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Orthodox Observer - August 1997

Administrative Changes at Hellenic College/Holy Cross

BROOKLINE, Mass. — Hellenic College-Holy Cross School of Theology has experienced a decisive transition over the past month with the naming of a new president and the reassigning of several noted administrators and faculty members in keeping with Archbishop Spyridon's goal to re-invigorate the school's mission by placing greater emphasis on priestly vocations and the pastoral need of the Church in America.

The appointment of Bishop Isaiah of Denver, a graduate and former administrator of the School, as president, has brought to a conclusion a number of chronic internal administrative difficulties.

His Eminence, after receiving scores of requests from clergy, faculty, administrators and students, consulted with the Members of the Holy Synod and clergy before initiating action to resolve the problems.

His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon invited Bishops, trustees of Hellenic College-Holy Cross, current school officials, two former presidents, and members of the Archdiocese Legal Committee to the Archdiocese headquarters in New York on July 19 to discuss and outline the changes.

Administrative changes include:

Bishop Isaiah has succeeded the Rev. Alkiviadis Calivas as president. Father Calivas will continue as professor of liturgics at the Seminary.

The Rev. John Chrysavgis, has succeeded the Rev. George Dragas as the dean of the theological school. Fr. Dragas will remain at the school as a professor.

Frs. George Papademetriou, Emmanuel Clapsis, and Theodore Stylianopoulos have been reassigned to parish ministry.

At the meeting on July 19, the administrative problems which have plagued Hellenic College/Holy Cross over the past several years were presented to the group in a thorough and clear way. Past presidents of the School, Bishop Iakovos of Chicago, and Bishop Methodios of Boston, offered their reflections on past administrative problems which they had encountered during their respective administrations.

Bishop Methodios expressed his feelings about these changes to the Observer as being "in the best interests of the School."

He added, the Archbishop's "vision and plans for the Church and the development of our parishes depend greatly on the ability of Hellenic College/Holy Cross School of Theology to offer the very best possible preparation, academic and spiritual, to tomorrow's priests and lay leaders." Additionally, commenting on the decisive action of Archbishop Spyridon in an interview with the daily newspaper "Proini" Bishop Methodios responded: "The president of the Board of Trustees of the Institution is each successive Archbishop of the Church. As president of the Board he has the responsibility to care for the good operation of the School where the clergy of tomorrow are being formed."

The Archdiocesan Presbyters Council also offered their support to the Archbishop by Rev. Christopher Metropoulos, President of the APC, on behalf of constituent members.

A separate communication was received from the His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Amissos, of the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the Ecumenical Throne in America. In his letter to Archbishop Spyridon, Bishop Nicholas wrote: "Like Your Eminence, I too head up a theological school, Christ the Savior Seminary, which is nearly as old as Holy Cross. Although our school is smaller, serving the needs of a smaller population, its purpose is the same as Holy Cross: to train and produce faithful, loyal, competent, pious priests to serve the people of God. We are well aware that Holy Cross has been plagued with all kinds of difficulties for some time now. We know that you have acted not only in the interests of the School, but in the interests of the future of Orthodoxy in America. We stand on the verge of an Orthodox spiritual re-awakening in America, but only if we are faithful to the patristic, canonical and traditional path which our Holy Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is leading us on. We know that Your Eminence is directing your every effort towards bringing all the American flock into that path and way of salvation. Under the leadership of Your Eminence as the Exarch of His All Holiness, we will cut a swath wide enough for all our faithful."

Also at the meeting on the 19th, a detailed description of the situation at the School, together with future plans and opportunities, were offered by the current President, Bishop Isaiah and the Rev. John Chrysavgis, acting dean of HC/HC.

These changes reflect a re-orientation and re-invigoration of the School as principle source for priests in America. The unique and familial bond between Bishop and priest is essential to the mission of Hellenic College/Holy Cross.

For Bishop Isaiah, this will be his "second hitch" at the school. In the 1970s, he served as director of student life from 1971 to 1976, then was named dean of administrative affairs.

The new President has some definite ideas about the direction that the school needs to take.

Some of his immediate goals will center on defining a clear distinction between the administrative and academic spheres of the school, and on focusing more intensely on educating candidates for the priesthood.

"As an alumnus of the school, my main concentration will be on stressing the original mission of the school which is the preparation of priests for the parishes of our Archdiocese in the United States," Bishop Isaiah told the Observer.

Since His Grace graduated in 1960, the role of Holy Cross has grown to encompass not only the preparation of priests, but also the preparation of candidates for lay ministries of the Church.

"Different ministries have been established here for both men and women who have been preparing themselves for other services to the Church," he said. "That will still be foremost in my mind."

Bishop Isaiah expressed his commitment to fulfilling the mission of the Archdiocese, articulated by His Eminence, that HC/HC provide the highest spiritual and academic standards to the students, in order to insure a spiritually oriented, well-educated and pastorally mature rank of clergy for the future needs of America.

He also said he perceives his role strictly as administrative, not as academic, and wants to emphasize the separation of the two functions at the school. "As far as any changes," he said, "I believe strongly there should be a separation of the administration and academic leadership at the school. My purpose is to define the administrative responsibilities and to keep them separate from the academic responsibilities that are in the hands of others."

His Grace went on to say that "the institution is under the hierarchical and canonical supervision of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the Archbishop has the responsibility of re-assigning clergy as he deems necessary. These decisions have been most difficult for him, but he believes they are in the best interests of Hellenic College and Holy Cross and of the Church."

Along with his new duties at the helm of HC/HC, Bishop Isaiah will continue to lead the Diocese of Denver. For him, it is a matter of taking more extended trips, something which he has become very accustomed to doing.

"I've traveled several hundred thousand miles (as Bishop of the Denver Diocese, which has the largest land mass of any Diocese) and, as far as I see it, this is one more of my many trips, with the intention of staying longer each time I come here."

[ Orthodox Observer, Vol. 62 - No. 1132, August 1997, pp. 1, 4 ]