Work of Special Investigation Committee to be on agenda of upcoming Holy Synod/Metropolitan Council meeting

On September 14, 2007, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman received a letter of resignation signed by several members of the Special Investigation Committee. His Eminence, Archbishop Job, Committee Chair, Committee members Very Rev. Vladimir Berzonsky, V. Rev. John Reeves, and former member, Mr. Gregory Nescott, were the signatories of the letter.

His Grace, Bishop Benjamin and Dr. Faith Skordinski remain as members of the Committee. Other persons, to succeed those who have resigned, will be appointed so that the Committee may continue its work.

The Special Investigation Committee was appointed by Metropolitan Herman at the Joint Meeting of the Holy Synod and Metropolitan Council held in December, 2006 in order to look into allegations of financial mismanagement in the Central Administration of the Orthodox Church in America. In January, 2007 His Beatitude wrote to the Committee Chair outlining the specific mandate of the Committee’s work. A preliminary report was presented in March 2007 to the Metropolitan Council and to the Holy Synod. The report was received by both bodies. Important among the Committee’s recommendations was that a Spiritual Church Court be conducted to hear the charges concerning actions of the former chancellor of the OCA in regard to financial matters.

At that time the results of the Special Investigation Committee’s work to-date were not made public so that the Spiritual Church Court proceedings could be conducted with the utmost order and fairness to all concerned parties. Inasmuch as members of the Special Committee would be involved in preparing materials for the Spiritual Church Court, His Beatitude also temporarily suspended the work of the Committee until matters pertaining to the former chancellor were resolved.

Although the Spiritual Church Court has now been held and its recommendation made public, the Statute of the Orthodox Church in America concerning church courts grants the possibility of an appeal to the Holy Synod. The former chancellor has registered with the Secretary of the Holy Synod his intention to make such an appeal. The Holy Synod is awaiting the response of the former chancellor who has been requested to submit the basis of his appeal in advance of the Holy Synod meeting on October 16, 2007. Again in the interest of order and fairness, Metropolitan Herman continues to believe that the Special Committee’s preliminary report should be released only after the appeal process is completed.

In accepting the resignations, His Beatitude acknowledged the grievances listed by the resigning members of the Special Committee. These will be discussed at the October 16 Holy Synod Meeting. On October 17, 2007, the Holy Synod will have a joint meeting with the Metropolitan Council. Agenda items for this meeting include a discussion about the publication of the Special Investigation Committee’s preliminary report, a review of the initial mandate of the Committee as outlined in Metropolitan Herman’s letter to Archbishop Job, assessment of the work that has been accomplished and how to continue the Committee’s work in a way that will best fulfill the original purpose and bring its mandate to a logical conclusion.