a “violation of our trust and your fiduciary duties as our Archbishop.”
The letter continued, outlining a series of conditions that must be met and reviewed by the parish’s next general assembly in May of 2018, in order for dues to continue being sent to New York as part pf the parish’s commitment to the Archdiocese.
In the meantime and until a review is possible in May 2018, the parish will continue sending its regular dues, according to the letter.
“We cannot support a leadership that fails to carefully use the contributions of the Faithful.”
The letter closes with a strong, defiant tone, informing the Archbishop, as well as individuals copied on the letter including Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh, George Tsandikos and Michael Psaros, the Vice President and Treasurer of the Archdiocesan Council, respectively, that the parish “cannot support a leadership that fails to carefully use the contributions of the Faithful.”
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