Comments Posted By GregF
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What American religious figure from bygone years should get a stamp? The Pilgrims and Puritans come to mind, but not a specific individual?
As morally corrupt as it is in the U.S., I can’t imagine moving to another country expecting a better circumstance. After a few years of up-close living I suspect that I would notice moral corruption in my new country that I had failed to see from a distance.
» Posted By GregF On September 27, 2014 @ 12:54 pm
Fr Touma Bitar on the Situation in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Do we know how large this group is? Also, is their criticism valid?
I don’t mean to say that just because a group is small and critical, that means they should not be taken seriously. However, in this internet age any single person or small group can write a letter, post it to the web, and make it seem as if their grievance is the most egregious affront to humanity in the last 500 years.
» Posted By GregF On July 16, 2014 @ 8:02 pm
From The Greek Reporter USA:
“The lawyers of Chicago’s Metropolis conducted their own review of the administration and use of the trust fund. “The Metropolis has reached the conclusion that the funds from the Franczak Trust were used in accordance with the provisions of the Trust, for the benefit of Annunciation Church, or in accordance with the wishes of Margaret Franczak,” Bishop Demetrios wrote in a letter about the trust fund in question…”
Source Chicago Metropolis Removes Council President
I guess the Milwaukee District Attorney’s investigation will illustrate the thoroughness of the above “review.”
» Posted By GregF On September 27, 2013 @ 5:12 pm
The “memo” line on a check, at least for personal checking accounts, is where one can put a brief note about what was purchased, or why the check was written. The entry is optional.
I do not know, however, if there is any requirement for a “memo” entry on a trustee account.
» Posted By GregF On September 25, 2013 @ 8:54 pm
Ancient Faith Radio: Correcting a Canonical Anomaly
The Q&A beginning at 19:56 indicates (at least to me) that the inertia on this issue will continue for the foreseeable future.
Proto-Deacon Danilchick says, “We must succeed. This is a critical thing for the life of the church.”
Then comes the question: “The presupposition here is that the bishops want this to happen. Do you get the sense that that is the attitude of our bishops here in North America?”
In answer to the above question Proto-Deacon Danilchick talks for 1 minute and 21 seconds, but he never says, “Yes.”
» Posted By GregF On July 23, 2013 @ 11:03 am
Part of how we view the incident depends on what we think happened between 7:09 and 7:17 on that night?
If one believes that Zimmerman followed Martin for all of those 8 minutes, basically tracking him, and Martin finally lashed out at Zimmerman – it would not be too hard to believe that Martin was actually trying to defend himself from Zimmerman.
If one believes that Zimmerman followed Martin for some of those 8 minutes and then was returning to his truck when Martin finally lashed out at Zimmerman – it would not be too hard to believe that Zimmerman was actually trying to defend himself from Martin.
» Posted By GregF On July 23, 2013 @ 7:20 pm
Stop the Presses! Pope Says that there’s a Gay Lobby in the Vatican!
Hello George,
Just for clarification. We do not know exactly what the Pope actually said about there being a gay lobby in the Vatican. The only record of his remarks is a summary made by the attendees after the meeting.
According to the Latin American Confederation of Men and Women Religious, CLAR “deeply regrets the publication of a text regarding the conversation held with the Holy Father Francis on June 6. The conversation developed upon the questions asked of the Pope by those present (at the meeting)… (There) was no recording made during the conversation, but shortly after a summary was made based on the memories of the participants. This summary, which does not include the questions posed to the Holy Father, was intended at (helping) the personal memory of the participants and in no way for publication… It is clear that, based on these facts, it cannot be attributed with certainty to the Holy Father, the specific expression contained in the text, but only in its general sense.”
Source. CNA. Latin American religious backtrack on Pope and gay lobby
» Posted By GregF On June 25, 2013 @ 12:25 pm
Bp. Matthias “Voluntarily” Retires
Do I assume correctly that the only reason he left the ACROD was to become a bishop in the OCA?
OCA Biography of Bishop Matthias
» Posted By GregF On April 18, 2013 @ 11:55 am
RE by leaving ACROD after thirty five years prior to age 65 he VOLUNTARILY walked away from the income supplement he otherwise would have been entitled to receive.
Why would he leave voluntarily?
» Posted By GregF On April 17, 2013 @ 6:32 pm
How Did We Get Here? Part I: Syosset and the Dearth of Vision
RE Fr. Peter Dubinin. “… the episcopal assembly and what comes of it… is the future for the Orthodox Church in the United States of America.”
A committee is the future of Orthodoxy here? I suppose you have to work with what you’ve got.
Hope it will be more than motion masquerading as progress.
» Posted By GregF On April 26, 2013 @ 3:23 pm
Time named Hitler Man of the Year only once, in 1938, and not for being a positive influence.
From Time.com: Adolf Hitler: Man of the Year, 1938
» Posted By GregF On April 25, 2013 @ 4:53 pm
Will the OCA someday be but a memory of the anomaly and conundrum that is Orthodoxy in the Americas?
» Posted By GregF On April 24, 2013 @ 6:07 pm
Being upset because a particular article did not mention the OCA by name is being oversensitive. After all there were “several dozen representatives of the various Christian Churches and other world religions, who attended the Pope’s inauguration.”
In the pictures I saw the number could have easily been between 50 and 100.
It would be interesting to read Metropolitan Tikhon’s and Father Tosi’s reflaections on their trip. Hopefully they will publish something.
» Posted By GregF On March 26, 2013 @ 6:14 pm
On the Retirement of Benedict XVI
I wonder how much of the revernce we see in the Russian Orthodox video is due to the years of Communist oppresssion? And how much of the apparent irreverence among Catholics is due to an over familiarity with the parts of the Mass because they have not had a similar recent experience of oppression?
Just a thought.
» Posted By GregF On February 26, 2013 @ 2:55 pm
What is it about many Orthodox Christians that will not allow them to come within 500 feet of anything Catholic without making some arrogant, mean spirited, or snide remark?
If this story were about how Catholicism is “right” and Orthodoxy is “wrong,” then the shots at Catholicism could be understood as an effort by Orthodox believers to defend their position. This, however, is not the case. This is a general-interest complimentary-opinion story about the Pope.
I know, of course, that those making such remarks consider it their duty to do so. And they think it a badge of honor when they are chided. I wonder if they think that Met. Hilarion is a closet-Catholic because he is in the same room as the Pope? And shaking hands with him!
» Posted By GregF On February 14, 2013 @ 2:14 pm
Can the Anglicans and the OCA last for quite a long time, at least as an administrative entity? I think so, if this example is relevant: The Netherlands dominated global commerce during the second half of the 17th century. What about today? Well, no, those days are long gone; but they are still a country.
Just a thought.
» Posted By GregF On August 25, 2012 @ 11:39 am
It would be interesting if the action of a malpractice insurance company gave us the only “findings” of a disinterested third-party investigation.
That is, if the insurance company drops the attorney’s coverage, that would seem to be a clear indicator that the actions of the Synod were wrong – not to mention that there may be the civil or criminal liability of certain parties.
Barring the active participation of a disinterested third-party investigation; I suppose one has to “read the tea leaves” of the actions of any group (the malpractice insurance company) even tangentially associated with the Synod.
» Posted By GregF On July 21, 2012 @ 11:37 am
Another Hole in the Official Story: ‘Alleged Rape’ Timeline Reporting is Wrong
Rod Dreher says, “Mark Stokoe, who is to be congratulated on his scoop, clearly had seen the SMPAC Report, or been informed of its content by someone who had access to it. Everything he reports in it is accurate. I know this because I just consulted my copy of the report.”
His copy of the report?
Here’s an idea. Perhaps the OCA should just distribute copies of every document, letter, memo, report, etc. on any subject to all their membership and let the rank and file weigh in on every decision.
Just a thought.
» Posted By GregF On July 20, 2012 @ 8:33 am
This is Far From Over: A Call to Repentance
I have read about and pondered this situation with varying degrees of confusion, disgust, and amusement (in a gallows humor sort of way). I have read through many of the articles and comments trying to get a grasp on what happened, but come to no conclusion other than this is a very sad day for the OCA.
What Brian has to say should ring in the ears of everyone trying to understand what happened: “If a reasonable explanation were forthcoming, would any be willing to believe it (after all, the ones from whom an explanation is demanded are the very ones who are trusted the least)?”
» Posted By GregF On July 14, 2012 @ 12:38 pm
Do we know if either Pope John Paul II, or Benedict XVI ever recalled a priest or bishop accused under similar circumstances and relocated him in a similar manner?
» Posted By GregF On March 28, 2012 @ 12:43 pm
And Now for Something Really Important
Maybe all Orthodoxy is going through the EA process because they know it is the right thing to do. (There should be only one Orthodox Church in a given geographical area.) That, however, does not address the emotional ties that a group of people have to where they came from. The foot dragging of the Patriarchs may be convoluted political manuvering. The hesitation at ground level may be more a sense of not wanting to turn your back on your grandfather.
But… what do I know. I’m just thinking out loud.
» Posted By GregF On March 21, 2012 @ 6:53 pm
I wonder. Perhaps it is partially true that “the foreign bishops don’t want to let go of what they grabbed in N. America” (Diogenes), but are they THE primary roadblock to autocephaly in the U.S? Is it not possible that the Bishops in the U.S. – and their people in “the Americas” – WANT to maintain a close connection to the “Old World” and might believe that pushing for an autocephalous church in the U.S. would, in some sense, sever that connection to their ancestral homeland?
» Posted By GregF On March 21, 2012 @ 3:32 pm
Intriguing observation.
Rather than who is the numerical minority or majority, one might then be led to say: A real democracy can only exist if those with political power respect the basic rights of those without political power.
Are the Christians with political power in Syria only watching out for themselves?
» Posted By GregF On March 14, 2012 @ 12:49 pm
Fr. Morris,
RE It would cost over $100,000.
Just to clarify. When you say “it” are you referring to the cost of an audit of:
1. Your own parish.
2. All the AOCA headquarters organizations and departments, including those funds controlled by the Met. himself.
3. The Archdiocese headquarters (#2, above), each diocese, and all the parishes.Thank you.
» Posted By GregF On March 11, 2012 @ 4:25 pm
The AOCA issue I find difficult to ignore is Met. Philip’s refusal to allow an independent external audit of AOCA finances, including those funds controlled by Met. Philip.
» Posted By GregF On March 10, 2012 @ 4:28 pm
I don’t think the fact that your are limiting Ashley’s word count qualifies as censorship. Ashley has posted his views on this blog numerous times. His writing is often just a variation on his main theme of general dislike for the Orthodox Church and all of those posts are still available for viewing via the “Read all comments by” link.
» Posted By GregF On March 10, 2012 @ 12:15 am
More Good News? Metropolitan Jonah on Orthodox Unity
Oh, George,
I didn’t realize how much I needed a good laugh until I saw this and it just burst out of me. Regardless of the subject it is a fantastically funny one-liner:
“… we might as well be bragging about who’s the tallest midget in the room.”
Thanks!
» Posted By GregF On March 20, 2012 @ 12:23 pm
Interesting. Upon what do you base your assumptions of 6-10% OCA decline and 3-5% AOCA growth?
» Posted By GregF On March 14, 2012 @ 12:57 pm
RE Statistically, the Antiochians passed up the OCA in membership size, several years ago.
I don’t think this is correct. Per the 2010 US Orthodox Christian Census (Chart on page 4):
The OCA has 84,900 adherents and 33,800 regular attendees.
The AOCA has 74,600 adherents and 27,300 regular attendees.» Posted By GregF On March 13, 2012 @ 1:22 pm
«« Back To Stats PageThe Met said the EP had a “great desire” (20:42) to convene a Great and Holy Council, but there was no “sometime next year” time frame mentioned – unless I missed something. Nevertheless, it makes sense that the more the hierarchs talk it up the more likely it is to happen sooner than later.
» Posted By GregF On March 12, 2012 @ 11:43 am
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