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Protocols 2000 |
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Protocol
00-01
The Pious Pators
and The Esteemed Parish Councils of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved in the Lord,
"And
the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send
relief to the brethren who lived in Judea; and they did so, sending
it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul." (Acts 11:29-30) Since the very first
days of the Church we Christians have responded in love to the physical
needs of our fellow man, having in mind the words of our Savior, "Truly,
I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren,
you did it to me." (Matthew 25:40) Accordingly, we
are called upon from time to time to respond to human calamities, whether
these are caused by natural disasters or resulting from human hostility.
On some occasions formal appeals are made by Church authorities, such
as those regarding recent earthquakes in Greece and Turkey, while at
other times parishes respond on their own initiative to circumstances
we become aware of through the media. As the hierarch
of this Diocese, I am called upon to give an ultimate accounting before
God of these good works done to the glory of His name by the parishes
and faithful for which I am spiritually responsible. At times, I am
additionally called upon to submit a reckoning to our Holy Eparchial
Synod so that our Church in America can present a coordinated response
to particular events and needs. For these reasons,
and to abide by the words of Saint Ignatius of Antioch who wrote in
AD 107: "Let no one do any of the things which concern the Church
without the Bishop," I am asking each parish to send contributions
collected for various causes to the Diocesan Office so that they may
be forwarded to the proper agencies — such as the IOCC. If in the past some
of you have sent collected funds directly to the IOCC or to the Archdiocese
or to another agency, instead of to the Diocese, please send copies
of your letters to the Diocesan Office so that we can credit the amounts
in our records.
With Paternal Blessings,
+ Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding Hierarch
of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-02
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
I
am pleased to inform you that Father Costa Pavlakos, the President of
our Diocesan Clergy Syndesmos, has begun the initial preparations for
a pre-Lenten Diocesan Clergy Retreat. Reservations have
been made at the Saint Malo retreat center near Estes Park, Colorado
for Monday evening through Wednesday noon, February 21 through 23, 2000. I expect that most
out of area priests will fly in to Denver and the clergy in the local
area will be available to help with transportation from and to the airport. This retreat is
for all priests and deacons in the Diocese of Denver: pastors, assistants,
newly-ordained, and retired clergy. You may wish to remind your parish
council that this retreat is being convened by the Diocesan Hierarch,
and that they should offer to defray your travel and lodging costs. The retreat program
will include a meeting of the Diocese Clergy Syndesmos, and an opportunity
to worship and participate in the Divine Liturgy. Further information
will be forthcoming from Father Pavlakos. May this new year
bring the Lord's many blessings to you and your families.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-03
The
Esteemed Parish Councils of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
I
am pleased to inform you that I am convening a pre-Lenten retreat for
the priests and deacons of this Diocese, in conjunction with the Diocesan
Clergy Syndesmos. The retreat will convene at the Saint Malo Retreat
Center in Estes Park, in Colorado on Monday, February 21, 2000 and will
conclude on Wednesday, February 23, 2000. All priests and
deacons in the Diocese of Denver — including pastors, assistants,
newly-ordained, and retired clergy — are being called to participate
in this event. In accordance with
the Clergy Compensation Plan for Year 2000 which was sent to your parish
this past Autumn from the Archdiocese (a copy of which I sent to you
in my Protocol 99-28 dated September 21, 1999) one of the benefits that
a parish is asked to provide its priest is to cover his expenses for
attending Diocesan Retreats. Accordingly, I am
asking you to do everything possible to assist your assigned clergy
to attend this retreat. May our merciful
Lord richly bless each of you and your loved ones in this new year as
you seek to do His will in all things as you administer the temporal
affairs of His parish.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-04
The Pious Priests
and Deacons of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved in the Lord,
As
the season of Holy and Great Lent approaches, many pastors are beginning
to prepare their schedules for the various special services and commemorations.
To assist you in your planning I am pleased to provide you with the
following guidelines. First, the
Divine Liturgy and Memorial Service should be scheduled on the three
Saturdays of the Souls (March 4, March 11, and March 18). Second, on
the First and Third Sundays in Great Lent the appropriate processions
should be observed. The Procession with
the Holy Icons normally takes place at the end of the Divine Liturgy
on the Sunday of Orthodoxy; it may also be held later on Sunday afternoon
at Vespers when this is celebrated in the city as a Pan-Orthodox service. The Veneration of
the Holy Cross on the Third Sunday of Great Lent is specified to take
place at the end of Orthros, is held at the end of the Divine Liturgy
when a majority of the congregation is present. Third, to
increase participation in the liturgical cycle which has as its purpose
the sanctification of time and of our temporal lives, all parishes throughout
the Denver Diocese should, as a minimum, offer the following services
during Great Lent:
·
Monday evenings: Great Compline
·
Wednesday morning or evening: Presanctified
Liturgy
·
Friday evenings: Salutations to the
Theotokos (Akathist Hymn)
·
(Pastors may additionally schedule the
Presanctified Liturgy on Fridays either in the morning or immediately
preceding the Salutations to the Theotokos.) Fourth, the
Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom should be celebrated to commemorate
the Annunciation to the Theotokos on Saturday, March 25, and the Presanctified
Liturgy should be celebrated to commemorate the Feast of the Forty Holy
Martyrs on Thursday, March 9. Fifth, since
Holy Week services are the most important and compunctionate, pastors
in all parishes should as a minimum schedule the following services:
·
Vespers on Friday evening; Orthros and
Divine Liturgy (Chrysostom) — Lazarus Saturday morning
·
Vespers on Saturday evening; Orthros
and Divine Liturgy (Chrysostom) — Palm Sunday morning
·
Bridegroom Service; Sunday, Monday,
and Tuesday evenings
·
*Presanctified Liturgy — early
Wednesday morning (so that those who work during the day can attend)
·
**Holy Unction Service — Wednesday
evening
·
***Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil (Last
Supper) — Thursday morning
·
Crucifixion — Thursday evening
·
Royal Hours — Friday morning
·
Descent from the Cross — Friday
afternoon (3:00 PM)
·
Lamentations — Friday evening
·
Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil (Resurrection
of those in Hades) — Saturday morning
·
Vigil, Orthros, and Divine Liturgy (Resurrection)
— Saturday night ****
·
Agape Vespers — Sunday afternoon
(after 1:00 PM)
Notes: * The Presanctified
Liturgy should also be celebrated on Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday according
to the needs of the Parish.
***They who wish
to receive Holy Communion on Holy Thursday should absent themselves
from work or school on that morning. ****The light of
the Resurrection should not be given before midnight.
Sixth, in
order to standardize the liturgical services in parishes throughout
the Diocese, I ask that you only utilize the Holy Week Easter service
book prepared by Protopresbyter George Papadeas which has been widely
used and accepted throughout our parishes for many years and which most
of our laity possess. Although other translations have been prepared
by various compilers and editors, the translation prepared by Father
Papadeas is most faithful to the original language, although there are
typographical errors in the text, as well as syntactical difficulties.
Nevertheless, you should possess the other Holy Week translations for
your personal use. Since the Orthros
of Holy Thursday is not in the Holy Week-Easter service book by Father
Papadeas, the booklet published by Father Evagoras Constantinides specifically
for this Service should be used. Alternatively, the English text from
the Lenten Triodion by Mother Mary and Archimandrite (now Bishop) Kallistos
Ware published by Faber and Faber may be used. Both are available through
the Holy Cross Bookstore in Brookline. Additionally, keep
in mind that these services should not be abbreviated, but should be
served in their entirety. If chanters and choirs are unfamiliar with
some hymns, they can be read or intoned in plainchant as appropriate,
but must not be eliminated. Seventh, please
note that the Divine Liturgies on Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday may
be scheduled at the regular time for a morning Liturgy (usually 9:00
or 10:00 AM). This way more people and the children will be able to
participate. Although it may
be argued that our faithful must work or attend school, we should be
honest and acknowledge that the schools, businesses, and even Government
agencies allow persons of other faiths, such as Jews and Moslems, to
take time off for their high holy days. In this country which protects
freedom of religion we must insist on our right to observe our most
sacred holy days. In addition, parishioners
should be advised that Holy Communion is given during the Liturgy at
the customary place and time — not before, or after, or "throughout
the day," especially on Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday. The Holy
Gifts must be consumed immediately following the Divine Liturgy, and
not kept for "latecomers." The Body and Blood of our Lord
is given to those who have prepared themselves to receive Communion;
it is not distributed as though it were "fast food" where
people run into the church, "take their Communion," and run
back to their mundane concerns. Eighth, keep
in mind that no Memorial or Trisagion Services are permitted between
the Saturday of Lazarus and the Sunday of Saint Thomas, inclusively.
Marriages are not celebrated during Great Lent and Holy Week; their
celebration resumes after the Sunday of Pascha. Ninth, during
the period the Great Fast, beginning on Clean Monday, pastors should
schedule times for the Mystery of Holy Repentance for the benefit of
the people. An excellent time for this is before or after Saturday evening
Vespers and before or after the Sunday Vespers on the five Sunday evenings.
Times for confession should also be scheduled after each of the Great
Compline Services on all Mondays of the Fast. Sadly, the Mystery of
Holy Repentance has become a "forgotten sacrament" among our
faithful, often because they do not know what confession entails, or
even what one does in confession. In addition to scheduling times for
confession, I ask the pastors to offer clear and thorough instruction
from the pulpit, in your periodic mailings, and in Bible study/inquiry
classes regarding this important Mystery. Finally, a few comments
are in order regarding fasting and March 25th celebrations. During the
Great Fast parishes may not sponsor meals at which meat is served, nor
festal celebrations at which there is drinking or dancing. This holds
true on March 25th as well, although fish is allowed on that day since
— just like Palm Sunday — it is one of the twelve great and
holy feasts. Unfortunately, the
few who celebrate Greek Independence day (March 25) with feasting and
dancing ignore the solemnity of the Feast of the Annunciation to the
Theotokos and violate the discipline of the Great Fast. Perhaps, unbeknown
to many in America, such celebrations also neglect the pious and long-standing
tradition in Greece of commemorating their national sovereignty which
was proclaimed auspiciously on the Day of the Annunciation, symbolizing
the freedom of the Greek People from centuries of foreign subjugation,
with church services, parades and patriotic lectures, but not with dancing
and feasting, since the Greek people always respected the solemnity
of the Feast of the Annunciation, the Great Fast, and Greek Independence.
In regard to dances scheduled for celebrationi of Greek Independence
Day here in the United States, I am convinced that most people do so
to have a good time and not because they have legitimate patriotic feelings
for Greece. The past few years
I have sent you a translation of the Paschal homily of Saint John Chrysostom.
This is the only version of the homily that is to be read in all parishes
of the Diocese at the appropriate place during the Resurrection Liturgy
instead of any others you may have found in the various Holy Week service
books. If the Paschal homily is read in Greek at the traditional part
of the Divine Liturgy where the people respond — just before the
Dismissal — then it should also be read in English as a sermon
immediately following the Gospel reading of the Divine Liturgy. The
homily was printed in two colors and laminated so that you could save
it as a permanent copy. Please feel free to duplicate this translation
in your parishes as necessary. Additional copies may be requested from
the Diocese Office. Through these additional
services and schedules, the priests and deacons will also benefit by
entering more easily into the spirit of the Lenten season. It is of
utmost importance for the priests and the deacons to remember that the
additional services and sacraments of this most holy period greatly
benefit the clergy as well as the laity. Even if few, or even none,
of the laity attend a service, your prayers in the services are on their
behalf and for their spiritual well-being. Do not be discouraged, but
rejoice in worshipping God Whom we are privileged to serve as His priests. May this coming
Great Lent bring many spiritual benefits to all the clergy and the laity
of this holy Diocese.
With Paternal Blessings,
+ Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding Hierarch
of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-05
The
Pious Pastors and the Esteemed Parish Councils of the Holy Diocese of
Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
I
have recently received a news release from our holy Archdiocese announcing
that the thirty-fifth Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress will convene in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from July 2 through 7, 2000. Archbishop Demetrios
has designated "Ageless Traditions in a New Millennium" as
the theme of this Congress, and will offer his vision on this subject
in his keynote address. The Clergy-Laity
Congresses are very important to the life of our Church in America,
insofar as they are concerned with all matters affecting the life, growth,
and unity of the Church as well as her institutions, finances, administration
and educational concerns. Indeed, the Special Regulations and Uniform
Parish Regulations that govern the administration of your parish are
a product of these Congresses, and it is important that each parish
expresses its voice in the formulation of regulations that affect your
parish life. Details on registration,
workshops and other events associated with the Congress will be forthcoming
from the Archdiocese in the coming months. At this time, however, I
ask that each parish consider making preparations to send its four delegates,
the parish priest, the parish council president or a representative,
and two delegates from the parish as determined by the parish assembly
to attend the Congress in Philadelphia. They may either pay their own
expenses or be reimbursed by the Parish if so determined at the Parish
Assembly. In addition, please
remember that the parish pays for all expenses involved in sending the
priest of the parish to these national biennial clergy-laity congresses.
I pray that all our Diocese parishes will be represented.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-06
The Pious Pastors
of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved in the Lord,
The
great feast of the Annunciation to our most-holy, glorious Lady, Theotokos
and ever-Virgin Mary, which annually is celebrated on March 25, will
fall on a Saturday this year. Accordingly, each
parish will celebrate Great Vespers on the eve of the feast, which will
be on Friday, March 24, 2000. Whenever this occurs,
the service of Small Compline with the Kanon of the Akathist Hymn is
not sung. Great Vespers takes precedence and only the Akathist Stasis
is sung toward the end of the Vesper Service. The order for this
is as follows:
a.
Great Vespers for the Feast of the Annunciation,
through the Aposticha and the Prayer of Saint Symeon
b.
After "??? ap????e?...," the
Kontakion "?? ?pe?µa??...,"
c.
After the Kontakion " ?? ?pe?µa??...,"
the Second Stasis of the ?a??et?sµ??? of the Theotokos (since
this year this will fall on the second Friday of Great Lent)
d.
After the Second Stasis, the Kontakion
" ?? ?pe?µa??..."
e.
After the Kontakion " ?? ?pe?µa??...,"
the Trisagion and the remainder of Great Vespers for the Feast with
the Troparion of Annunciation sung three times consecutively followed
by the Dismissal of the Feast.
May the Lord grant
to each of you and your faithful people a most spiritually edifying
Triodion season and a truly blessed Great Lent.
With Paternal Blessings,
Metropolitan Isaiah, Presiding Hierarch
of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-07
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver
Beloved
Concelebrants,
Enclosed
are copies of a booklet containing the Ninth Hour as it is read prior
to the Presanctified Liturgy during Great Lent which was prepared by
the Diocesan Office, for your use during the forthcoming period of the
Great Fast. I ask that you always
celebrate the Ninth Hour immediately before beginning the Presanctified
Liturgy. It is not appropriate simply to enter the church and begin
the Presanctified Liturgy with "Blessed is the Kingdom..." Please note that
the Ninth Hour is read by the chanter, with ekphoneses and prayers by
the priest where appropriate. It should not take you much longer than
15 minutes if it is read properly and piously. I pray that you
will find this booklet useful in your parish. May it help you and your
faithful come closer to our Lord through prayer and worship.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
*Please
contact the Diocese Office for copies of the booklet
Protocol
00-08
Beloved
in the Lord,
Last
year, in my Protocol letter 99-04 dated January 23, 1999, I asked your
parish to conduct an educational seminar for parish leadership members
to thoroughly explain the Total Commitment Program of our holy Archdiocese,
and the specific obligations of your parish. In addition, my Protocol
letter 99-15 dated May 14, 1999 provided the format and enclosures for
submitting a Declaration concerning your year 2000 Total Commitment
and the 1998 Financial Statement on which this was based. As I indicated
to you, this would be an annual effort. Accordingly, as
I asked you to do last Winter, please continue implementation of the
following schedule which will apply every year hereafter:
a.
Each Autumn the General Assembly approves
a budget for the following year.
b.
Each Winter the Parish Council prepares
a Financial Report covering the previous calendar year and the parish
finances for that year are audited by the Audit Committee.
c.
Each Winter/Spring the General Assembly
receives and accepts the Financial Report and the Audit Report for the
previous year.
d.
Each Winter/Spring the Parish Council
prepares and submits to the Diocese a Declaration concerning the current
year and following year Total Commitment obligations.
e.
Each Summer/Autumn the Parish Council
prepares the following year budget, which includes a Total Commitment
amount expressed as a percentage of net income as shown in the Financial
Report for the previous year.
I am therefore asking
you at this time to forward to my office, if possible by May 1, 2000,
(a) the Declaration concerning your 2000 and 2001 Total Commitments,
and (b) your 1999 Financial Report which has been reviewed by the Audit
Committee. Please use the formats
enclosed (a) the Transmittal Form for your Declaration, and (b) the
Format for Preparing the Financial Statement, the Parish Balance Sheet,
and the Parish Total Commitment Calculation which must be signed by
the Priest along with the Parish Council President and Treasurer. You should also
retain a copy of these forms which you are submitting, because they
will be forwarded to the Diocese Office again as part of your autumn
election package.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-09
The
Parish Priests of the Holy Diocese of Denver
Beloved
Co-Workers and Concelebrants,
As
all of us know, the Philoptochos Society of our Archdiocese is the philanthropic
arm of our holy church. We can all be proud of the accomplishments of
Philoptochos on the local, the diocesan, and the archdiocesan levels.
Simultaneously we thank our loving God for inspiring the women of the
church to give of their time and talents in order to help the less fortunate
in their life. I urge each parish
priest to give more time and attention to your parish Philoptochos chapter
so that its charitable and philanthropic programs will always meet with
great success. Without the Philoptochos, our parishes do not practice
the words of our Lord concerning the hungry, the naked, the homeless,
and those who are sick and in prison. Without such a ministry, we cannot
claim to be the Church which our Lord established for the salvation
of His people. Please keep the
following in mind:
a.
If you have an active Philoptochos chapter
in your parish, let the members know that you are ready to assist them
in ways that will increase the membership as well as the local, regional,
and national programs for the benefit of those in need.
b.
Make your local Philoptochos aware of
the urgent needs of individuals and families in your area, as well as
sudden disasters locally and in various parts of the world, such as
the recent earthquake in Greece.
c.
Urge your Philoptochos to send representatives
to the Diocese and also to the Archdiocese conferences.
d.
If your local Philoptochos chapter is
not functioning as well as it should, please inform the Diocese Philoptochos
president, Ms. Elaine Cladis, through the Diocese.
e.
If your parish does not have a Philoptochos
chapter, please inform me, as well as the Diocese Philoptochos president.
f.
If your parish has a local ladies' society
which is not Philoptochos, please inform me as to the year of its establishment,
the number of members, and the activity in which it is involved. Also
inform me why it may not wish to become Philoptochos.
I thank you for
acting immediately on this letter so that I may have a better perspective
of Philoptochos in this Diocese.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-10
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
Last
Autumn I sent each of you a copy of the procedures and the formats for
letters to be used when submitting Ecclesiastical Divorce Decree petitions
for consideration by the Spiritual Tribunal of the Diocese of Denver. I am again sending
this information to you, with minor modifications to the Ecclesiastical
Divorce Petition Data Sheet and Checklist. Please keep the
following points in mind:
a.
The Ecclesiastical Divorce Petition
Data Sheet and Checklist must be included with every petition.
b.
None of the required letters—specifically
the Recommendation by the Priest for an Ecclesiastical Divorce and the
Petitioner's Formal Ecclesiastical Divorce Petition—are "form"
letters, or "fill in the blank" letters; these are original
letters that are to be prepared by you or the petitioner.
c.
If the entire package you submit to
me is not complete, it will be returned to you without further action
by my office.
The procedures indicated
on the enclosure are effective immediately upon receipt, and will be
incorporated into the Diocesan Administrative Procedures manual in the
future.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
*Please
contact the Diocese Office for a copy of the procedures and formats.
Protocol
00-11
The
Devout Clergy and Laity of the God-Blessed Parishes of the Holy Diocese
of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
I
am truly pleased to inform you that the fund drive for your new Diocese
Center is proceeding very well. With the help of Father Anthony Scott
whom the Diocese contracted to help the campaign move forward at a quicker
pace, we have realized the wonderful generosity of many of our people. Having visited with
the faithful members in Denver, Grand Junction, Missoula, Tulsa, Salt
Lake City, and Houston, we have received $650,000 in new commitments.
One of the gifts is for $250,000 and two others are for $100,000 each.
The total in gift giving has now reached $1.5 million. We are grateful
to God for sending us to dedicated people who truly love the Church.
The promise of a Center for the holy Diocese of Denver is growing stronger
by each day. As we approach the
cosmic-changing events of our Lord Jesus Christ through His holy passion,
the Crucifixion, His Burial, and His glorious Resurrection, we ask you
to remember that the Diocese building project is taking place truly
because He came to establish His Church here on earth so that we too
may find eternal salvation. This is why we continue
to be dedicated to this holy labor of love, a holy work which glorifies
the name of our Lord even more. At the same time we are investing for
the future of our children in the faith and developing their God-given
talents to the glory of God through our Diocese youth programs. We ask you, all
the faithful, to participate in this holy service to God. Your help
will be truly honored and greatly appreciated as you serve Christ our
Lord in this special way. Please consider
a special gift toward this project during this Holy Season of sacrifice
and preparation for the celebration of the Feast of Feasts, the glorious
Resurrection of our Lord, for our salvation. Pray for us; we pray for
you.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-12
The
Devout Clergy, Monastics, and the Faithful Members of the Holy Diocese
of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
On
Holy Saturday night in our darkened churches we will remember these
words of the Prophet Isaiah. He spoke of Christ our Lord Who is the
Light of the world. Saint John the Evangelist writes, "In Him was
life and the Life was the light of men (John 1:4)." We hear these
very words in the Divine Liturgy of Pascha. We shall be assured once
more that our Lord Jesus Christ is the true Light Who gives light to
everyone who comes into the world. Why, then, is there
so much darkness in the world today? No one can deny that the powers
of darkness which are waging their final battle against the Light have
darkened the minds of many. Those who have followed the spirit of Great
Lent have escaped this darkness and the Light of Christ has been strengthened
in their lives. They are the ones who remind us that the darkness in
the world which is called light does not recognize the true Light, our
Lord. Man's knowledge which casts out God is true darkness. A parting of the
ways has begun. We now must choose to follow the darkness of the world,
which appears as light, or the Light of the world Who cannot be seen
by the world. Christ, the First
of those who have fallen asleep, gave His light to those who once walked
in darkness. He descended into the darkness of the land of the shadow
of sin and death, and shattered the power of Hades and death, redeeming
us from our sins. Thus, once again this year we join with one another
to proclaim our Lord's glorious Resurrection. Our joy will strengthen
our faith. Our happiness will spread out to many others. Our exultation
will prepare us for what may lie ahead. I greet all of you,
the members and friends of this holy Diocese, clergy, monastics, and
laity, with the life-promising words which we proclaim now and for forty
joyful days that Christ is Risen! May His love fill your hearts.
With
Love in Our Risen Lord,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-13
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
Christ
is Risen!
"Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,
to the close of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20) A number of you
have recently contacted the Diocesan Office regarding the reception
of converts from some Christian denominations through Chrismation, as
well as concerning the eligibility of certain non-Orthodox Christians
to marry an Orthodox Christian in the Mystery of Holy Matrimony. As you are aware,
much has been written in various publications, and much has been spoken
in numerous forums, concerning these matters. In regard to our practice,
the Holy Eparchial Synod of Bishops of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
of America, following the protocols and practices established by the
Holy and sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, has determined
that an individual who was previously Baptized in water, in the "Name
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" by a heterodox Christian
church or denomination that has an expressed belief in the Most Holy
Trinity is to be received into the Orthodox Church by extreme oikonomia
through Chrismation, not through re-baptism, and may be wed in the Mystery
of Marriage to his/her Orthodox fiancée. In general, an individual
Baptized in one of the following churches may be received through Chrismation
and/or may be married to an Orthodox spouse:
a.
Anglican Catholic
b.
Anglican Communion (Church of England,
Episcopal, etc.)
c.
Assembly of God
d.
Baptist
e.
Church of the Brethren
f.
Lutheran
g.
Methodist
h.
Moravians
i.
Non-Chalcedonian and Monophysite Orthodox
Churches
j.
Old Catholic (Polish National Catholic
Church, Church of Utrecht, Liberal Catholic Church, etc.)
k.
Presbyterian
l.
Roman Catholic
m.
United Church of Christ.
It is generally
assumed that priests and ministers of these thirteen denominations who
conduct baptisms, do so in conformance with the elements listed in the
previous paragraph; that is, in the Name of the Holy Trinity with the
use of water. However, it sometimes occurs that certain pastors do not
baptize in the "Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,"
or may not use water (sometimes they anoint with oil). Consequently
the Presbyter must be very cautious whenever inquiring of converts how
they were "baptized." He should insist on seeing their baptismal
certificate or a transcript of it. If it cannot be ascertained that
the heterodox baptism was done according to the criteria cited above,
the convert must be properly baptized according to the rite of the Orthodox
Church. It should be further
noted that "baptisms" performed in the following churches,
however, are not accepted and individuals from these churches may not
be married to an Orthodox spouse in an Orthodox Mystery of Marriage.
They are to be received into the Orthodox Church through Baptism and
Chrismation:
a.
Anabaptists (Mennonite, etc.)
b.
Christian Scientist
c.
Disciples of Christ
d.
Jehovah's Witness
e.
Mormon (also called "Latter Day
Saints)
f.
Quaker
g.
Salvation Army
h.
Seventh Day Adventist
i.
Swedenborgian
j.
Unitarian.
May our merciful
and risen Lord, Who called each of you to serve at His Holy Altar as
a Presbyter, grant you strength and wisdom to faithfully and properly
discharge the fearsome duties of the priestly office.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-14
The
Reverend Priest of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
Christ
is Risen!
With
the blessings of our Lord, an increasing number of our clergy have become
chaplains either on a full-time basis, such as the military chaplains,
or as part-time chaplains in prisons, hospitals, police centers, and
veterans administration centers. For the past three
Archdiocese Clergy-Laity Congresses, I have overseen the chaplains'
meeting. At the last Clergy-Laity in Orlando, Florida, there were at
least twenty-five chaplains at the meeting and workshop. All chaplains who
have participated in the past see the need for such a gathering every
two years. In order to inform
all our clergy chaplains about our next meeting in Philadelphia during
our next Archdiocese Clergy-Laity Congress, I am asking your assistance.
Enclosed is a form which I ask you to review and complete if it applies
to you in your ministry. If so, please return the completed form to
my office where I will collate the responses and inform the priests
of our coming meeting in Philadelphia. May the Lord richly
bless you as you labor in His service.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-15
The
Reverend Clergy, The Esteemed Diocese Council Members, and the Philoptochos
Chapters of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
Christ
is Risen!
The
Diocese of Denver Clergy-Laity Assembly and the Diocese Philoptochos
Conference for the year 2001 will be held on the weekend of April 29,
2001 at the Annunciation Cathedral in Houston, Texas. Except for hotel
rooms, all meetings and activities will take place at the Cathedral
in its expanded facilities. This will insure a lower cost for the Assembly
and Conference, including a lower registration fee for the delegates. Please mark your
calendars and plan your travel arrangements. Although you will be receiving
detailed information from the host committee, the outline of the weekend
will follow the general pattern as in the past:
Wednesday evening, April
25
·
Arrival of the Clergy for an evening
meal
Thursday morning, April
26
·
A brief Clergy retreat followed by a
Clergy Syndesmos meeting
Thursday evening, April
26
·
Diocese Council meeting
Friday, April 27 - Official
opening of the Assembly
·
Official opening of the Philoptochos
Conference
·
Lunch
·
Workshops, Presentations
·
Worship
·
Dinner
Saturday, April 28 - Plenary
Sessions
·
Worship
·
Official Banquet
Sunday, April 29 - Hierarchical
Divine Liturgy
·
Luncheon and departure
This
will be the first Clergy-Laity Assembly and Philoptochos Conference
in the new millennium, the twenty-first century. Let us make it a far-reaching
event for the future of our Church and our people in this Holy Diocese.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-16
Christ
is Risen!
With
the departure from the Diocesan Office of the Reverend Father Mark Leondis,
who served this Diocese well and ably for five years, I am pleased to
announce to you that the Holy Diocese of Denver has received a new full-time
Youth Director. The new Youth Director
is Mr. Paul Zaharas who will serve under me and will be my official
representative at all youth functions and affairs of the Diocese. Mr.
Zaharas is from Saints Constantine and Helen Parish in Cheyenne, Wyoming,
and has just graduated from the Holy Cross School of Theology. Mr. Zaharas worked
as an intern in our Diocese youth office during vacations from seminary,
and is familiar with the Diocesan Office, the Diocese, and many of our
programs. Many of you know him from his active participation in our
youth camps and retreats during the past several years. I am confident that you will find Mr. Zaharas most willing to assist you and your youth at any time. He will also be available to visit the parishes in order to be apprised of our youth and young adults programs, and to see how he can offer his assistance for the greater efficiency of those programs which should focus on our Orthodo | |