As far back as 1960 the ethnic unification process was put into place.
The Church Life Bulletin [Holy
Trinity Cathedral, San Francisco, CA], December 1960
ALL-ORTHODOX UNION IN AMERICA
His Grace, Bishop JOHN OF SAN FRANCISCO has given us the following news
for release.
This fall has taken place the
third meeting of the CANONICAL ORTHODOX BISHOPS in this country. The first two
meetings took place at the residence of the Greek Archbishop in New York, the
third one at the residence of the Syrian Archbishop of Brooklyn, the fourth
shall take place early next year at the residence of our Metropolitan in New
York. These meetings of the hierarchy are to be a constant instrument of the
Orthodox Church in America. Those
participating are the Russian Orthodox Metropolia, the Greek and Syrian
archbishoprics, the Serbian, Bulgarian, Romanian and Albanian bishoprics, and
the Ukrainian Church under the Ecumenical Patriarch (of Istanbul). No
representatives of the Exarchate of the Patriarch of Moscow or of the Russian
Orthodox Church Abroad take part in these deliberations.
At the last meeting this body
of bishops decided that this union will be called THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IN
AMERICA. This united Orthodox body will
discuss the current questions arising before the Orthodox Church in America,
where the Orthodox cannot remain separated as they face so many dynamic
non-Orthodox organizations. We cannot but recognize the spiritual importance of
this beginning of really united work of the Orthodox hierarchs.
The Church Life Bulletin [Holy
Trinity Cathedral, San Francisco, CA], December 1960
And in 1996………
Excerpt from a luncheon
address of Archbishop Spyridon at his enthronement.
“This
morning I also spoke of the future realization of one Orthodox Church here in
America, and here I echoed the thoughts of His All Holiness Patriarch
Bartholomew. We must move forward toward that bright new day when all Orthodox
in this country-Greeks, Russians, Ukrainian, Serbs, Arabs, and all the many
others- must be united, for it is only as one Church that we will fulfill the
prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ when, as it is told to us in the 17th
chapter of John, he prayed that his entire flock be one. Indeed, we can even
extend our hopes for this unity to our partners in the ecumenical movement,
although to achieve it will be a long and complicated process, as the history
of ecumenical relations in this century has shown. Still, it is a hope and a
goal to which I, and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomes, are deeply committed
indeed, if the 20th century has been called the “ecumenical
century”, why can’t we dream of our great-grandchildren one day looking back on
the next century as the “century of unity”?
And in 1999…….
Excerpt
from welcoming address of Metropolitan Theodosius to Patriarch Ignatius
Below are excerpts
from the welcoming address delivered in Brooklyn, NY on July 11, 1999 by
Metropolitan Theodosius to Patriarch Ignatius of Antioch on behalf of the
Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops (SCOBA). In this address you will find
clear reference to the ONE UNITED ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA under
the Ecumenical Patriarch. This means the end of the Ukrainian Church in
North America if communion with the Ecumenical Patriarch is allowed to
continue.
Note: For those that may not be aware, SCOBA is the exclusive club of "canonical" Bishops in North America. The Bishops of Bound Brook joined this exclusive club as soon as they became canonical by signing the Points of Agreement in Istanbul. For additional information…. Go to: scoba_
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your Beatitude,
Saidna IGNATIUS,
It is a great
privilege for me to welcome you to the United States on behalf of the Standing
Conference of Orthodox Canonical Bishops in America.(SCOBA). It is also a
personal joy for me to share your table and to stress to you how important your
visit is for all Orthodox Christians in America.
Your Beatitude
is aware of the abnormal state of affairs that has weakened the ministry of the
Church in North America. The core of our ecclesiology has been weakened by a
plurality of jurisdictions. The very fiber of the Church has been frayed by the
lack of canonical ecclesial unity……
Dear Brother and
Concelebrant, I turn to you, the Patriarch of the Holy See of Antioch and All
the East to help by encouraging all the hierarchs in America to understand that
there is no viable alternative to having one, local and canonical Orthodox Church
in America………..
I may add here
that through
Metropolitan Philip the voice of Antioch will never cease calling for ecclesial
unity in North America. Together with the Orthodox Church in America, the
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese has consistently called for an end to
jurisdictional pluralism. Together with the Orthodox Church in America,
Metropolitan Philip has forcefully and eloquently rejected the uncannonical notion
of Orthodox Diaspora…………
………. we need to
remember another great son of Antioch, Bishop Raphael Hawaweeny. Born in the
Middle East, educated in Halki and Kazan, Russia, and serving first as a priest
then as a bishop of the Russian Archdiocese of North America……………………… Bishop
Raphael witnesses to the fundamental fact that Christ, His Gospel and His
Church cannot be confined or restricted by ethnicity.
Your Beatitude,
I along with so many others now look to you as the one who will boldly proclaim
out to the Orthodox world the need for ecclesial unity in North America.