Holy Synod of Bishops concludes spring session
His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah chaired the spring session of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America at the Chancery here March 16-18, 2010.
“Due to the nature of several issues facing the hierarchs, certain sessions were closed,” said Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary. “This included Metropolitan Jonah’s opening address.”
A key issue upon which the hierarchs deliberated in closed session was the report of a special committee charged with investigating the financial situation at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery and Bookstore, South Canaan, PA, according to Father Eric. In response, the hierarchs issued the following statement.
“The Holy Synod discussed in detail the draft of the report of the Saint Tikhon Investigation Committee. Metropolitan Jonah will chair a committee which will evaluate the report’s recommendations. After a full review by the Holy Synod, the final report will be issued.”
Archpriest Alexander Garklavs, OCA Chancellor, in addition to his written report, addressed the Holy Synod in which he noted that the work of the Office of Review of Sexual Misconduct’s new committee that was recently blessed by Metropolitan Jonah to begin its task of conducting investigations as needs dictate. Committee members are in the process of rewriting policies and procedures and expanding the scope of their work to pastoral misconduct. A discussion ensued on policies currently in place and compliance levels.
Father Alexander reviewed the work of the OCA Chancery staff and departments. He also reviewed plans for the forthcoming parish ministries conference, slated to be held in the Cleveland area in June 2010.
In his report as OCA Secretary, Father Eric spoke about communications issues and staffing. He presented plans to distribute future printed copies of The Orthodox Church magazine directly to parishes in bulk rather than individual mailings—a plan approved by the Holy Synod. He reviewed the OCA’s current membership census and a second census being undertaken by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas. In other matters, he briefed the hierarchs on a number of insurance concerns, the Orthodox Health Plan, and other insurance possibilities.
The bulk of Father Eric’s report consisted of presenting preliminary plans for the 16th All-American Council, slated to be convened in the metropolitan Seattle, WA area in the fall of 2011.
Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky, who chairs the OCA Department of External Affairs and Inter-church Relations, reviewed in detail plans and expectations with regard to the North American Episcopal Assembly, scheduled to be held in New York City May 26-27, 2010. He reviewed the process undertaken in discussions in Chambesy, Switzerland, under the guidance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, that led to the decision to convene Episcopal Assemblies.
“All OCA bishops have received invitations to participate in the Assembly,” reported Father Leonid.
Father Leonid also surveyed relations between the OCA and the Orthodox Sister Churches and issues currently affecting world Orthodoxy.
The OCA Treasurer, Melanie Ringa, presented the financial report. She reviewed the 2009 financial report and the 2010 budget, as approved by the members of the Metropolitan Council at their spring 2010 session, as well as the audit report. [Financial reports will be released and posted on the OCA web site, along with the minutes of the recent Metropolitan Council joint meeting with the Lesser Synod of Bishops, in the immediate future.]. She also outlined possible plans for the Fellowship of Orthodox Stewards and ideas for funding the Church.
“The hierarchs reviewed and discussed a number of current legal issues in closed session,” Father Alexander stated. “In depth discussions were conducted with the OCA’s general counsel.”
In other matters, the members of the Holy Synod
- determined that, ‘in consideration of the present situation in four dioceses—Alaska, Bulgarian, Midwest and the South—that a locum tenens be authorized to ordain and assign clergy in the same manner as a diocesan bishop until such time that a diocesan bishop is elected [for each diocese].
- reviewed forthcoming Synodal encyclicals.
- reviewed and deliberated on a number of situations involving clergy and considered and approved clergy awards.
- reviewed and approved recommendations made by the Board of Theological Education and the Diaconal Vocation Program.
- reviewed and approved the recommendation of the Dean Search Committee for Saint Tikhon’s Seminary.