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Hollywood, FL — His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit and the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America addressed the clergy and lay delegates gathered for the opening of the 94th Annual Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America.
Welcoming the delegates, guests, and presenters, His Eminence emphasized that the Congress is more than an occasion for conducting the administrative affairs of the Episcopate. It is also an expression of the unity and shared responsibility of the clergy and faithful and of their common commitment to the missionary vocation of the Church.
“We have gathered as clergy and lay representatives not merely to conduct the administrative business of the Episcopate, but to bear common witness to the unity, responsibility, and missionary vocation of the Church,” His Eminence stated.
This year’s gathering is particularly significant because it is the first Episcopate Congress held in Florida. His Eminence expressed gratitude to Holy Cross Romanian Orthodox Church in Hollywood and Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church in Miramar, whose clergy, parish councils, volunteers, and faithful welcomed the participants and undertook the many responsibilities associated with hosting the Congress.
Referring to the ministry of the Episcopate across the United States and Canada, His Eminence noted that the Congress is being held as the United States prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. He presented this anniversary as an opportunity to reflect not only upon history, but also upon the responsibilities associated with freedom, citizenship, sacrifice, and service, understood by Orthodox Christians in the light of the Gospel.
His Eminence also encouraged delegates to become more familiar with the history of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, particularly through Professor Gerald Bobango’s account of its first fifty years. The institutions inherited by the present generation, he explained, were established through the faith, sacrifice, perseverance, and vision of generations of clergy and faithful.
Special attention was given to the role of Solia, established in 1938 during the episcopacy of Bishop Policarp Morușca and later modernized and expanded under the leadership of Archbishop Valerian Trifa, both of blessed memory. His Eminence expressed gratitude to the clergy and laypeople who contributed to the publication throughout the decades. He also highlighted the work of the Department of Publications in translating, preparing, and publishing liturgical, theological, and educational materials for the clergy and faithful of the Episcopate and for the wider Orthodox community.
“This publishing ministry remains an essential part of our responsibility to preserve the faith, communicate it clearly, and transmit it faithfully to future generations,” His Eminence said.
Turning to the business of the Congress, Archbishop Nathaniel invited the delegates to study the reports concerning the work of the Chancery and the various ministries of the Episcopate. He emphasized that these materials should not be regarded merely as administrative documents, but as an account of the life, stewardship, and mission of the Church.
His Eminence asked delegates to give particular attention to the nonfinancial reports, which present the pastoral and missionary activities of the Episcopate. He also drew attention to the geographical distribution of the parishes throughout the United States and Canada, the archpastoral visits undertaken during the year, and the communities celebrating 115 and 120 years of existence.
While recognizing the importance of these anniversaries, Archbishop Nathaniel reminded the delegates that the length of a parish’s history does not by itself guarantee its continued vitality.
“Each generation must receive the inheritance of faith anew, embody it faithfully, and transmit it intact to those who follow,” he stated.
A significant portion of the address concerned parish membership and the decline in the number of voting members recorded since 2013. His Eminence distinguished between sacramental membership in the Church, received through Holy Baptism and Chrismation, and the administrative status of a voting parish member.
He encouraged the parishes to consider whether they are inviting the faithful into a mature understanding of ecclesial responsibility and whether parish stewardship is being presented as more than the payment of membership dues.
“Parish stewardship is not merely the payment of dues, but the offering of time, ability, prayer, and material resources for the work of Christ,” His Eminence emphasized.
The address also examined the financial circumstances of the clergy. Archbishop Nathaniel noted that many parish priests must seek employment outside the parish to support themselves and their families, while some clergy serving full-time continue to receive compensation that does not adequately reflect their education, responsibilities, availability, and years of service.
He urged parish councils to examine honestly whether their priests receive appropriate compensation and called particular attention to the responsibility of parishes in the United States to support their priests’ participation in the Orthodox Church in America Pension Plan.
“Budget preparation is a moral exercise as well as a financial one: it reveals the priorities of the community,” His Eminence said.
Addressing financial oversight, Archbishop Nathaniel recalled a saying attributed to Archbishop Valerian: “The faithful will not ask the priest about the Holy Trinity, but, ‘Where did my dollar go?’”
His Eminence explained that every offering entrusted to the Church represents the labor, sacrifice, and confidence of the faithful. Parishes must therefore maintain accurate records, appropriate oversight, regular financial reporting, and meaningful accountability. Transparency, he noted, protects the parish, its officers, its priest, and the trust of the faithful.
Another central theme of the address was the missionary vocation of the Church and the growing number of catechumens and seekers entering Orthodox parishes. His Eminence reminded the delegates that the Episcopate is called not only to preserve its Romanian Orthodox inheritance but also to share that inheritance with all who seek Christ.
“Let us welcome them with patience and genuine love. Let us explain our worship without condescension, teach the faith without dilution, and integrate new members without asking them to abandon the legitimate gifts of their language or culture,” Archbishop Nathaniel urged.
His Eminence also spoke about the renewal of the American Romanian Orthodox Youth under the guidance of His Grace Bishop Andrei of Cleveland. While recognizing the importance of A.R.O.Y., summer camps, conferences, and other youth programs, he stressed that the spiritual formation of children begins in the family.
“The first school of faith is the home,” His Eminence said. “The Orthodox Christian home is the foundation upon which the parish and the Episcopate are strengthened.”
Parents and grandparents were encouraged to pray with their children, speak openly about Christ, bring them regularly to the divine services, welcome their questions, and help them discover faithful answers. Parishes were likewise encouraged to recognize young people as active members of the Church in the present, entrusting them with appropriate responsibilities and supporting their education and vocations.
Archbishop Nathaniel also called upon the parishes to remain attentive to their senior members, especially those who experience illness, limited mobility, grief, isolation, or separation from their families.
“No one who has grown old in the life of the Church should be made to feel forgotten by the Church,” His Eminence stated.
He encouraged regular contact with seniors, pastoral visits, transportation assistance, opportunities for fellowship, and the bringing of the Holy Mysteries to those who are unable to attend the divine services.
Addressing the clergy and lay delegates directly, His Eminence reminded them that their participation in the Congress carries both honor and responsibility. They are entrusted with listening carefully, deliberating conscientiously, and communicating the decisions of the Congress to the communities they represent.
“When you return home, do not allow the work of this Congress to remain confined to printed reports or meeting minutes,” he said. “Help your parish understand that it belongs to a wider Episcopate and shares responsibility for its ministries and future.”
His Eminence also addressed the importance of the ROEA Constitution and By-Laws, encouraging clergy and parish council members to study them together, particularly the provisions concerning the relationship between the parish priest and the elected officers of the parish council.
He emphasized that the priest and parish council are not competing authorities, but have distinct responsibilities that must be exercised cooperatively for the spiritual welfare and orderly administration of the parish.
In connection with the 250th anniversary of the United States, Archbishop Nathaniel remembered the men and women who served in the Armed Forces of the United States and Canada, including those who gave their lives and those who returned carrying visible or hidden wounds. He called upon the faithful to pray for the departed, support veterans and their families, and recognize that true freedom must be directed toward responsibility, virtue, service, and love.
Concluding his address, His Eminence remembered the hierarchs, clergy, monastics, parish founders, benefactors, family members, and faithful servants of the Church who have fallen asleep in the Lord since the previous Congress.
“To remember them rightly is not only to speak their names, but also to carry forward what was faithful, worthy, and holy in their example,” he said.
Archbishop Nathaniel called upon the delegates to conduct the work of the Congress with truth, patience, mutual respect, and love for the Church, seeking what will strengthen the unity, mission, and spiritual life of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America.
“May the Holy Spirit guide our words, our decisions, and our service, so that all things may be done decently and in good order, for the glory of God and the salvation of His people.”
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