Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology is once again headless, without a president, because George Cantonis, after a three-and-one-half year tenure, has resigned for ‘health reasons’. He will stay until August 31 but despite the fact that he has resigned he continues to make appointments, as he did recently with the selections of Frs. O’Rourke and Mercado to fill the positions of Dean and Assistant Dean of Students.

Meanwhile, a search committee has been formed to find the new president which is comprised of six members: two appointed by the Board of Trustees, two faculty members – one from Hellenic College and one from Holy Cross, and two appointed by the Archbishop.

The Search Committee consists of Chairman Father Mark Leondis, Dr. Spyro Catechis, Dr. Philip Mamalakis, Demetri Papacostas, Dr. Kathleen Ryan, and Dr. Kathryn Yatrakis. The process of identifying the new president will commence early next week and continue through the summer and fall of 2023.

It is clear that none of the metropolitans of the Eparchial Synod are participating on the committee, despite the fact that the theological school will educate and form the future priests who will serve under the omophorion and ecclesiastical supervision of the metropolitans.

One could argue that the chairman of the search committee should be a clergyman, but I wish to say that at some point people should become more serious so we can talk seriously about these matters.

It is not an accident that I came up with the following headline: ‘These People Will Make the Selection?’, because I happen to know persons, things, and situations.

Let me make it clear here that it is not my intension to undervalue anyone. Not at all – but we are talking about a school of theology here, the incubator of priests, bishops, theologians. The person, therefore, who will assume the very critical position of the presidency of the School and who will define its course, philosophy, indeed, its future, must know about the Church, theology, Hellenism, and the nature of the clerical calling. It should not once more be someone who ‘appears from nowhere’ and is ignorant of these matters, so that “the later error becomes worse than the previous one,” however, my information is telling me that we are heading that way.

A ‘dual-head’ (δικεφαλία) will be appointed: a layman who will travel around the country to raise funds as well as a clergyman (or even a defrocked clergyman) who will govern the School.

We are talking about tragicomic situations. But given the extreme decadence we find ourselves in, nothing should surprise us anymore.

One more thing: Cantonis must stop making any more appointments of any kind, type, or form in order not to bind his successor. Since he has resigned that should be the end of it. Let him go in peace until he is summoned by the courts to testify under oath along with Elpidophoros and others from inside and outside the School in the cases of the tenured professors who were expelled in such an unbecoming and inhumane way. And then in the courtroom many things will be revealed, and only God knows what kind of surprises our Church and Community will see.

Unfortunately the drama of our School of Theology continues.