GOA’s Father’s Day Shakedown: Marking The 2-yr Anniversary Of A Hopeless Leadership…

“…On this Father’s Day, I ask that each family contribute $100 to the Pension Plan for the dedicated clergymen of our Archdiocese. My ultimate hope is that this tradition will continue in the years to come…” (Full text of GOA Father’s Day Fundraiser at the Bottom of this post…)

By Nick Stamatakis

If someone in GOA “leadership” wanted to find the worse possible way to celebrate Father’s Day and, at the same time, mark the 2-year Anniversary of AB Elpidophoros’ enthronement, they would have to think really hard to come up with the monstrosity of a fundraiser for the Priests’ Pension Fund stated above (full text below the post). But when faith is on the back burner and ministry as a concept is non-existent, while big dollar signs $$$ dominate the minds and actions of all in NYC and Istanbul, any atrocious proposal can become a reality…

It was almost six decades ago, in the 1960s, when a young Patrick Daniel Moynihan (who served both Democrat and Republican administrations with distinction and went on to become a Senator from New York) became famous by pointing out the huge impact of “fatherless families” on children – first on Black children… His 1965 report “The Negro Family: The Case for National Action” noted very clearly the culprit for the demise of young black children, the disintegration of their families. Having grown up himself in a fatherless household, Moynihan proposed action to help to solve the issue…

PHOTO BELOW: Senator Patrick Daniel Moynihan

Couldn’t GOA pick some points out of Moynihan’s – now-classic – work to celebrate Father’s Day?  No, they could not. Because they are already committed to the deceits and lies of BLM who aim to divide American society in terms of race, instead of helping black children and all children grow up normally in intact families.  Would it be too hard for AB Elpidophoros to think of these things? Yes, it was… If he was even 10% of the leader he is supposed to be, these thoughts – and actions – would come naturally.  BUT HE IS NOT.

He could not find a few words in praise and honor of the role fathers play and their contributions to the well-being of the family and the normal development of the children.  Single-parent households (they are becoming the majority in our time) are proven more likely to produce children with handicaps, likely to turn to drugs and violence, or, in the best-case scenario, have difficulties adjusting to life’s demands. It’s the strong masculine presence of a father that gives the children, especially the boys, the confidence to go ahead and face life’s challenges without fear.  It’s the example of their father that teaches the girls how a man should treat a woman…

But instead of picking a theme along these lines, AB Elpidoporos and GOA turned once again to their ONLY theme: Fundraising. Last week, it was Patriarch Bartholomew’s  Foundation, the week before that was AGAIN St. Nicholas at Ground Zero, then raising money for the Seminary, and now it’s the Priest’s Pension Fund… When will this beggary stop? And why mix priesthood with fatherhood? Is this the most important message we need to focus on, on Faher’s day? The Priest’s Pension Plan?

If GOA wanted to save the (underfunded by over 65 million) Priest’s Pension Plan, then they should put faith and ministry on the top of their priorities.  They would not care for the “financial independence of the Patriarchate”, establishing one more “Karloutsos Foundation”… Once again, they decided to put the cart before the horse…

With their shameless fundraising, they chase people away from the Church, and they end up with the same 20 wealthy families, the same and same people who use the Church as their tax-saving vehicle.  They may as well close all parishes and establish a non-profit “Orthodox” club and save all the trouble… Already many faithful have abandoned GOA.  Last Sunday in the NYC Cathedral one could see more priests than people attending the service held by AB Elpidophoros himself! Then we learned that a big group of people has moved from the Cathedral to the Russian Church uptown… The same is happening in Long Island, Philadelphia, and elsewhere as faithful are heading for the exits… They cannot stand even the thought that the greedy failed Patriarch from Constantinople, responsible for the Schism of Orthodoxy and the demise of our Faith, is still arrogantly in charge.  They cannot come to terms with the hopeless leadership of Elpidophoros…

All this as GOA finances and St.Nicholas at Ground Zero building project is still under federal investigation – and they constitute a national embarrassment.  Instead of taking measures to build transparency, they turn to the same old recipe of fundraising. Like the gambler who has lost everything and decides to bet even the last money he has left, believing that this last roll of the dice will bring him the money and solve all the problems…

But money cannot solve any problem that it cannot buy. And money cannot buy faith.  Faith comes from within. And from Above…

Very few, if any, in Istanbul or NYC have shown any signs of true faith. And so they are heading to destruction by the “Curse of Saint Nicholas”…

June 21, 2021, n.stamatakis@aol.com   www.helleniscope.com

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For Father’s Day – a practical request to support our Fathers

At the urging of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, we are wholeheartedly relaying his request in support of the Clergy and Lay Employee Fund of the Archdiocese.   Quite simply, it is a Father’s Day request for our Fathers.

THE ASK – That each family donate $100 to the fund.   You can donate at www.supportourfathers.org

THE REASON – At the 45^th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress last year, it was reported that the Pension Fund has been underfunded.    Earlier in 2021, the Archdiocese formulated a plan to address the shortfall over a 30 year period.   However, the Archdiocese would like to shorten this timeline by asking each family to donate $100 to the fund.
So this request is the most practical – and long-lasting – gift that we can give to our Fathers on this Father’s Day.   We ask that you take a moment to support this worthy cause at  www.supportourfathers.org.

With best wishes on this Father’s Day,

Protopresbyter Andreas Vithoulkas
Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Presiding Priest