SEIA NEWSLETTER On the Eastern Churches and Ecumenism _______________________________________________________________________________________ Number 188: May 31, 2011 Washington, DC The Second Meeting of the Assembly’s understanding of his need to meetings of the Secretariat; ii) regular Assembly of Canonical ask the Serbian bishops to remain in Bel- communications to the member bishops Orthodox Bishops of North and grade for the work of their synod. about the business of the Assembly; iii) the Both the agenda for this meeting and creation of a website to disseminate infor- Central America the minutes of the last Assembly, held in mation about the purpose and work of the May 2010, were unanimously approved. Assembly (www.assemblyofbishops.org), ROM MAY 25-27, THE SECOND The Chairman then delivered his address to and most importantly, iv) the creation of the ANNUAL ASSEMBLY OF CANONICAL the Assembly, in which he remembered the thirteen committees of the Assembly and FORTHODOX BISHOPS OF NORTH AND three member bishops who had fallen as- the documents and guidelines necessary for CENTRAL AMERICA GATHERED FOR ITS leep in the Lord since the last Assembly: their operation. They also created a diverse MEETING AT THE CHICAGO O’H ARE Metropolitan Christopher, Metropolitan list of consultants for each of the commit- HILTON . There was a total of 45 bishops in Nicholas, and Metropolitan Epiphanios. He tees, made up of professional and knowled- attendance. In addition, nearly all of the welcomed also the new members: Bishop geable men and women recommended by members were present at the Assembly: the John of Caracas, who was appointed by their bishops. These consultants are availa- Ecumenical Patriarchate, including the ROCOR to oversee its Old Believer parish- ble to assist with their professional exper- Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the Ukrai- es in the USA, and Bishop Matthias of the tise the member bishops of each committee. nian Orthodox Church, and the Albanian OCA, who was consecrated shortly after The Assembly expressed its unanimous Orthodox Diocese; the Antiochian Ortho- Pascha of this year. He noted also the re- support and appreciation for Bishop Basil dox Archdiocese; the Patriarchate of Mos- tirement of Metropolitan John of Winnipeg, and the staff of the Secretariat for its ac- cow, including the Russian Orthodox the head of the Ukrainian Church in Canada complishments. Church in the USA and the Russian Ortho- and the election of his successor, Metropol- The Assembly heard reports from each dox Church Outside of Russia; the Roma- itan Yuri. of its thirteen committees. Nearly all of the nian Orthodox Archdiocese of the Ameri- At the conclusion of his address the committees had either met prior to the As- cas; the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Chairman invited the first Vice-Chairman, sembly meeting, or were able to meet while Church; and the Orthodox Church in Amer- Metropolitan Philip, and the second Vice- in Chicago. Unfortunately, the Secretariat’s ica. Not represented were the American Chairman, Archbishop Justinian, to address Coordinator for Committees, Bishop Max- Carpatho-Russian Diocese, as they current- the Assembly. Both hierarchs stressed the im, who has worked so hard and efficiently ly have no bishop, owing to the recent re- need for increased cooperation among all for the creation and the guidance of the pose of Metropolitan Nicholas; the Geor- the bishops through the agency of the As- committees, and who was scheduled to give gian Orthodox Church, whose bishop re- sembly. the reports, was not present, owing to the sides in Georgia; most of the bishops of The Treasurer of the Assembly, Arch- pressing business of the Serbian Orthodox Canada and Mexico, as the Canadian bi- bishop Antony, presented a report to the Church. The reports were instead presented shops anticipate their own assembly, as do bishops on the financial resources available on his behalf by the Secretary, Bishop Ba- those of Mexico and Central America who to the Assembly. Each of the churches con- sil, and the respective committee chairmen. have requested to join the Assembly of tributed funds to the Assembly, for the Three decisions by the Assembly stand South America. The Bishops of the Serbian work of its thirteen committees. The cost of out as particularly important. Firstly, the Orthodox Church were detained by the the Assembly meeting itself, it was noted, Assembly expressed its desire to define business of their Synod in Belgrade, which was not funded from these contributions, more carefully its relationship to the agen- was in session at the same time, and by but will be covered by the contributions of cies and endorsed-organizations which it delays in travel caused by the volcanic ash individual donors. inherited from SCOBA. It was felt that the over Europe, and so were not able to at- This past year the work of the Assem- bishops should do more to enable the suc- tend. bly focused on the establishing of the Se- cess of these ministries in North America, The meetings convened on Wednesday cretariat and the completing of its initial and they agreed that the guidelines pre- morning with an opening prayer by His tasks. The Secretariat represents a cross- viously used by SCOBA were not adequate Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, the section of the Church, including bishops, for the Assembly. These guidelines will be chairman of the Assembly. He asked the priests, deacons, laity and monastics. Bi- revised by the Secretariat’s Coordinator for Secretary, Bishop Basil, to read to the As- shop Basil, the Secretary of the Assembly, Agencies and Endorsed-Organizations, sembly a letter from the Patriarch of Serbia, presented a report on the work accom- together with the liaison bishops for the Irinej, extending his blessings, support, and plished by the eleven-member Secretariat various agencies, to allow the Assembly a fraternal best wishes for the work of the during the course of the past months. This more active participation in and support of Assembly in North America and asking the consisted primarily in: i) regular monthly the various ministries under its oversight. Secondly, the Assembly agreed on the rarchs were prevented from attending due Orthodox Bishops reported to their brother great importance of the role of our military to personal illness, while our Serbian Hierarchs. The work of these committees chaplains, who give spiritual support to our brothers, participating at a prolonged as- will constitute the principal service of the dedicated men and women who serve in the sembly of bishops meeting in Belgrade, Assembly, meeting frequently and regularly armed forces and are subject to the many were also unable to attend. All of us expe- in order - with the participation also of lay hardships of deployment and combat. They rienced what the Psalmist joyfully declares, members - to materialize the remarkable decided upon the need to develop clear “how good and pleasant it is for brothers to unity of the Orthodox Churches in this re- guidelines for Orthodox Christian chap- dwell together in unity!” (Ps. 132.1) gion. In this regard, we are inspired by the lains, and to create a single, unified endors- We draw inspiration from this resur- words of the Risen Lord: As the Father has ing agency for all military chaplains with rectional liturgical period, within which we sent me, I am sending you (John 20.21); the Department of Defense. In addition, it is have assembled, standing at the midpoint and Truly, truly, I say to you: he who be- a desired goal of the Assembly to facilitate between the light of Pascha and the grace of lieves in me will also do the works that I a gathering of all active Orthodox Christian Pentecost, the crossroad between the possi- do; and greater works than these will he do. military chaplains. bility of new life and the reality of renewed (John 14.12) And thirdly, the Assembly stressed the communion, the merging of the melody of Thus, in addition to official reports by great importance of the Church’s ministry unity and the beauty of diversity. the Chairman, the Vice-Chairmen, the to the youth, and as a result, has endorsed We call to mind our brother Hierarchs Treasurer, and the Secretary, the responsi- three projected conferences to bring togeth- who have fallen asleep in the Lord during bilities of the following committees were er Orthodox youth workers from all over the past year: Metropolitan Christopher of discussed extensively: Canonical Affairs, North America. It is hoped that this will Libertyville and Chicago (Serbian Dio- Canonical Regional Planning, Church and help to encourage them in their ministry, cese), Metropolitan Nicholas of Amissos Society, Clergy Affairs, Ecumenical Af- eliminate redundancy and divided resources (Carpatho-Russian Diocese), and Metro- fairs, Financial Affairs, Legal Affairs, Li- among the various churches, and create a politan Epiphanios of Bryoula (Ecumenical turgy, Military Chaplaincy, Monastic common vision for youth ministry in the Patriarchate). May their memory be eternal! Communities, Pastoral Practice, Theologi- Church in North America. In our deliberations as Orthodox Hie- cal Education, and Youth. Moreover, the The Assembly decided that it was pru- rarchs, we manifested a spirit of conciliari- coordinators of the various agencies and dent for itself to be incorporated as a legal ty, expressing our commitment to proceed endorsed organizations, formerly under the entity, as this would bring the Assembly a on all matters in collegial and collaborative aegis of SCOBA, will convene with respec- number of benefits and would further its manner reflective of the unity that characte- tive Hierarch liaisons in order to determine ability to act as a body. It therefore autho- rizes the various jurisdictions of the Ortho- the criteria of their relationship and estab- rized the proper agents to move ahead with dox Church within our regional Assembly.