DIOCESE OF CHICAGO AND DETROIT: November 6, 2006
Materials From the Regular Diocesan Assembly of Chicago and Detroit

RESPONSE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY TO THE ARCHPASTORAL EPISTLE OF HIS EMINENCE ARCHBISHOP ALYPY

October 19/1, 2006
St John of Kronstadt

Your Eminence Archbishop Alypy,

Master bless!

It was with great joy that we received your Epistle and your archpastoral blessing on the work of our Clergy Assembly. We thank you for your prayers and together entreat the Lord for your continued health and future recovery.

Indeed, with even greater joy we savored your warm words regarding the time for the reconciliation of the two parts of the Russian Church torn asunder by the terrible events of the 20 th century. Your leadership and guidance in this regard strengthens us in our resolve to support Metropolitan Laurus and the hierarchy of our Church who, following the recommendations of the IV All-Diaspora Council held in May of this year, have accepted the Act of Canonical Communion – a document which has led us to the reconciliation so long desired by the clergy and faithful of our diocese. We rejoice that you were able to participate in the Council of Bishops which followed the All-Diaspora Council, and that you have been a witness to and a participant in this truly historic and significant time of rapprochement within the Holy Church.

We ask for your continued prayers for the success of our pastoral work.

Kissing Your Right Hand,

We are Your Servants in Our Lord Jesus Christ,

Priest Gregory Joyce
Secretary

Note: This letter unanimously accepted by the gathered clergy.

GREETING OF PROTOPRIEST ANTHONY NELSON AT THE OPENING OF THE CHICAGO AND DETROIT DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY

Your Grace Bishop Peter,

On behalf of myself, the Trustees, and the parishioners of Saint Benedict Church, I welcome you back to Oklahoma City. Thank you for blessing us once again with your archpastoral presence in our community, and thank you for giving us the honor of hosting this Assembly of the Diocese and Chicago and Detroit, and most especially for blessing us with the presence in our midst of the miracle-working Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God.

We also want to express our gratitude to you for your support of and personal efforts on behalf of reconciliation of the two parts of the Russian Church which we have all prayed for and dreamed of for so long. We know that it has been no easy road for Metropolitan Laurus and the Bishops to travel, and we thank God for Metropolitan Laurus, for you, and for all those who have labored so hard to fulfill Christ's prayer, "...that all may be one..."

The people of Saint Benedict Parish have stood firmly, continuously, and unanimously behind this effort which came to fruition as a result of God's blessing and the labors of our Bishops.

We now look forward to the speedy coming-together of the First Hierarchs for the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion and the first Concelebration.

Thank you, Vladyka, for all of your efforts, and please convey both to Archbishop Alypy and to Metropolitan Laurus our heartfelt gratitude for their work on behalf of Reconciliation, and our continuing love for them.

Protopriest Anthony Nelson
St. Benedict Russian Orthodox Church
Oklahoma City, OK