More Smoke and Mirrors: The Accompanying Letter from the Local Regime Leader

We have addressed the long-ago received, but only recently released, letter of the Metropolitan. We will now address our Proistameno's accompanying letter, foregoing the usual pleasantries along with commentary already made regarding the specious Clergy/Laity justifications. "His Eminence has asked Father Matthew and me to establish a committee to begin dialogue and to gather information about the possibility of having two separate Parishes in Salt Lake City." (emphasis added) Anyone having read the Metropolitan's letter can easily discern that what our Proistameno reports is not the case at all. This is NOT what the Metropolitan has asked of our assigned clergy.

The Metropolitan was devastatingly clear in saying that the aforementioned committee will be formed to "deliberate in a Christian manner how the two parishes WILL SEPARATE, much like a daughter leaves her mother in order to marry." (emphasis added) No mention is made in the Metropolitan's letter of beginning a dialogue, of gathering information or that any other possibilities exist or would be acceptable.

The Metropolitan makes no mention as to the number of people who will serve on the proposed committee, yet our Proistameno has indicated there will be five "members" from each church along with the assigned clergy. "The President of the Parish Council or his representative will be an observer on this Committee." Again, no directive to this effect from Denver, so it appears our Proistameno is making up the rules as he goes along. Reverend, please clarify who can be considered the "representative" of the Parish Council President and what does an observer actually do - sit and watch? Whose interests is he presumably protecting? Also, how does one go about being considered for membership on this committee? The stewards of this community do not belong to Holy Trinity or Prophet Elias - they belong to Holy Trinity AND Prophet Elias. It might be accurate to say that people who mainly attend services at Holy Trinity and Prophet Elias will be selected; it is NOT accurate to state that "members" from each will be selected. We are members of the Greek Orthodox Community of Greater Salt Lake City, and not of Holy Trinity or Prophet Elias per se. It is this unique quality - one which our youth also embraces - that makes this community extraordinary. Where we see virtue, our clergy, who are supposed to love us, see vice. Nice bridegrooms. It should be interesting to see the Proistameno's committee composition.

The next statement provokes further bewilderment: "For ten years, rumors have persisted about whether or not there should be two Parishes in Salt Lake City. These rumors have created suspicion and confusion; this committee will sort this all out and report their findings to His Eminence." Our Proistameno has been in our community for less than five years, yet he is omniscient in knowing what "rumors" had circulated before his arrival. Even more amazing is his knowledge that these "rumors" concerned the splitting of our community. It is our contention that the purported "rumors" have not created the "suspicion and confusion" that exists in our community today. These stem rather from the devious, underhanded, threatening, fear-mongering tactics engaged in by this Proistameno and abetted by the Metropolitan. Whether this committee will sort this all out and report their findings to the Metropolitan remains to be seen. What we do know is this committee has not been charged with that task from Denver. The charge from Denver is far more nefarious.

The remainder of our Proistamenos' letter speaks of the committee creating "Christian" dialogue, gathering information, educating, and giving reports all in an unofficial, non-decision making manner. From reading the Metropolitan's letter all of the aforementioned is useless - a bromide to help us digest that which we should not even have to swallow. The decision has been made so why pretend to even consider our input? If the "Christian" behavior of this committee is to imitate the same "Christian" behavior of our Metropolitan and Proistameno toward us in the recent past, then we would be better served without it. It is time that this Proistameno go elsewhere to promote whatever agenda he favors to someone else, after all, the Church has become very good at spreading problems broadly; we've had enough of this nonsense.

We were sent two letters that theoretically attempt to explain the same procedure and process. What we actually read, however, are two letters explaining two different processes. Our Proistameno has been holding the Metropolitan's letter for over a month. It is noteworthy that the Metropolitan's letter was addressed to the Proistameno, to the Parish Council, AND to the Greek Orthodox Community of Salt Lake City! By what right did this Proistameno take it upon himself to withhold the contents of this letter to the Parish Council, who, as usual, acquiesced, but also to withhold a letter that was DIRECTLY addressed to the members of this community! Be that as it may, we're used to these conceits by now. It is clear that he has had time to read it over and over again. We wonder how, after reading the Metropolitan's letter, our Proistameno can send us the letter he did, once again insulting everyone's intelligence. Two different letters coming from two different planets. More smoke and mirrors all around.