Diocesan Council Holds Spring Meeting

[April 16, 2012] On March 15, 2012 the Diocesan Council (clergy and laity) met at the Diocesan Administration for its spring session. The meeting began with a prayer and Archbishop Kyrill's report. Vladika spoke in detail about the upcoming in May and August, 2012 services at Fort Ross in light of the celebration of Fort Ross' 200th anniversary. Hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church (MP and ROCOR) and the Orthodox Church in America plan to serve at the Liturgy on Saturday, August 25. His Grace Bishop Benjamin of the Diocese of the West (OCA) hopes to have the Sitka Icon of the Theotokos form Alaska present at the August celebration.

Archimandrite Irenei, the diocesan treasurer, presented a financial report for the first quarter of 2012. Discussion pursued in regards to the question of subsidizing the annual Lenten Retreats held at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco. It was resolved, because of these retreats pan-Orthodox significance and scope to give it special diocesan status. Father Irenei went on to report on the Saints Cyril and Athanasius Orthodox Institute's first regional symposium which was held in February at the Old Holy Virgin Cathedral and was very successful. There were over 130 participants from many backrounds and all parts of North America, representing all canonical Orthodox jurisdictions.

The Diocesan Council discussed at length how the Fifth Anniversary of Russian Church unity (the signing of the Act of Canonical Unity) would be marked on the diocesan level. An Ukaze is pending in the near future, as well as a Jubilee Epistle and the publication of a jubilee postcard to be given out to parishioners.

The summer session of the Diocesan Council is scheduled for June 14, 2012.