Clergy FAQs

Q: The Parish Council had to elect someone to fill the remainder of a Council member's term.  What must I do?

A: All people who serve on the Council must be ratified by the Hierarch.  Request ratification (your note is addressed to the Metropolitan but emailed to the Chancellor), indicating that the person is eligible to serve, was validly elected by the Council, and you have gone over the Parish Council seminar material with the person already.  Include their contact information (so we can include them in the Parish Council listserv).  Once His Eminence ratifies their election, you may give them the Affirmation of Office before the next Council meeting.

Q: Our parish has a major project (capital repair or improvement, iconography or church furnishing, expansion, etc.) - How shall I receive the blessing?

A: It's best to have a preliminary conversation with His Eminence before things get too far along.  But for final approval, the project must be approved first by Parish Council and the Parish Assembly. Then the priest requests His Eminence's blessing and permission, enclosing the minutes of the Assembly, all materials distributed to the parishioners about the project, and specifically including details about how it will be funded, timeframe for completion, how life at the parish will be affected by the project while it's happening, and how it fulfills a specific need.  He should also complete the "Request for Project Approval" form and include it with the submission.  While His Eminence cannot comment on technical aspects (engineering, safety, etc.), his oversight is required to ensure that the project will not create an undue encumbrance on the parish, that it is fulfilling the stated need, is being done by appropriate persons, (for projects dealing with the interior of the church) meets our Orthodox iconographic and worship space standards and traditions, and generally has proper oversight.  He will often request the considered opinion of members of the Finance Committee or other committees before making a final determination.  Once His Eminence gives his approval, the project may commence.

Q: What if we have a true emergency (fire, flooding, etc.)?

A: The parish priest should call/text/email the Chancellor, who will work it out with the Metropolitan.  Often a preliminary approval is made, subject to subsequent approval by the Parish Assembly and again (in full) by His Eminence.

Q: If I'm traveling to another Metropolis to vacation but am not functioning as a priest (serving, teaching, speaking, etc.), what should I do?

A: Request permission of our Metropolitan to be absent.  The permission note will be CCed to the destination Metropolis.  Check with the destination Metropolis whether the local Hierarch wants you to request permission, or if merely knowing is sufficient.

Q: What about clergy coming in to our Metropolis?

A: If they are not serving, teaching, administering sacraments (baptism, marriage, confession, funeral), fundraising, or any other priestly activity, then we merely need to know they're here and that they have their own Hierarch's permission.  Typically the CCed permission letter from their home Metropolis is sufficient.

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Clergy Travel

For Clergymen of the Metropolis of Pittsburgh

A) For journeys of any type away from your parish:

1. Inform your Parish Council of your absence.  This is not "asking permission."  

2. Arrange for substitute clergy coverage for any missed Sundays, sacraments, or major feasts, and for someone to be "on call" for emergencies while you are away.

3. If you are assistant clergy within the parish: get the permission of the Proistamenos.

4. Send a letter requesting permission to His Eminence (letter is addressed to him, but sent to the Chancellor's Office).  When permission is granted we will automatically send a copy of the permission letter to the destination Metropolis (if within the US).

B) If you are leaving the Metropolis and will be performing duties of a clergyman (serving, preaching, teaching, etc.)

5. Seek permission from the Metropolitan of the Metropolis to which you are traveling.

6. Once the permission has been received from both Metropolitans (ours, and the one whose Metropolis you will enter), make contact with the local priest.

C) If you will not be performing any duties of a clergyman

5. Enjoy the trip!

 

For Clergymen of other GOA Metropolises or US Assembly of Bishops Diocese

A) If you will be performing the duties of a clergyman within the Metropolis (serving, preaching, teaching/lecturing, leading a retreat, fundraising, etc.)

1. Seek permission from your own Hierarch

2. Send a letter requesting permission to His Eminence Metropolitan SAVAS (letter is addressed to him, but sent to the Chancellor's Office).  When permission is granted we will automatically send a copy of the permission letter to your Hierarch.

3. Once permission has been granted, contact the local priest.

B) If you will not be performing the duties of a clergyman within the Metropolis

1. Seek permission from your own Hierarch.  A copy of this permission, when sent to us either by your diocese or yourself, will be sufficient.

 

For Clergymen from outside the US

1. Develop your timeline for travel within the US.  This can involve discussions with local priests and communities.  However, no final, irrevocable plans should be made until permission has been granted both from the Archbishop and the Metropolitan.

2. Seek permission to enter the Archdiocese of America from His Eminence Archbishop DEMETRIOS, Geron of America.  This can be sought through the Archdiocesan Chancellor's Office: 212-570-3513 (phone) or [email protected].

3. After permission has been received from the Archbishop (via the Chancellor's office), then seek permission to enter the Metropolis (see under "For Clergymen of other GOA Metropolises or US Assembly of Bishops Diocese" A 2-3)

 

Why is Permission Important?

Apostolic Canon XII: If any clergyman, or laymen, who has been excommunicated, or who has not been admitted to repentance, shall go away and be received in another city, without commendatory letters, both the receiver and the one received shall be excommunicated.

(Commendatory letters are from the local bishop vouching for the person that they've rehabilitated their relationship with the Church and are currently able to be admitted to the mysteries.)

Apostolic Canon XXXIII: None of the foreign Bishops, Priests or Deacons shall be received without commendatory letters. Even when they bear such, they shall be examined. And if they really are preachers of piety, they shall be received; but if they are not, after furnishing them with any necessities, they shall not be admitted to communion. For many things are done with a view toward plunder.

Canon XIII of the 4th Ecumenical Council: Strange Clergymen and Anagnosts are not to be allowed to conduct services anywhere in a different city without having letters recommendatory from their own Bishop.

Canon XLI of Laodecia*: That no member of the Priesthood or Cleric ought to travel without canonical letters.

Canon XXXI of Carthage*: Let Bishops not cross the sea except by express consent of the chief see of the same Bishop of any particular diocese, that is, unless by exception he receive from the primate himself the letter called of release, in due form, or, more explicitly, a parathesis, i.e., a commendation.

Canon XCVII of Carthage*: It has pleased the Synod to decree that whatever persons hereafter are ordained anywhere in the provinces included in Africa must obtain letters from their ordainers bearing their signature and containing the name of the Consul and the date, so as to preclude any dispute concerning their being later or earlier.

* The canons from Laodecia and Carthage were given ecumenical authority by the 2nd Canon of the "Quintisext" Council gathered in Constantinople "in Trullo."

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