ORTHODOX OBSERVER
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A R C H D I O C E S E
JUNE 2001
N E W S
37 Graduate at HC/HC Commencement u page 1 students studying at colleges and universities and the need to think of them and pray they remain culturally strong and maintain their Orthodox faith in their environment. A procession to Pappas Gymnasium for the commencement followed the services. HC/HC President Fr. Nicholas Triantafilou offered the salutation. Greetings were offered by George D. Behrakis, vice chairman of the board of trustees, National Philoptochos President Eve Condakes, who presented Fr. Triantafilou with a $50,000 check for the school; Consul General of Greece George Chatzimichelakis; Holy Cross acting Dean James C. Skedros and Hellenic College acting Dean Dr. Artistotle Michopoulos. Dean Skedros recognized Professor George Bebis for his nearly 50 years service to the school. Bebis will retire this year
lenism to its students, through learning the ideals of a classical education and Orthodox theology, while also receiving professional training. He also noted that the relationship between Greece and the United States is in very good shape, and noted Greece s efforts in working for peace in the Balkans, and seeking justice for Cyprus. Metropolitan Methodios, in his acceptance of the honorary degree, referred to the annual day of commencement as a Feast Day of Achievement. He noted that the achievements for which he has been credited with attaining were not his, but the achievements of those who encouraged me and challenged me. Mr. Bouras, who with his wife founded Bouras Industries in 1960, received the honorary degree for his strong support of the Church: as a founder of Holy Trinity Church in Westfield, N.J., and a 33-year chairman of its building committee, Archdiocesan Council member for 20
D. Panagos
HONORARY DOCTORATE recipients Nicholas Bouras, Metropolitan Methodios and Ambassador Burns with Archbishop Demetrios and Fr. Nicholas Triantafilou.
after a teaching career at Holy Cross that began in 1956. Christa Jane Dokos gave the Hellenic College valedictory address. Panteleimon Papadopoulos was the Valedictorian for Holy Cross.
Commencement speaker Ambassador Burns, who delivered the commencement address, has served as ambassador to Greece since 1997, and will be moving to another assignment in a few months. He had previously served as a member of the National Security Council under the Clinton Administration and was an advisor to President George H. Bush on Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and the Middle East. In his address, the Ambassador referred to HC/HC as the heart of Hellenism in the United States and that the institution s role has been to impart the gift of understanding of the faith and Hel-
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years and secretary of the Executive Committee, executive vice commander of the Order of St. Andrew/Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and member of the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Endowment Fund. Holy Cross-Hellenic College officials also bestowed the school s Three Hierarchs Medal upon the Rev. George Nicozisin and Katherine Pappas. Fr. Nicozisin is a 1956 graduate of the school who has authored several books on the Orthodox faith, served as director of the Religious Education Department in the 1970s, and was a parish priest in California, New York, New Hampshire and, most recently, in St. Louis, for 20 years. Mrs. Pappas, who was unable to attend the event, served on the National Philoptochos Board more than 30 years, and as president for eight. She also served as national chairman for the Hellenic College Project. DIRECTOR & MANAGING EDITOR: Stavros H. Papagermanos EDITOR: Jim Golding (Chryssoulis) PRODUCTION MANAGER: Nikos Katsanevakis ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Soula Podaras CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Nicholas Manginas Elizabeth Economou
AMBASSADOR BURNS delivers the Commencement Address.
Archbishop Demetrios offered his exhortatory remarks to the graduates, stressing the theme of the great need for priests in the United States. We have to double if not triple the number we need to have today, he said. In discussing the roles of both institutions in light of the challenges facing the Church, His Eminence noted that Hellenic College should not simply be a place to study history, language and literature related to Greece and Hellenism; Hellenic College should be the place to study, a distinguished center of learning and research. Our ambition should be to offer the best in these areas and related fields, so that the name Hellenic College is associated with a thorough and intensive education in our rich heritage that has so much to offer to our modern world. Regarding Holy Cross, Archbishop Demetrios said We have an urgent need for a dramatic increase in the number of clergy in our Holy Archdiocese. Citing a few examples of parishes where the lack of an adequate number of clergy has hindered the communities progress and outreach, he said there is a genuine need to cultivate and prepare an adequate number of priests in order to minister effectively and that the parishes should nurture and motivate our young men toward the priesthood. He also said that Holy Cross has an additional role of being an invaluable resource, a vital center for addressing the challenges of 21st century American society. He listed these challenges as bioethics, changing family structures and altered conceptions of marriage, relativization, technology, social and environmental and spiritual. Certainly these challenges are formidable, he said. But they are challenges facing our society, our communities, our people, and we have the resources and the persons to address these challenges in knowledgeable and insightful ways that manifest the spiritual wealth of Orthodoxy
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and the ability of our faith to guide us in life and relationships in these modern times. His Eminence called on the school to expand its role as a place for theological consultation...for dialogue and quality interaction, and a place where we gather those who can contribute to the life and ministry of the Orthodox Church in North America and beyond.
2001 Graduates Bachelor of Arts John Peter Couchell, Mathews, N.C.; Christa Jane Dokos, Sioux Falls, S.D; Eleni Nikolaou Goudanas, Thessaly, Greece; Sarantis P. Loulakis, Newington, Conn; Alexander S. Magdalinos, Western Springs, Ill; Luke Murphy Melackrinos, Columbia, Md; Pantelis D. Papadimitriou, Thessaloniki, Greece; George Papacostas, Athens, Greece; Costas Pieri, Dallas; Anna E. Pipilas, Glenview, Ill. Master of Arts in Church Service Peter C. Mariades, Orlando, Fla. Master of Theology George Kouzelis, Athens, Greece; Eleni Aspasia Monas, Miami; Laney J. Ross II, St. Clairsville, Ohio. Master of Theological Studies George John Anastasiou, New York; Khalil-Anastasius zad Ashkan, Tehran, Iran; Pamela K. (Blackmon) Bailey, Quincy, Mass.; Thomas Harry Dallianis, Chicago; Alexander George Dragas, Brookline; George Khitiri, Manchester, N.H.; Constantine M. Mbonabingi, Kampala, Uganda; and Deacon Theodore Sakellar, San Jose, Calif. Master of Divinity Tasos Angelo Douglas, Charlotte; Antony Elbahou, Oklahoma City; Francisco J. Galindo Acuna, Santiago, Chile; Nicholas Michael Halkias, Pittsburgh; Gary Kyriacos Kyriacou, Sun Valley, Calif; Lia Lewis, Budd Lake, N.J; Deacon Adam Peter Metropoulos, Millinocket, Maine; Nicholas Michael Paleologos, Worcester, Mass; Panteleimon Papadopoulos, Norwalk, Conn; Peter George Polychroni, Lincoln Park Mich; Harry J. Theodore, Grand Rapids, Mich; James W. Theos, North Easton, Mass; Julie J. Tsiolas, Niles, Ill; John T. Vlahos, Crown Point, Ind.; and Peter Zougras, Staten Island, N.Y.