NOV. 2005 WORD FINAL - Iglesia Ortodoxa

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Antiochian Women “Care for Those Who Care for Us” The Antiochian Women’s Project: The Retired Clergy Fund “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the work and doctrine.” (1 Timothy 5:17) As we grew from childhood to adulthood, basking in the love and traditions of our families, we were taught, first and foremost, to care for those whom we were to respect at all times — our elders. They were the members of our families and communities who led the way to a better life, were full of wisdom, taught us of times come and gone, and gave us hope for a brighter future. These elders were our parents, our grandparents, anyone who held a level of importance in our lives. For these elders, we would do all that we could to ensure that they received the honor they deserved and were treated with dignity at all times. We cared for them physically, emotionally, and financially. Why not? Were they not our beloved family members who deserved the best that we could give and even more? They worked hard throughout their lives, and ours, to ensure that we would live our lives in comfort, stability, and love. The elders in our lives whom we must care for, are not only our parents and grandparents, but include our retired clergy as well. Have our clergy not also led the way to a better life, shared their wisdom, taught us how to grow to be better human beings, and given us hope for a better future, especially the one in which we would spend eternal life? Have they not cared for the most important part of us, our souls? Have they not put aside all personal care in order to care for us during our times of joy and need? The answer to this question is a very clear and resounding “yes.” Thus, the goal of the Antiochian Women’s Project: The Retired Clergy Fund is to provide our honored elders, our retired clergy and their wives, a life of dignity, especially after many years of service to us, their flock. The Antiochian Women of this blessed archdiocese have always responded to the call of caring for those in need, both far and near. As a Sisterhood of Charity, the Antiochian Women have never failed to respond successfully to any challenge placed before us. We will succeed in meeting the challenge of raising $500,000.00, over a five-year period, to ensure 54 The Word that our retired clergy are able to retire with the dignity which they deserve. We should not expect them to live any differently than our parents and grandparents. Yet this goal cannot be achieved by the Antiochian Women alone. We, as Orthodox Christians, are responsible to “Care for those who care for us,” our retired clergy. As St. Paul said, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body … and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many” (I Corinthians 12:13-14). We, the many members of this archdiocese, must work together, as one, in order to care for those who care for the most important part of us, our souls. They, our clergy, ensure for us the most important place of all, a place for all eternity, with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Antiochian Women now have a “mantra,” which we wish everyone would learn, commit to memory and repeat as many times as possible. This mantra is a reminder of how urgent this Project is in order to allow our retired clergy, along with the widowed clergy wives, to live a life of dignity. It is the formula through which the retirement amount is determined for all retired clergy and widowed clergy wives. The formula is as follows: For every retired member of the clergy — $23.33 per month X the number of years of service up to 30 years, not to exceed more than $700.00 per month For every widow of a member of the clergy — 75% of what her husband would have received, once she has reached the age of 65 Do the math for yourselves. If a member of the clergy were to serve 20 years, take that number and work it through the formula. He would receive $466.66 per month. If he were to pass away, his widow would only receive 75% of that amount, which equals $349.95, when she reaches the age of 65. If a priest serves for 40 years, the maximum he could receive is $700.00 per month. If a clergy wife becomes a widow at the age of 50, she cannot receive the allotted amount (75% of what her
husband would have received) for another 15 years. Put yourselves in their position. If you lived in a parish home, how could you establish yourself in a new residence at the age of 60, 65, 70? If your spouse passes away, leaving you widowed at the age of 40, 50, 60 years of age, how will you support yourself and your family, for you cannot receive any of the funds from the Retired Clergy fund until you are 65 years of age? In today’s world of economics, we know that these amounts are tantamount to poverty. How can we, as Orthodox Christians, allow anyone to live on funds such as these? There is also another problem which will befall this fund and that is it will be depleted in a few years’ time if it is not substantially supported through increasing the principle, which is what the Antiochian Women’s Project: The Retired Clergy Fund is intended to do. Not only will the amount of $500,000.00 raised through this Project support the continuance of this fund, but it will hopefully increase the amount allotted to retired clergy and the widowed clergy wives. Just as we would want a dignified and affordable retirement for our parents, grandparents, and ourselves, we should expect no less for our retired clergy and the widowed clergy wives. The Antiochian Women also wish to extend their sincerest appreciation for your support and generosity for their Project in year one. A grand and generous amount of $115,000.00 was raised for the Retired Clergy Fund. As we enter year two, we once again ask for your support as we continue to “care for those who care for us,” our retired clergy. It is only through your continuous generosity and assistance that we can meet the goal of raising $500,000.00 for this most worthy Project. We, the Antiochian Women, a Sisterhood of Charity serving Christ through serving others, ask that you continue to work with your local chapters in all that they do, for it is their work that is the true backbone that leads to all successes in all the good works that we do. Please continue to pray for us as we continue to pray for you. Save the Date! ANTIOCHIAN ARCHDIOCESE West Coast SACRED MUSIC INSTITUTE La Casa De Maria Retreat Center 800 El Bosque Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108 (805) 683-0406 Fr. John Finley www.lacasademaria.org January 19-22, 2006 January in Santa Barbara? Sounds good to me! by Laila Rizk Ferris, President Antiochian Women North American Board The Word 55
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Volume 49 No. 9 November 2005
Page 3 and 4: editor’s letter Praying, Fasting,
Page 5 and 6: STATISTICS REPORT 2005 2003 Baptism
Page 7 and 8: Clergy 8/2. In order to facilitate
Page 9 and 10: Robert Laham reports on the Antioch
Page 11 and 12: Policy request: Father Joseph has r
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Page 15 and 16: Although we originally contracted w
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Page 31 and 32: number of well trained Youth Minist
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Page 37 and 38: and SOPA coaches. For more informat
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Page 41 and 42: Moved by FR. MICHAEL NASSER of Ligo
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NOV. 2005 WORD FINAL - Iglesia Ortodoxa

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