Fairness and Justice

Putting aside, for a moment, the consideration of moral failings, let me suggest that some of the recent pastoral problems in the Antiochian Archdiocese are really nobody’s fault; they are, rather, the result of our fast and phenomenal growth.

This enormous expansion in the Archdiocese, it appears to me, leaves Metropolitan Philip in the position of someone driving a large, powerful land rover endowed with the gear shaft and steering mechanism of a one-cylinder law mower. The experience has to be rather frustrating sometimes. Such a driver does his best at the wheel, nor can we reasonably expect him to welcome the loud honking of horns critical of his driving skills.

In some ways, obviously, the Archdiocese has been able to adapt to our greatly changed situation. Our camping programs provide a good example of this adjustment: As it became clear that Antiochian Village could no longer cope with the sheer mass of our young camping population, the Archdiocese encouraged the development of regional camps under the supervision of our diocesan bishops. These are doing splendid work, and we applaud the wisdom and labor of those responsible. No one claims that this diversity of our camping sites has somehow broken down or diminished the unity of the Archdiocese.

This example from camping could serve as a model for other aspects of the ministry.

The area I have in mind is clergy deployment, concerning which I offer a modest proposal:

It is humanly impossible, I believe, for anyone in Englewood to be adequately informed on either the pastoral needs or the ministerial potential in the many congregations scattered all over this Archdiocese. I do not exaggerate: it is a mystery how Bishop Antoun maintains his sanity trying to manage it all, and, given his nearly impossible job description, only some cleric with a death wish would want to succeed him.

Clergy deployment --- including the selection of applicants for seminary --- appears to me one area in need of pastoral adjustment. The local bishops --- the diocesan pastors most familiar with the particular needs and distinct resources of our congregations --- are surely the ones more suitably placed to make these decisions about clergy deployment.

Those many of us who love Bishop Antoun want him to live forever, of course, but let’s not fool ourselves. There is absolutely NO ONE in this Archdiocese who will ever be able to do this job after he steps down. I submit it is time to take some initial steps in this matter.

I certainly don’t see our local bishops acting as lone rangers in this respect. The selection and appointment of clergy would properly be on the agenda of the regular meetings of the American synod, for the purpose of mutual enlightenment and coordination. No one --- and our diocesan bishops least of all --- wants to weaken the unity of the Archdiocese.

Anyway, this is my suggestion.