NEWS ELSEWHERE - HAITI, ROMANIA

HAITI: IOCC CONTINUES TO PROVIDE VITAL ASSISTANCE

During the year since the earthquake that devastated Haiti, nearly 200,000 have received vital assistance through the efforts of International Orthodox Christian Charities [IOCC]. Emergency aid delivered in the days and weeks following the disaster sustained life with the help of medicines and medical equipment, essential food, clean water, tents, fuel, blankets and mattresses. Since the earthquake, IOCC has been working with survivors to address the long-term need for permanent housing, clean water and sanitation, and other basic necessities. Donations to IOCC have “made a difference” by providing health projects that deliver sustainable sanitation facilities to contain waste and prevent the contamination of water supplies and prevent cholera and other health threats, assistance to four schools as well as the reconstruction of another school built that was built to withstand hurricanes and other natural disasters and will serve as a community disaster shelter, and reforestation and sustainable livelihood projects in rural areas are helping to restore vital ecosystems to help prevent mudslides and flooding. For further information on IOCC’s ongoing Haiti project or to make a donation, visit http://www.iocc.org/news/1-04-11haiti-page3.aspx.

ROMANIA: INTERNATIONAL INTER-ORTHODOX CONSULTATION COMMUNIQUE NOW AVAILABLE

The text of the communique issued by participants in the International Inter-Orthodox Consultation on the Ecumenical Movement in Theological Education and in the Life of Orthodox Churches, held in Sibiu, Romania with the blessing of His Beatitude, Patriarch Daniel of Romania November 9-12 November, 2010, is now available HERE. The purpose of the consultation was to consider how the Orthodox Churches and theological schools have been involved in the modern ecumenical movement from its very beginning, and what steps forward they might take today. His Eminence, Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima [Ecumenical Patriarchate] moderated the gathering, which brought together representatives from the Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Moscow, Romania, and Bulgaria, and the Churches of Cyprus, Greece, Poland, Albania, and America [OCA]. Archpriest John Jillions of the Orthodox Church in America read a paper at the consultation. Representatives from the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church also participated in the consultation, which was held at the initiative of the World Council of Churches.