International Orthodox Christian News

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] -- On Thursday, October 16, 2008, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America concluded its 2008 Fall Session.

Over the three days that the Holy Synod met, hierarchs heard reports on various aspects of Church life and administration. They also addressed a number of current matters in the life of the OCA. Included in these discussions was a review of the decisions of the Metropolitan Council at its September 4, 2008, meeting. Regarding the motions and resolutions from this Metropolitan Council meeting, the Holy Synod of Bishops issued the following statements:

• “All Metropolitan Council motions that were passed concerning the Pension Board's proposed Pension Plan amendments were blessed
  
• “The motion to have only two Church-wide appeals, one for the Mission Planting Grants and the second for the Seminary Internship Program, was blessed.
  
• “The motion accepting the report of the Property Review Committee was blessed.
  
• “The motion receiving the report and recommendations of the Charity Committee was blessed.
  
• “The motion of thanks to the Organizational Task Force upon completion of their mandate was blessed.
  
• “The resolution concerning the disciplining of the former Treasurers and the former Comptroller named in the SIC report was blessed.
  
• “The resolution regarding the possible recovery of funds from Metropolitan Theodosius was blessed.
  
• “The resolution mandating the SIC to complete their report was blessed.
  
• “The resolution of thanks to the Metropolitan Council members who are completing their terms at this time was blessed.
  
• “Regarding the motion to remove Dr. Alice Woog from the Metropolitan Council, the Holy Synod decided the following. Having received the written appeal of Dr. Alice Woog, protesting her dismissal by the Metropolitan Council from its membership, the Holy Synod has taken the decision to bless Dr. Woog to be present as a member of that body on November 10, 2008, and to make a response to the cause of her dismissal.”

In other matters, the Holy Synod issued the following statements.

• "The Holy Synod of Bishops confirmed that His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia has full authority in all matters, including financial matters, in order to regulate the situation of St. Tikhon's Monastery and Bookstore, with all their component parts, and also St. Tikhon's Seminary.
  
• "The Holy Synod of Bishops elected Bishop Alejo (Pacheco-Vera) to be Bishop of Mexico City and the Exarchate of Mexico. Bishop Alejo’s enthronement will be by the Holy Synod in Mexico City, January 18, 2009.
  
• "The enthronement of the new Metropolitan will be by the Holy Synod at St. Nicholas Cathedral, Washington, DC, on December 28, 2008.
  
• "The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, having received the report of the Canonization Commission and having received several letters of specific request, blessed the Canonization Commission to make its investigation of the requests to consider the holiness of Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich)."
  

A noteworthy moment of the 2008 Fall Session came on the evening of the first day, Tuesday, October 14. After Vespers that evening members of the Holy Synod took part in a service of mutual forgiveness. Emphasizing the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation in the healing and future well-being of the Church, the hierarchs announced in their October 9, 2008, pastoral letter that they would hold a rite of forgiveness at their fall session. They also recommended that similar services be held "in all parishes or in deaneries, depending on the local circumstances, sometime before the All-American Council."

Also present for this session of the Holy Synod was Archimandrite Jonah (Paffhausen), Bishop-elect of Fort Worth. Fr. Jonah will be consecrated Bishop of Fort Worth and Auxiliary of the Diocese of the South on November 1, 2008, at St. Seraphim Cathedral in Dallas, TX.

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