Posted by Dean Calvert (dcalvert) on 3/23/2008, 2:10 pm
The following has been sent to me, and verified by clergy in the Northeast.
and during Lent no less...
May God have mercy on them.
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(courtesy of an anonymous clergyman of the Boston metropolis)
To the Rev. Clergy serving in the Metropolis of Boston
Reverend brothers,
This past week, panegyric homilies were delivered during
services celebrating the Sunday of Orthodoxy. Much was heard about how much
Orthodoxy had to offer America “if only it were united administratively.”
Unjustly, as you know, it is the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and the
Ecumenical Patriarchate that are saddled with the blame why Orthodoxy is not
“administratively united”. This totally unfounded accusation is made by
those who blatantly disregard Orthodox ecclesiology and Canon Law by
installing Bishops in cities where there is already a governing canonical
Bishop.
On December 2, 2005, Metropolitan Herman installed one of his
Hierarchs as “Bishop of Boston and New England and the Albanian
Archdiocese”. This, in spite of the fact that I have been serving this
Metropolis since 1984. The Bible reads, “You shall know them by their
fruits” (Matthew 7; 16). To put it as mildly as possible, you cannot
pontificate about the need for “administrative unity” in America, and at the
same time trample upon the very basic tenets of Orthodox ecclesiology and
Canon Law which unequivocally state that there can only be one canonical
governing Bishop.
During the last meeting of all Orthodox Hierarchs held in
Chicago, I voiced my objections directly to Metropolitan Herman and asked
Archbishop Demetrios, chairman of SCOBA, to intercede, hoping that the
uncanonical decision would be reversed. It has not.
While it pains me greatly, I cannot continue accepting this
uncanonical state of affairs which is an affront not only to my person, but
to the Archdiocese and by extension the Ecumenical Patriarchate. I
therefore direct all clergy serving in the Metropolis of Boston to refrain
from co-celebrating with any priests belonging to the OCA until further
notice.
Sincerely hoping that this matter is quickly resolved, I remain,
With Episcopal love,
M E T H O D I O S
Metropolitan of Boston
