The Hellenic Chronicle - July 23, 1997

Hellenic Chronicle readers write

HC/HC Is Part Of The Church

As a student at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, I am deeply concerned about a story that appeared in your July 12 issue. It makes unsound assertions with invalid implications. While it states that the "Dismissals ... put the institution at risk, "a closer look at the facts will reveal that it is the disgruntled reassigned priests and one former professor, not His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon, who are acting to the schools' detriment.

The story rests on one basic, very erroneous assumption; namely, that the Theological School, as an institution, is an entity that is independent of the Church. But we all know that the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese gave birth to the school, and the Church still provides $4.15 million in funding for the school's annual budget, which is listed at roughly $6.5 million. As such, the Church can intervene whenever it deems necessary, even though the school has its own corporate bylaws.

The bylaws, for all practical purposes, have been set up for the school's day-to-day operations, but when the school's administrative affairs have gone awry, the Church can and should step in to rectify the problem. This should not be viewed as something strange or out of the ordinary. In the United States of America, a parent organization commonly intervenes when its children (often referred to as subdivisions in the corporate world) misbehave.

As a student of our holy Theological School, I feel the need to remind your readers that the school is not only an academic institution. It is where young men are trained for the priesthood. It is therefore also, and primarily, an extension of the Church itself. To treat it otherwise, as some now-former members of the faculty have done, would be an egregious mistake.

As a former journalist myself, as well as a student who lives on campus eight months a year, I have closely and carefully observed the events at Holy Cross. The Archbishop is definitely proceeding in the appropriate manner. Most of the mature students share my sentiments. For future reference, please try to remember that the school is part of the Church, and that the theological students also have a voice. Thank you for your consideration.

EVAN C. LAMBROU
Ithaca, NY

[ The Hellenic Chronicle - July 23, 1997 - p. 5 ]