It is imperative that forensic audits be conducted at all of the Archdiocese of America’s Metropolises, because it is a well-known secret that for years they have applied the same methods and mindsets as the Archdiocese, which was brought to the brink of bankruptcy.
The Archdiocese played the “give money, and give more money, and give more money again” game for years, mobilizing its now-ousted henchmen Finance Department head George Vourvoulias and Director of Administration Jerry Dimitriou to place tremendous pressure …
Mr Kalmoukos you make an excellent point and I couldn’t agree with you more I’ve been saying it for years but I’m only 1 person. If only the parishioners would demand from their parish council that no monies will be sent to the metropolises without an annual audit of everything they’re involved with ! I think donations would increase if we all felt more comfortable with where our money is going and how it is being spent.
Audis will never happen!!! We would go crazy to see the truth, and never send in one more penny to them. Remember Pay and Pray…
Thank you Mr. Kalmoukos and the National Herald for bringing these subjects into the light. The Greek Orthodox faithful in the United States must be proactive and attentive in all aspects of their faith and local community.
The local parish needs to do what is best for the local parish – and not what best for the area Metropolitan. We need to build modern ministries, keep up with infrastructure, and be in step with information technology. Young couples with children expect nothing less. We can all see how modern and vibrant our local congregational and protestant churches have become. It’s because they re-invest in the local church and local community first.
Donating to outside projects like St. Nicholas Shrine does nothing for the local church. The Archdiocese should have been able to fund the project on their own.
Having to kick-up money to the local Metropolis takes away from the necessary repairs and potential ministries we are in need of at the local level.
Mr. Kalmoukos thank you to both you and your Editor for the continued pressure you are placing on the Church. Unfortunately they will never adopt real world best practices without media pressure. So ingrained is the “Theocracy” mentality that change is only made when they are embarrassed. But here is a short word to the wealthy facilitators…..”You who write checks rather than demand accountability are accelerating the decay and hollowing out the laity from our Church!” WE are not stupid, we expect the Church to operate at a certain level of trust. It clearly has not. The sickening case of George Vourvoulias is a case in point. For years he appeared at Parishes in the terminally ill Metropolis of Chicago along with 2 other rotating sycophants pressuring Parish Councils for more and more money.
The absurdity of this ridiculous exercise was not lost on many. Many who understood the depth of the problem are now happy in their “spiritual life” at Parishes of the OCA, Antiochian, Catholic, Presbyterian, Willow Creek [an Evangelical mega Church] or Episcopal Churches. Our Hierarchs are tone deaf to the issues they have created or allowed to get out of hand. As a National Religion we are in a death march led by the clueless!
Our Hierarchs are tone deaf and spiritually blind. In the words of Jesus Christ, “blind guides.” Basil312 – you summed it up perfectly. I hope people are reading this.