Archdiocesan Assembly -1977 - Montreal - October 24, 1977

Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, Montréal, host of the assembly, and of the All-American Council

Archdiocese of Canada Assembly, 1977

In Montréal, Québec, Canada, preceding the assembly of the 5th All-American Council , an Archdiocesan Assembly was convened. The assembly gathered on 24 October, 1977, at 3 p.m., in Montréal, in one of the halls of the Sheraton Hotel (where the All-American Council was to take place on the day following).

Following is a summary of the Archdiocese of Canada Assembly of 24 October, 1977 :

DIOCESAN MEETING OF THE CANADIAN ARCHDIOCESE

In connection with the convening of the All-American Church Council in Montreal, the Diocesan Council of the Canadian Diocese decided to gather all the visiting delegates from the Canadian movements for the Canadian Diocesan Assembly, which took place on 24 October 3:00 p.m., in one of the halls of the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Montréal (the ancestor of the structure completed in 1982).

Before the Assembly, in the nave of the Cathedral, a prayer service (moleben) was led by Archimandrite Antoniy (Abramović).

At the hotel, the meeting of the Archdiocesan Assembly was opened by the Chairman, the Ruling Bishop of the Diocese, His Eminence Archbishop Sylvester. The Secretary of the Assembly was Deacon Andrey Somow.

Vladyka Sylvester began his report on the life of the diocese by pointing out that in Canada it is difficult for us to convene regular Diocesan Assemblies because of the dispersion of our parishes throughout Canada. It is financially difficult for parishes to send their delegates over long distances. Another difficulty is that the population of cities has different free time than do rural parishes.

That is why our last general Diocesan Assembly was 9 years ago. After that, as this year, we used the All-American Councils, and devoted some time to purely Canadian affairs.

During these 9 years, the following Canadian clergy have departed to the other world : Archpriests Ioann Diachina ; Feodor Gilyavsky ; Ioann Vasil ; Peter Kurzemnek ; Mikhail Andrukhow ; Samuil Volsky ; Ioann Karateyev ; Lukian Stetsik ; Igumen Theolog (Bezkorovainy) ; Protodeacon Peter Feohari, and Deacon Daniel Hayduk. The assembled representatives rose to sing “Memory Eternal” for all the clergy and all the church leaders.

Canada has always had a shortage of clergy, and continues to have one. Canada needs selfless priests, hard working missionaries who are not afraid of the harsh climate, difficult living conditions.

And one of the most difficult circumstances is that Canada does not send its young people to our Theological Seminaries. Here, of course, there are also difficulties due to the distance of our seminaries, the high cost of education in them. The Canadian Diocese cannot have scholarships for seminarians from its own funds. Our small town parishes are doing better, but our rural parishes in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta suffer from a shortage of clergy. There is one priest for 12-16 parishes. Old missionary priests carry out their obedience in difficult conditions, but they do not abandon their work. Vladika told how our missionary, Father Eufimy Moseychuk, on Pascha, travels around all his parishes within a radius of 300-400 miles, bringing the joyful news of the Resurrection of Christ. This zealous missionary is already over 80 years old. Vladyka Sylvester asked, “Will we find replacements for these missionaries ?”

His Eminence then presented a financial report on the Diocese for the first 10 months of this year. Our Diocese is financially prosperous only because of the assistance of the Central Administration. If it were not for this, the situation of the Diocese would be critical. We must express our gratitude to the Holy Synod and especially to our retiring, His Beatitude Metropolitan Ireney (Bekish), who always took the situation of our Diocese to heart. After the financial report, Vladyka Sylvester presented the Assembly with a draft budget for 1978, which provided the necessary clarifications on some points.

After the report of His Eminence Archbishop Sylvester, a short break was announced.

After the break, Archbishop Sylvester invited those present to talk briefly about the work, difficulties, and achievements in their parishes. The following spoke with short reports : Priest Fr. Ioann Sviridov (Holy Apostle John the Theologian Church in Windsor) ; Priest Fr. Nikolai Boldireff (Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Toronto) ; Mitred Archpriest Fr. Oleg Boldireff (Saint Nicholas Church in Ottawa) ; Archpriest Georgiy Pokrowsky (Holy Trinity Cathedral in Ottawa) ; Church Warden G P Maksimik (Cathedral in Montreal) ; Church Warden R V Veremiuk (Holy Trinity Cathedral in Winnipeg) ; Priest Fr. Yaroslav Roman (Saint Herman’s Missionary Parish in Edmonton) ; Priest Fr. Vasily Ostashek (a missionary in the province of Alberta, serving 10 rural communities) ; I A Rozvaliaeva (chairwoman of the Russian Orthodox Community in Vancouver). Unfortunately, the Most Reverend Bishop Joasaph and Archpriest Eufimy Moseychuk, who arrived only the next day for the All-American Council, could not attend the Diocesan Assembly. Priest Svetislav Balevich from the province of Saskatchewan could not attend either.

Some resolutions were made and some wishes were expressed. They will be reported in the next Parish Newsletters.

Our Diocesan Assembly ended with a banquet, at which His Beatitude, Metropolitan Ireney and his personal secretary Prince S G Troubetzkoy were guests. During the banquet, His Eminence Archbishop Sylvester addressed His Beatitude on behalf of the entire Canadian Diocese with a word of gratitude or the constant care and assistance of His Beatitude to our Diocese, with the wish of well-deserved rest and peace.

The composition of the Diocesan Council which was confirmed by the Diocesan Assembly :

Chairman ; His Eminence Archbishop Sylvester (Haruns)

Vice-Chairman : His Grace Bishop Joasaph (Antoniuk)

Secretary : Archpriest John Tkachuk

Treasurer : Archpriest George Pokrowsky

Members of the Council :

Archimandrite Antoniy (Abramović) ; Archpriest Georgy Belyai ; V Antochi ; A A Zhukovsky ; A P Ignatieff ; S S Kocherva ; G P Maksimiuk ; I P Mashin ; G D Olsufyev ; N P Polyanin.

Members of the Metropolitan Council from the diocese :

Archpriest John Tkachuk ; A A Zhukovsky

— The summary was published in Russian in the December, 1977, issue (pp. 11-14) of the Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral leaflet, and in the January, 1978, issue (pp. 11-18), of the Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral leaflet.