UNITED STATES
The National Herald

By A.P. Cromidas

August 15, 2013

Last year the top layman of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America issued an unprecedented statement about problems in the archdiocese. In perhaps his strongest point, he spoke about “a regrettable and most distasteful subject, i.e. the current state of monasteries in their relationship with the U.S. Church.” Has anything been done about this matter? Not that one would know about. (And, yes, we the laypeople should know about it.)

The layman was Michael Jaharis, who is Vice-Chairman of the Archdiocesan Council. He was speaking at last fall’s Council meeting. He used some rather strong terms about his concerns. And, though details were lacking, he said that “If we are to `bear fruit’ as a faith, we have to make certain to guard our garden from disease.” One can assume that he was referring to an undue influence…