November 1, 2000
Saints Kosmas
and Damianos
The Pious Clergy, and
The Esteemed Parish Councils
of
the Holy Diocese of Denver
Beloved in the Lord,
As all of you know, the Philoptochos Society of our Holy Archdiocese, and consequently of each diocese, is the philanthropic arm of our holy faith in the United States. The Philoptochos Society was established in 1931 by the then-Archbishop Athenagoras, who came to the United States that year as our new archbishop, and who saw the great tragedy, the poverty, and the hopelessness of thousands upon thousands of people who included the Greek Orthodox immigrants.
For the past seventy years the Philoptochos Society has been the organization among our people in this country that has given honored recognition, respect, and esteem to our Greek Orthodox Church in America. More than ever before, the Philoptochos Society locally, regionally, and nationally has been at the forefront in helping the needy, the homeless, the infirm, the children, and the elderly.
The mission statement of Philoptochos says it all: To aid the poor,
the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the
orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, the handicapped, the victims of
disasters, to undertake the burial of impoverished persons, and to offer
assistance to anyone who may need the help of the Church ...
Obviously, this focus on the helpless and the needy should continue to be the criterion of Philoptochos members when they are asked for assistance. On this basis it is not proper for any priest or parish council to look upon the Philoptochos for any other reason but philanthropy.
The time when Philoptochos chapters helped parish councils with their administrative expenses or with the decoration of the church buildings by donating many religious appointments, rather than one or two, was during the years of the Great Depression. With gratefulness to God we are not living in such difficult times. All of us are in the position of being more and more generous to our parishes on an individual basis, especially with our parish stewardship of increased monetary giving, as well as generating funds as a council.
Thus, please encourage the Philoptochos chapter of your parish to keep its focus on the less fortunate people in our society, such as children from broken homes, battered women's shelters, the homeless, and those unable to cover medical and funeral expenses.
Finally, please always remember that the healthiest Greek Orthodox parish in this country which keeps the members active and interested in the parish is the parish which has a mortgage. If you as individuals have mortgages on your homes and only one or two incomes help to pay that mortgage, then, when a parish has a mortgage which is paid by twenty or sixty or one hundred or one thousand people who have incomes, why are you so hesitant? With confidence in our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Head of the Church, no parish will ever be in the position of not paying its bills. During the days of the Great Depression, not one Greek Orthodox parish lost its mortgage. God never allows His churches to suffer to that degree when He sees the faith of His people.
I am thankful to you for keeping these words in your minds and renewing your faithful commitment to serve our Lord Jesus Christ and His holy Church with greater love and dedication.
With Paternal Blessings,
+Metropolitan Isaiah
Presiding Hierarch
of
the Diocese of Denver