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THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside VEMA Greece MAY 2017 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: [email protected] DISCIPLINEOUR ARCHBISHOP’S IN THE VIEW HOME ORTHODOX AND HETERODOX PAGE 5/21 TURKISH VESSELS VIOLATE GREEK TERRITORIAL WATERS Greek Australians irrate over politician’s comment on FYROM name New tension between Athens and Ankara Greek Australians are angry over Liberal Party Hopes that tension between Athens and Ankara would MP Craig Kelly who made a statement about subside after the meeting between Prime Minister Alex- the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of is Tsipras and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Macedonia (FYROM). Saturday (13/5) were dashed two days later after two PAGE 15/31 Turkish missile boats entered Greek territorial waters off the southeast Aegean island of Agathonisi. The vessels, which were taking part in a maritime exer- cise code-named Denizkurdu (Seawolf), stayed in Greek territorial waters for about 20 minutes. They were moni- tored by Hellenic Navy vessels before they left. Last month Agathonisi was described as a “Turkish island” by Turkey’s Minister of European Union Affairs Omer Celik. Nonetheless, before Monday’s incident, government officials had hailed the meeting between Tsipras and Er- dogan in Beijing on Saturday (13/5) as positive. Both men agreed on the need to find a way to rebuild call for the extradition of eight Turkish servicemen who confidence, even though the Turkish leader reiterated – fled to Greece after the coup attempt in the neighboring albeit less aggressively than on previous occasions – his country last year. The Political Nature of the National Sports Games of the Colleges Modern Papacy: An Introduction Pope Francis remains the only pre-West- of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia phalian absolute monarch vested with sover- eignty, exercising authority within a legitimate state connected with but not dependent upon a small territorial enclave. PAGE 6/22 With the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos of Aus tralia, All Saints Grammar hosted in Belmore (NSW) the Na- tional Sports Game s of the se ven Colleges of the Greek Orthodo x Archdiocese of Aus tralia, from 3 t o 5 May. More than 300 students travelled from Perth (St Andrew’s College), Adelaide (St George College), Melbourne (St John’ s College and Oakleigh Grammar), and from other areas of Sydney (Colleges of St Spyridon and St Euphemia). The inaugural Doxology was special, as the pupils were honoured with the presence of the Evzones of the Greek Presidential Argithea Guard. Three exciting days followed, during which the students competed in team sports in a spirit of emulation, but also pro- moted their artistic skills, participating in the tribute organised for the sixtieth anniversary of the death of Nikos Kazantzakis. Unspoiled and sparsely populated, this lush As His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Apollonia, poin ted out at the Closing Ceremon y of the Games, students from all over Aus- central Greek district boasts rustic and breath- tralia had the opportunity to confirm their common bonds of faith, values and language that connect the GreekPAGE Orthodox14/30 Col- taking beauty. leges of the Archdiocese. The next Games will be organised in Melbourne by St John’s College. PAGE 16/32 MAY 2017 2/18 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Why US presidents meet annually with only Greeks and Irish and what good it does By ANDY MANATOS & MIKE MANATOS * our issues and us. Businessman and political insider cant dividends for our issues – enabling us to: (1) move Dennis Mehiel sees our meeting with the president as one White House to switch Germany and France’s ob- Why has every US president invited only the Greeks extraordinary political power appreciated by senators jection to Cyprus’s early EU accession and stop another and Irish to meet at the White House for each of the and members of Congress who realize it can potentially from pressing the EU to require a Turkish-agreed-to last 31 years, and what good does it do? The answer help them. This, coupled with our constant support of Cyprus settlement before accession; (2) move Assistant may surprise you. the key senators and members, gives us direct access to Secretary Dick Holbrooke to spend major American po- In a president’s first term, the value of this meeting is these leaders, not simply their staff. It motivates their litical capital demanding the Former Yugoslav Republic particularly significant as his administration’s new offi- connection and commitment to Hellenic and Orthodox of Macedonia (FYROM) remove threats to Macedonia cials jockey to impress. Quickly realizing the difficulty policies. from its constitution; and (3) with the Archons, move behind securing a place on the president’s schedule, The millions of dollars of work our office contributes, Turkey, through our government, to grant citizenship to even as White House staffers, they see this invitation to in close cooperation with the Church, to establish and our metropolitans, without which Ecumenical Patriar- Greek Americans as a designation of importance. Con- maintain this annual White House meeting, in addition chal succession could halt in the absence of qualified ci- sequently, doors of top Washington officials open for to events for senators and members, has paid signifi- tizenship. Behind-the-scenes Washington effectiveness is barely visible from Athens and Nicosia. Some years ago, Cyp- Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia rus bypassed our relationships and spent $1.5 million a year on Washington’s top lobby/law firm. Sadly, they Missionary Committee discovered that large firms: (1) spend their top White House and Congressional chits on their longest-term SHARE WITH AFRICA mega-clients and (2) do not contribute 1 to 5 million dollars in annual pro bono advocacy. In our absence, Fifth Annual Charity Dinner the half of Congress we made advocates for Cyprus vir- Pentecost Day 2017 tually disappeared and the State Department pressed the Annan Plan Greek Cypriots rejected. Why have US presidents met only with the Irish and The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia is once again holding a major Greeks for the past 31 years? Owner of one of the world’s largest short-selling firms and historian Jim Cha- fund-raising Dinner in Sydney to assist our African brothers and sisters. nos notes: 70 percent of modern presidents trace their ancestry to Ireland, the second largest nationality in This year’s event will once again be held in the hall of St Spyridon Church, America. Political powerhouse Senator Teddy Kennedy established this meeting. Yet there has never been a Kingsford on Pentecost, June 4 at 5 pm. Greek-American president and Greeks account for one- half of 1 percent of Americans, ranking 32nd among US With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, all funds raised will diasporas. The answer involves Greek ingenuity, Orthodoxy and be distributed equally for missionary and humanitarian work across the philotimo – the love of honor. These uniquely Greek growing Orthodox Churches of: characteristics enabled our leaders to develop extreme- ly close relationships with America’s top officials. This 1. Kenya (an English-speaking country where there are already over a moves our deeply spiritual and intelligent Archbishop Demetrios to lead our national community to the White million Orthodox faithful, three Dioceses, and over 300 priests) House and make our case with presidents. And, it al- 2. The Democratic Republic of Congo (a French-speaking country that lows for the genius of Father Alex Karloutsos to lend his needs support for its new Orthodox University as a part of a vibrant magic behind the scenes. Our philotimo and Orthodoxy contribute to the uni- Church in Central Africa) versal admiration for our people across US locales, ac- 3. Sierra Leone (which has some of the greatest humanitarian needs cording to Michael Psaros, who runs the world’s leading following a devastating civil war just over a decade ago and more private equity firm focused on manufacturing and in- dustry – a feeling not unnoticed by members of Con- recently the Ebola virus devastation). gress, senators or the White House. Our annual Greek festivals at churches across the country, which are very Your attendance will in itself be a great message of support. popular with non-Greeks, keep Hellenism and Ortho- doxy’s profile positive and high. Members of our community’s leading organizations, like AHEPA, AHI and The first prize of the raffle is a return trip to Greece! Cypriot groups, also help our image. Tickets are $70 per adult, $50 for pensioners and students, and $20 for Through the rapidly growing National Hellenic Society children under 12 years of age. that he founded and now chairs, Silicon Valley real es- tate titan George Marcus has discovered a way to re- verse the dilution of Hellenism in America. From Boston For Tickets contact your local Parish in the first instance or: to Los Angeles, NHS brings together our most successful Mrs Mary Stathos (Mob 0409 522 413) or Kyriacos Mavrolefteros (Mob 0425 Hellenes to celebrate and enjoy our heritage. 222 012). We owe much to a handful of our most generous Hel- lenes/Orthodox who match Father Karloutsos’s ulti- mate standard – “I am not impressed by how much mo- ney you have, but what you do with it.” Without the ex- emplars of philotimo highlighted above digging deep within their pockets, none of these accomplishments would be possible. They are following the charge of George P. Livanos, Andrew A. Athens and George Pa- raskeviades. Decades-long supporters of senators and members key to our efforts also include Nikos Mou- yiaris, Philip Christopher, John Catsimatidis, Angelo Tsa- kopoulos, Eleni Kounalakis and Alex and Dean Spanos, among others.

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