THE MEETING OF THE PRIESTS OF THE PACIFIC COAST DEANERY
For the Bishop’s visit in the Deanery – click here
Tuesday,
March 25, 2003 – The Annunciation Feast-Day, at the
end of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, and following the meal, His Grace
Bishop Irineu and the clergy proceeded to the annual meeting of the West Coast
Deanery. The meeting secretary was Subdeacon Liviu Constantinescu.
After the
beginning prayer, the Dean (Fr. Constantin Alecse) welcomed the Hierarch and
the participating clergy, and explained the difficult geographical
circumstances which prevented some of the West Coast priests from attending. He
also asked the Bishop for a word of teaching an encouragement.
His Grace
began by conveying the blessings of Archbishop Nathaniel, and by expressing his
joy and happiness at being the Auxiliary Bishop of our Episcopate. He made a
short presentation of the pastoral visits he made, and of the various
activities and problems he encountered.
The clergy
discussed many of the pressing pastoral problem of today, including adult and
youth catechesis, mixed marriages, preaching the Word of God, the necessity of
concelebrating with fellow Orthodox Priests, legal matters, etc.
One of the
debated subjects was the relation between our diocese and the Romanian Orthodox
Archepiscopate in America and Canada (under the Bucharest Patriarchate), and
the possibility of canonical union.
It was
proposed:
- That our
Episcopate be made an Archepiscopate.
- That the
Dialogue Committee should intensify their efforts, and keep everyone posted of
the results through the Herald.
- That the
Hierarchs become more involved in the Dialogue Committee, which would eliminate
the tarrying and confusion present.
- That our
Episcopate specifies its position regarding the unification of the two Romanian
Dioceses.
- It was
emphasized that the clergy and laity of the West Coast Deanery wish for the
union of the two dioceses into a Romanian Metropolia, TOTALLY autonomous from
the Romanian Patriarchate, who together with the other Orthodox bodies in North
America would play an important role in
the growth of the faith in North America, and, when God finds it proper, form
an American Orthodox Patriarchate.
- That
receiving the appropriate blessings, both from the OCA and from the
Romanian Patriarchate are matters of
detail, as is the problem of where the new Metropolia would receive the Holy
Chrism.
- That after
the union the present hierarchs should form a Holy Synod, who together with the
congress of the Metropolia should decide about administrative problems,
choosing new hierarchs, starting a theological seminary, and reviving the
publications center.
The Clergy
Meeting also discussed Archbishop Nathaniel's proposal to organize a clergy
retreat at the beginning of November (3-6) 2003 in Southern California. Fr.
Constantin Alecse and Fr. Andrew Lesko are working on the details of this
retreat.
Fr. Cornel
Avramescu mentioned he was studying the possibility of forming a Romanian
Orthodox Monastery in Southern California, and promised to report his findings
at the next Deanery meeting.
Fr. Bill
Clark, from the English chapel of the Holy Trinity Church discussed the
possibility and necessity to open our gates to the Orthodox Romanian-Americans
who only speak English, as well as to the Americans interested in becoming
Orthodox.
Fr. Virgil
Anton, the priest of the new San Diego mission "Elevation of the Holy
Cross" discussed the effort and hardships in establishing this mission,
and in maintaining its spiritual and material growth.
Fr. Cornel
Avramescu, from the "Virgin Mary" Church in Anaheim shared some of
the pastoral methods he used very successfully in his parish:
- making the
faithful aware of the cure prescribed by the Holy Fathers for the healing of
sins.
- publishing (in the parish bulletin) writings
of the Spiritual Fathers of Romania.
- pilgrimages
to holy places
- discipline
in serving
- preaching
after every service, and posting the sermons on the internet
Fr.
Constantin Alecse discussed the situation of parishes where most of the
official parish "members" are not communicants of the Holy Mysteries,
and attend services rather sporadically.
He also
encouraged the priests to become more involved in the administration of the
parishes and missions, and not become marginalized by the laity in this aspect.
The priest is responsible for the parish, both before the law and before God.
It was also
reminded that the West Coast Deanery maintains the deanery web site:
www.ViataCrestina.net as well as the website of the Department of Missions:
www.OrthodoxAmerica.net. After the end of the meeting (4.30) the clergy were
served another meal, prepared by the Ladies auxiliary.