Sophistry At Its Finest

SOPHISTRY - a subtle, tricky, superficially plausible, but generally fallacious method of reasoning.

(In other words, "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with 'bull dung'!" - the Metropolitan's phrase some time ago, most certainly not ours.)

The following two letters were received by most parishioners today. Click here to see the scanned originals. The texts of both correspondences are found below as well.

LETTER FROM OUR ESTEEMED CLERGY AND PARISH COUNCIL

July 27, 2010

Dear Parishioners,

On July 20, 2010 the Parish Council and the Clergy received a signed petition and a resolution from a group of our Parishioners. A chosen representative of these signers also sent this petition and resolution to His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah, to the Legal Counsel of the Archdiocese and to the Legal Counsel of the Metropolis. The petitioners are requesting a Special General Assembly to act on the specific resolution.

His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah has mailed the Clergy and the Parish Council of our Parish his response to the petition and resolution, which we have enclosed. His Eminence has denied the request for a special General Assembly and has corrected actions that the General Assemblies have voted upon in the past which are in conflict with the "Uniform Parish Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America".

The Parish Council recognizes the right of "at least ten percent (10%) of the Parishioners in good standing of the Parish "to submit a written petition requesting" that a Parish Assembly be called for the purpose of conducting business that is properly considered under the Uniform Parish Regulations and Parish By-Laws. The Parish Council remains willing to convene a properly petitioned Parish Assembly to consider any resolution that is in conformity with the Uniform Parish Regulations and the Parish By-Laws.

In the Lord's Service,

The Clergy and Parish Council of the Greek Orthodox Church Of Greater Salt Lake

=========================================================

LETTER FROM OUR ESTEEMED METROPOLITAN


GREEK ORTHODOX METROPOLIS OF DENVER
July 23, 2010

Reverend Matthew Gilbert, Proistamenos
Reverend Michael Kouremetis, Proistamenos
The Esteemed Parish Council
Holy Trinity Cathedral/Prophet Elias Church
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral
279 South 300 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Beloved in the Lord,

I am in receipt of a petition from the Salt Lake City area which has been signed by a number of households from the Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Salt Lake. From the signatures I see, I notice that there are four and five from the same household. I also notice that there are duplicate signatures of persons who have signed at least twice. I presume that all those from the same household are contributing members of the community.

Be that as it may, allow me to respond to the Exhibit "A" Resolution. I see that there are nine "Whereas" paragraphs:

1 "Whereas" is consistent with the Uniform Parish Regulations;

2 "Whereas" is consistent with the Uniform Parish Regulations;

3 "Whereas" is not consistent with the Uniform Parish Regulations. The resolution mentions an auxiliary bishop who purportedly relaxed the Uniform Parish Regulations. The fact of the matter is that, once the Ecumenical Patriarchate approves the Uniform Parish Regulations, no one has the right to relax any part of them, not even the Archbishop. Moreover, Article 15, Section 1 states, "Locally, the Parish is headed by a canonically ordained and duly appointed Priest. The assignment of such appointed Priest shall bind the Parish to the Archdiocesan Regulations and the Uniform Parish Regulations with the same force and effect as if the same were formally approved and adopted by the Parish." In addition, under Article 34, Section 1, we read, "The Parish Council shall be the custodian of all parish funds." Also, under Article 16, Section 1, "Parish property shall beheld andused bythe Parish... "

4 "Whereas" is not consistent with the Uniform Parish Regulations because the responsibility of raising and administering funds is the responsibility of the Parish Council, for which purpose the general membership voted for it to assume such responsibility. This "Whereas" takes away the responsibility of a properly-elected parish council.

5. "Whereas" is not consistent with the Uniform Parish Regulations, in that it usurps the responsibility of the Parish Council which was elected for the upkeep of the parish

6. “Whereas” is contrary to the Uniform Parish Regulations, in that it recognizes a separate body of individuals who usurp the authority of a properly-elected parish council.

7. "Whereas" is contrary to the Uniform Parish Regulations in that it ignores the existence of a canonically and legally elected parish council with the establishment of two secular entities not responsible to that council.

8. "Whereas" raises the question, "To whom has the aforementioned family given its gift? Was it to the church for tax-exempt purposes or to another entity that has no tax-exemption status"

9. "Whereas" mentions the funds given to the HCF, rather than to the Greek Orthodox Community of Greater Salt Lake. This has nothing to do with the Uniform Parish Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Consequently, the "BE IT RESOLVED" (1) is in total contradiction to the Uniform Parish Regulations because no parish assembly can contravene the Uniform Parish Regulations, not even the Archbishop.

Also, FURTHER RESOLVED (2), no parish assembly can move parish money out of the church treasury and give it to a secular body to do exactly what the Parish Council is responsible for doing, thus usurping the authority of the Parish Council regarding funds and property.

To continue, FURTHER RESOLVED (3), a parish assembly cannot support an entity which is separate from the parish because a parish assembly meets only to decide on parish issues as spelled out by the Uniform Parish Regulations. A parish assembly has no business meeting in order to consider an entity which is not officially a part of the community and the Parish Council.

And, finally, FURTHER RESOLVED (4) is totally in contradiction of the Uniform Parish Regulations in giving authority to two individuals who have not been elected as current members of the Parish Council, as previously noted.

Consequently, the request for the convening of a parish general assembly on the issues of Exhibit "A" RESOLUTION cannot be honored. General assemblies are held onlv to conduct the business of a parish, and they take place under the authority of the Parish Council, which represents the members of the parish who are faithful to the teachings of the Church.

Finally, as a hierarchical Church, which has come down to us from the days of the holy Apostles, we adhere to the canonical teachings which mean that no members of a given parish may go contrary to the administrative principles of our hierarchical structure, in order to organize separate entities which are separate from the body of our one, holy, and undivided Church. Specifically, "The Parish shall furthermore abide by the decisions of the Clergy-Laity Congresses, irrespective of whether it was represented thereat, the administrative determinations of the Archdiocesan Council, and such interim legislation as may be adopted between Congresses by the Archdiocesan Council (Article 15, Section 7)."

I believe that more than enough has been said to verify that there can be no general assembly held to decide issues which have nothing to do with matters which are not in harmony with the teachings of the Church, and with the Uniform Parish Regulations of our Archdiocese, which govern the administration of our parishes throughout the Archdiocese, without exceptions and contradictions.

With Paternal Blessings,

/s/

+ Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver

Christian Love???

Dear Fellow Parishioners,

There is a parish nearby that received the two attached letters.

Such eloquence!!! Is there any doubt in any reader’s mind that Johnny, Jack and Chivas were co-authors of these συχαμένα letters.

These are letters that are written by a Hierarch of our faith that exude love, compassion, understanding of current economic conditions, etc.

The Denver Metropolitan will be known for his grasp of the issues and his expeditious way of dealing with them in a Christian way. He will also be known as being capable of destroying Greek Orthodox parishes single handedly and from within.

Have a nice time reading this drivel, poppycock, and claptrap.

Nick

P.S. I cannot wait to receive a copy of his letter to us as prefaced by our own Fr. Michael. It should also be a work of art.

Nick J. Colessides
Voice: 801/521-4441
Fax: 801/521-4452
Email: nick@nickjcolessides.com

BREAKING NEWS: The Letter We're About to Receive

Apparently, the Proistamenoi and Parish Council are about to send us this letter, assuming no further revisions and on official letterhead. (Click here to see the draft version not as yet on letterhead.) The text of this letter (below) also provides is a chilling description of what the Metropolitan has in store for us. (His letter is not as yet included). Read what's to come and weep - yet again.

July 27, 2010


Dear Parishioners,

On July 20, 2010 the Parish Council and the Clergy received a signed petition and a resolution. This resolution was copied and mailed to His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah, to the Legal Counsel of the Archdiocese and to the Legal Counsel of the Metropolis by a chosen representative of the signers. The petition is requesting a special general assembly to act on the specific resolution.

His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah has mailed the Clergy and the Parish Council of our Parish his response to the petition and resolution, which we have enclosed. He has denied the request for a General Assembly and has corrected actions that the General Assemblies have voted upon in the past which are in conflict with the “Uniform Parish Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America”. The Parish Council will take corrective measures to correct these anomalies so that we, as a Parish of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, are in correct order with the Archdiocese.

In the Lord’s Service,


The Clergy and Parish Council of the Greek Orthodox Church
Of Greater Salt Lake

MODERATOR'S COMMENTS:

This community does not DESERVE such treatment from its clergy. It is high time we were able to check out some better-qualified candidates as our priests. Is it really too much to ask for priests

• who actually have some people skills;
• who might not have splitting this community and slandering long-standing stewards on their agenda;
• who do not prevaricate;
• who honor the honest needs and expressed will of the community;
• who work with all the members of the parish instead of their favored few;
• who foster and insist upon honest and transparent administrative practices;
• who put the Church before themselves;
• who love BOTH churches and honor all members in our community.

Oh, and while we're at it, how about having some parish council members who don't think they have "get into heaven FREE" cards, and who don't hyperventilate if the clergy look at them cross-wise while mentioning the "divinely inspired" UPRs, along with uncited canon law? How about parish council members who stick up for their church and community? Remember? The same community their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents built, first for the greater glory of the Lord, and then for us, their posterity!

A Follow-Up Regarding "Twisted Logic"

After conducting a bit of our own research into ecclesiastical law, we would like to offer a bit of follow-up to our previous blog article regarding "Ongoing Threats and Twisted Logic".

Not to attempt to argue, nor correct Metropolitan Isaiah about the use of the term “titular” Bishop, it is noteworthy that the 1964 Articles and Uniform Parish Bylaws, contain on page 3 the following references to “Bishop.”

On page 3 in the English version the term “Bishop,” “Archdiocesan District Bishop” “Bishop of the Archdiocesan District,” and “District Bishop” appear; the designations are used interchangeably.

In the Greek language there is only one designation that of “Βοηθού Επισκόπου”.

Except for the Archbishop, ALL Bishops in the United States of America WERE AND STILL ARE “Auxiliary Bishops” or “Βοηθοί Επίσκοποι” administratively, and “titular” Bishops ecclesiastically. The designation of a Metropolitan does not elevate an auxiliary Bishop to an Archbishop, unless he is a fully titled “Bishop;” not an auxiliary, nor a titular. When an Auxiliary Bishop is designated as a Metropolitan, he no longer uses the name of the City he had represented, and the position is deemed “widowed.”

Metropolitan Isaiah should not try to hoodwink his flock with his eloquence.

ONGOING THREATS AND TWISTED LOGIC

[Moderator's note: the excerpts in green italic font are taken verbatim from Metropolitan Isaiah's most recent letter, dated July 1, 2010 to this community.]

After going through a massive number of letters and comments regarding the abnormal and uncanonical situation which continues to exist in the community, and which will soon be resolved in the preservation of the Holy Canons and the Uniform Parish Regulations of our Archdiocese in the United States of America, please allow me to object to those individuals who have repeatedly taken the name of His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Olympos in ways, I am totally convinced, which are totally disrespectful to his reposing soul.

Yet more threats? Was it not the Metropolitan who promised to honor, albeit grudgingly, the "split survey vote" (87% AGAINST splitting the community) in his letter to this community, December 6, 2007?

The title of the deceased bishop reflects the fact that he was a titular bishop with no administrative authority. When a bishop has the title of a non-existent city, this indicates that he has no authority of his own and always responds to the wishes of his superiors. When Bishop Demetrios was located in Los Angeles, California, he served the ecclesiastical needs of the parishes. He never had any administrative responsibilities.

According to this tortured logic, bishops whose titles have included names of cities no longer in modern existence, have no administrative authority. This is utterly disingenuous. If we were to believe this, then it surely follows that His Eminence, who in 2002 was still Metropolitan Isaiah of Proikonisos (an ancient city in his title) had no administrative authority to disband a properly elected Parish Council in September 2002 in this city. Presumably, this would hold true with any and all other "administrative" actions he might have taken, while still Metropolitan of a no-longer existent church entity?

Bishop Demetrios had an ancient city affixed to his title; this has not been uncommon then or now. Nevertheless, he was the presiding hierarch of the Greek Archdiocese, Western States District, to which our church belonged at that time. If, in fact Bishop Demetrios had "no authority of his own" and always had to respond "to the wishes of his superiors...", then clearly he must have consulted those superiors in order to go ahead and send those letters under his signature. To say that Bishop Demetrios, eternal be his memory, had no administrative responsibilities or authority when he was our presiding bishop is to impugn his honor and his memory, and implies that he was a liar and a fraud by sending those letters and signing them! And it is not WE who have implied it!

Finally, when I was assigned as the assistant priest at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Salt Lake City in March 1962, under Father Steven Katsaris, who could not wait to leave the parish quickly enough, it was Archbishop Iakovos who assigned me, and not Bishop Demetrios.

There was only ONE Greek Orthodox church in this valley at that time. No one who was around then seems to recall anyone treating then-Father Isaiah so badly as to cause such rancor on his part. Further, nearly all parishioners in our memory held Father Katsaris in high esteem. Frankly, both the negative second-hand assertion about Fr. Katsaris and the fact of the Metropolitan's first assignment as a new priest are not relevant. It is simply clear that the Metropolitan, along with the Proistamenos-of-Prophet-Elias-only, holds our Cathedral campus and parishioners who mainly attend there, in great disdain. Inexplicably, the Metropolitan cannot resist demonstrating his contempt, both in how, and to where, he addresses his increasingly vitriolic missives. How sad and how unseemly.

May our loving God forgive those individuals who have been attempting to besmirch the name of my brother in the Lord, Bishop Demetrios, who was kind enough to do the funeral of my father in California. May these individuals be forgiven by our Lord Jesus Christ, and may the soul of Bishop Demetrios continue to rest in peace.

Interestingly, the Metropolitan fails to mention that Bishop Demetrios also ordained him to the priesthood in 1962 - a rather curious omission. Regardless, the only reason Bishop Demetrios might not be resting in peace is the assertion that he lacked any authority to affix his name to the letters he signed and sent to this community in 1964. That assertion was made by Metropolitan Isaiah, and NOT by anyone who holds the unity of this community dear.

Inexplicable Correspondence!

The latest letter from the Metropolitan, sent first class by the proistameno of Prophet Elias only, is both surprising and baffling. (Why are we still waiting for the last letter from the Metropolitan a portion of which was read at the last general assembly?) Surprising because it lacks the venom of his previous letters and baffling because I have no clue why it was sent. The letter implies that unseemly things have been written about the late Bishop of Olympos, Demetrios and have come to the attention of the Metropolitan of Denver.

I believe that the proistameno of Prophet Elias only, in his efforts to (mis)inform the Metropolitan about the happenings in this community, has yet again done a masterful job of providing this (mis)information resulting in the above letter which is very baffling. No one has spoken ill of the late Bishop of Olympos, Demetrios. Only the letters written at the time he was responsible for the "Greek Archdiocese Western States District" have been disseminated.

Your Eminence, all correspondence between this community in 1964 and the late Bishop of Olympos, Demetrios clearly shows he is "responding to the wishes of his superiors."
The proistameno of Prophet Elias only, in his quest to take control of money that was raised for specific purposes, has provided this (mis)informaton forcing Your Eminence to write a letter which makes absolutely no sense. As has been stated, no one has "besmirched" the name of the late Bishop of Olympos, Demetrios. Reading your letter, I believe that you have been badly misinformed.

Yannis Armaou

P.S. Your Eminence, as you state in your letter, you served at Holy Trinity which was the only church in Salt Lake City at the time. It is now a Cathedral.....
Clearly the existence of two Proistamenoi is only on paper. The proistameno of Prophet Elias only dictates (I believe even to you) what happens in our community.

WATCH THIS SPACE: The Ongoing Cost of Lost Opportunities

Our grandparents did GREAT things for our Church and Community from 1905 onward, and managed to create a THRIVING community even during the GREAT DEPRESSION. What can our current leadership claim as accomplishments?

Each day, from here forward, we will list an "action item" that COULD have been possible, had we not had the backward-thinking few, including backward-thinking clergy, engaged in OBSTRUCTING the efforts of many VISIONARIES in our community.

It is indeed TRAGIC to consider what, in this past decade, we might have accomplished:

1. Upgrades to provide safe, well-appointed Sunday School facilities at Holy Trinity
2. Repairs to mitigate water problems in basement Sunday School rooms at Prophet Elias
3. The Anthony G. Skedros Memorial Gymnasium
4. New rooms to facilitate the teaching of the Greek language
5. Repair and renovation of the Prophet Elias dome
6. A Hellenic Cultural Museum honoring our great-grandparents, grandparents, parents and OURSELVES (for heaven's sake!) along with providing our children and grandchildren with an ongoing reminder of their wonderful heritage!
7. An opportunity to purchase a valuable piece of downtown property which has since DOUBLED in value.

Many of these, along with others, might have been possible, might have been in the works. We might today be well on our way to having two updated, beautiful church campuses that would be a springboard to further the work of Christ in this valley, this region, this country.

Metropolitan Isaiah in 2005 said, "... every Greek Orthodox parish is owned by the general membership. This means that in the matter of revenues and property, the general membership makes all the decisions." In 2006 the general members His Eminence referred to VOTED by a 72% margin to go forward as a community with the Hellenic Community Foundation. The MINORITY prevailed upon the Metropolitan to stall this effort despite his own words and despite that vote. In 2009 the "go-ahead" was finally given. And now these same people seek once again to strangle this effort and to stagnate this community. We must not let that happen.

Action Required! - Looking Back to Move Forward

On November 15, 2005, Metropolitan Isaiah mailed a letter to the Parish. The complete letter can be viewed by clicking here. Metropolitan Isaiah stated in the last full paragraph of the first page the following:

First and foremost it must be stressed that every Greek Orthodox parish is owned by the general membership. ... This means that in the matter of revenues and property, the general membership makes all the decisions. (Emphasis added).

We urge all parishioners to sign a Petition calling for a Special General Assembly in order to implement Metropolitan Isaiah’s directive and move our community forward.

Thank you for your consideration.

Best regards,

/s/

Nick J. Colessides

Note: the Petition and all information materials may also be accessed on its separate blog page by clicking here.