Ο ήχος του Χρήματος, πιο ισχυρός από τον ήχο της ορθόδοξης καμπάνας.!!!

(Ο ήχος του χρήματος είναι πολλές φορές πιο ισχυρός από τον ήχο της ορθόδοξης καμπάνας, η οποία φαίνεται να έχει σιγήσει για να μην αναγγείλει την πτώση μας.!!!)

The sound of money is many times more powerful than the sound of the orthodox bell, which seems to have been silenced so as not to announce our downfall.

Do as I say NOT as I do,

 Nany ask why have I been so outspoken about the GCT/Archdiocese settlement ?

In the June-July 2022 issue of the Orthodox Way an article titled “To Pay No Mind” oddly the greek version was titled “his ear didn’t sweat” for which I highly suspect Archbishop Sotirios authored.  The  author stated “how  we should react when we are accused? 

The author proceeds to state that the answer depends on two factors:

1.     Is that which they accusing us of true?

2.     Are those accusing us credible?    

In a twist with his past avoidance techniques he further states: “If what they are accusing us of is true, even if the accusers are not serious, we should take notice.  

On Dec 30, 2014 then Metropolitan Sotiris sent a detailed letter to the GCT board of Directors stating the following:

1.     Some of the directors have not understood that there is an annual increase in the remuneration of our priests, while at the same time it has been longtime since we have not raised the remuneration of our priests.

2.      Starting January 1, 2015 the minimum yearly remuneration of every priest of our Metropolis for a beginner is $62,000 yearly inclusive of his pension and health insurance 

3.     For every year thereafter, there is an increase of $1,000 per year up to the 10^th year of his service in Canada.

4.     For those who do not comprehend (my words) this is the minimum, IF any community can afford and wants to pay more, that community is allowed to do so.

5.     To avoid any misunderstanding the above instructions are very clear until the new instructions.

A quick review of every filing of the Orthodox churches in Ontario clearly demonstrates that even till this date some 10 years later the Archdiocese is demanding one thing of the GCT and in fact doing something else with his parishes. 

The following churches in Ontario pay less than the December 30, 2014 edict:

1.     St Nicholas –Scarborough                  $1-39,000 – 2021-09-30

2.     Holy Cross – St Nektarios Barrie                  $53,902 (2021-12-31)

 

In and around November 2021 the Archbishop contacted  “GCT friendly negotiators” John Fanaras, Dr. Tasso Karantonis  who brought in John Vavitsas and then Pronia chair and current president  Betty Skoutakis   pleading with them to come up with a settlement to “avoid unnecessary legal fees and embarrassment”. We shall leave it to you to determine who the Archbishop was concerned would get embarrassed. 

 

The three individuals convened a meeting with Andonis Artemakis President, Hermes Iordanous Vice President and myself in my capacity as 1^st Vice president and treasurer to discuss what if anything we would be willing to negotiate on.

We clearly stated to them the following:

1.     The Archdiocese with its $600 per sacrament fee had collected substantially more than the 15% of Gross revenue to a max of $40,000 per church franchise fee the clergy laity imposed for which we have never and still do not recognized. We would not pay anything more and in fact they had even collected the priest’s remuneration in that number.

2.     Since the lawsuit commenced as a result of the GCT creating a department called Pronia we the board would not entertain ANY fees payable by Pronia to the Archdiocese.

Pronia was created to replace what the GCT felt was a not so  fully transparent  Metropolis directed Philoptochos. The GCT’s Pronia is audited every-year by independent auditors which fully disclose all revenues and expenses. And most importantly release that information to the public something the Archdiocese refuses to do. 

 

The negotiating committee which in my opinion did absolutely no negotiating came back with an offer we were told we had to accept which included:

1.     Paying ALL the priests remuneration from 2015 going forward an annual stipend of $75,000    {$62,000+ $10,000 ( $1000* 10 yrs of service ) plus $3,000} for them to attend the annual/bi-annual clergy laity. 

2.     The GCT would pay annually a $40,000  per church franchise fee or $160,000 something which the Archdiocese is selectively not doing with all  churches across Canada. (That in itself is another future article)

3.     Pronia to  be renamed Pronia-Philoptochos would have to pay an annual fee of between 3%-7% of gross revenues  and more if the clergy laity  ie. “The Archbishop” increases it in the future.

To put it in perspective these sophisticated negotiators  even after being advised that the GCT had lost between $400,000 and close to $1 million in revenue as a result of the $600 per sacrament fee imposition came back to the Board and stated “ this is not an ideal settlement but this is the best we can get”  

 

The rest is history - Nikona Georgakopoulos