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Thursday, March 2, 2023

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 10th 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 1st 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 

 

14 comments:

  1. Nikonass go fuck yourself you just hate the fact the Archbishop again gave it to the GCT.

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    1. Here we go again the yates are out again. Tell your boss stick and stones may break my bones BUT it will not change the fact he is not a man of his word.

      Nikona Georgakopoulos

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    2. Surprise news Nikona , the GCT was always paying its priests more then all the other parishes. You missed that point I guess.

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  2. If this was the best you guys could get then the board as a whole are idiots for voting for its approval.

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  3. $62,000 for doing what?

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    1. show up to work at 8 am go home at 1 pm. 52 week of the year. $298 per hour not bad
      get paid extra $300-$600 per funeral- tax free except St Nicholas where Merkle takes it for herself.
      grave site readings $20-$100.- tax free
      get church secretary to prepare all necessary paperwork
      pretty good for doing nothing.
      Sign me up.

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  4. Hey 12:00 there is a reason why you pay people. What do you think a priest should be paid? Nothing? Minimum wage? What should a priest make? You obviously think he does nothing. Maybe if/when you want to bury a family member you can do it by yourself. Or when you marry a child you can just go to city hall. How about when you baptize a child you can dunk it in the don river. And for church services turn on you tube and pour yourself a cup of wine.
    You know its people like you that have destroyed anything greek in his community. You go to church for 10 minutes on easter sunday and maybe to the odd wedding/baptism/funeral and you show up 20 minutes before a memorial on a rare sunday and you think you can evaluate a priests worth. Because of your over inflated view of your self worth. You mr. are what we call a fucken greek. Go shit yourself.

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    1. Τι πρέπει να πληρόνονται οι ιερείς;
      Εσύ ...φίλε, είσαι το πιο ακατάλληλο καθικι να ασχολείσαι με την Εκκλησία, τους παπάδες της και φυσικά το ύψος της αμοιβής τους για το, ό,ποιο, έργο προσφέρουν. Και ξενινώ από αυτό, διότι πέραν των όποιων αμφιβολιών περί της ελληνικότητάς σου, είσαι σίγουρα και αμφιβόλου πίστεως σε Θεό ή όποια ανώτερη δύναμη μπορεί να υπάρχει.
      Ένας ιερέας κύρ τάδε μας, φυσικά και πρέπει να αμοίβεται, αλλά με έναν λογικό μισθό ο οποίος δεν μπορεί να υπερβαίνει κατά πολύ το μίνιμουμ στάνταρ της επαρχιακής κυβερνήσεως. Και τούτο διότι όταν κάποιος αποφασίζει να ταχθεί στην υπηρεσία της πίστης και της εκκλκησίας, κύριο μέλιμα και σκέψη του θα πρέπει να είναι η πνευματική υπηρεσία του στον συνάνθρωπο. Άλλως, μπορεί να πάει στο διάολο και να κάνει όποια υπηρεσία ή απάτη θέλει για να τα οικονομίσει. Κατ’ αυτό τον τρόπο θα επιτρέψει χώρο για κάποιους περισσότερο σοβαρούς ανθρώπους οι οποίοι θα βρούν μια θέση στον κλήρο χωρίς να γλύψουν πατόκορφα τον οποιοδήποτε ανώμαλο προϊστάμενο, για να τους χειροτονήσει. Και αντάλλαγμα, βέβαια,την εφ’ όρου ζωής, σιωπή ιχθύος, για ό,τι βλέπουν ή εξαναγκάζονται να πράττουν!! Δεν έχεις ακούσει εσύ, τίποτα από τους παπάδες τριγύρω σου, ότι νοιόθουν ως στρατιοτάκια, τα οποια έτσι και αρνηθούν την όποια εντολή του, τους ξαποστέλει στι πυρ το εξώτερο; Άντε πνίξου ρε που θέλεις να έχεις και γνώμη σε ζητήματα άσχετα με έστω και την παραμικρή γνώση σου. Και για να τελειώνο τον άχαρο ρόλο που ανέλαβα να ασχοληθώ μαζί σου, μήπως είσαι εσύ ο μαλάκας Έλληνας που έχει γνώμη δίχως ίχνος γνώσης;

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    2. 3:42 FYI the priest gets paid separately for funeral weddings and baptisms.

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    3. Εσυ κύριε κουραφέξαλα 6:23 τι θέλεις να παριστάνεις; Τον βλάκα; Οι ιερωμένοι δεν έχουν γυναίκες και παιδιά; Δεν χρειάζονται κάποια κατοικία; Ρουχισμό; Τρόφιμα; Δεν χρειάζονται αυτοκίνητα, καύσιμα, ασφάλειες; Δεν έχουν έξοδα; Από που φωτίστηκες εσύ ότι ο μισθός του δεν μπορεί να υπερβαίνει κατά πολύ το μίνιμουμ στάνταρ; Δηλαδή να κουνιέσαι εσύ και κάτι άλλη κοινοτικοί με το υστέρημα του κάθε πιστού και να τα τρώτε και να τα σπαταλάτε και σ ενοχλεί τι θα αμοίβεται ο ιερέας. Άντε χάσου καριόλη.

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  5. The average salary in the greater toronto area salary is $51,000 per year or $26.15 per hour.
    Most experienced workers are between 80,000 to 100,000. Most are in the service jobs just lime our priests. Paying a priest 60 or 70 thousand is reasonable. And for the most part they have no pension or benefits either. Im not sure what the employer cost is but i do t think there is so whats the problem? You all want to pay the priest 35000.00 a year? Where is he going to live on an outhouse or a shed?

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    1. Μήπως είναι λίγα τα 70 χιλιάρικα για έναν ...επιστήμωνα ιερέα ο οποίος έχει αποφοιτήσει από πανεπηστιμιακού επιπέδου ακαδημία, όπως είναι αυτή της αρχιεπισκοπής; Διότι με τέτοιους πανεπιστημιακούς καθηγητές μέρα νύχτα δίπλα σου, τι να σου κάνουν οι 70 χιλιάδες; Βέβαια θα πει κάποιος ότι είναι και τα τυχερά από γάμους, βαφτίσια και κηδείες και φυσικά από τα τρισάγια και τις εξομολογήσεις που ξεπερνάνε τις 70.000, ακόμα, αλλά που να φτάσουν; Ειδικά άμα έχεις και κάποιο κουσούρι, όπως οι περισσότεροι από αυτούς!! Όχι, λίγα είναι, δεν φττάνουν.....

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  6. Δεν σας αναγκάζει κανένας ούτε να πάτε εκκλησία αλλά ούτε και να ρίχνετε στο δίσκο το είκοσι πενταράκη σας και για μερικούς τα κουμπιά σας. Ούτε σας αναγκάζει κάνεις να δώσετε λεφτά ούτε στην κοινότητα ούτε στην αρχιεπισκοπή. Νομίζετε ότι ο παπάς πληρώνεται παραπάνω το τι αξίζει; Μην δίνετε. δεν σας αρέσει η συμπεριφορά είτε του δεσπότη είτε του ιερέα; Καθίσετε σπίτι σας. Νομίζετε ότι τα λεφτά τα τρώνε; η τα φάγανε; Γράψτε τους. Απλά πράγματα. Μόνο ετσι μπορεί απλός εκκλησιαζόμενος να εκδηλώσει την δυσαρεστια του.

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  7. Ασφαλώς τα λεφτά τα τρώνε ωραία ιδέα να μη βάλει κανένας λεφτά στο δίσκο έτσι μπορούμε σιγά-σιγά να κλείσουμε τις εκκλησίες. Ασφαλώς προτού τα φάει ο αρχιεπίσκοπος για να τα δώσει στον πατριάρχη.

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