وصلنا عدد جديد من النشرة الاخبارية لابرشية شمال كاليفورنيا لكنيسة المشرق ننشرها ادناه باللغة الانكليزية
THE ADVISORY COUNCIL OF THE
CHURCH OF THE EAST
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA DIOCESE
THE BULLETIN
Issue 1 January 2006
Our Message
Recently, the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East suspended His Grace Mar Bawai Soro, Bishop of Diocese of Western California. The suspension was an unjust act and contrary to the canons of the church. Presently, this issue is in the civil courts and we pray that it will be settled soon.
Unfortunately, this dispute has caused ill feelings among Assyrians and provided an opportunity to create and circulate many rumors, false claims, and unfounded accusations that if left unanswered, will continue to create erroneous perceptions in the minds of church members and Assyrians at large.
Therefore, the Advisory Council decided to publish this monthly bulletin for the purpose of enlightening the Assyrian public by telling the truth supported by factual information relative to each issue raised by rumor mongers. Our objective is not to speak irreverently about clergy and church leaders or sling mud on the opposition. Our primary purpose is to provide all Assyrians the facts and let them make their own decision.
Our first issue will address a number of main questions and rumors that have been circulating in our communities. At the same time we will restate some of Mar Bawai’s views which have been twisted around in order to confuse the public.
In subsequent issues we will address other concerns and questions. We welcome written questions from the public and promise to answer them promptly. Furthermore, we will continue to maintain communications with the public through various Assyrian media: electronic magazines, TV, Internet and public seminars. The truth must, and will, be spread to all Assyrians in the United Stated and all parts of the world.
We hope that readers will find the contents of this bulletin and future issues beneficial. Your comments will be appreciated,
Why did Mar Bawai reject the Synod decree suspending him?
The decision to suspend Mar Bawai is unjust and not according to the canons of the Holy Synod of the Church of the East. It is a prejudicial decision based on personal biases of certain bishops who have openly violated the canons of the church. This very same Synod failed to apply the canons of the church to bishops who have admitted their violations.
The injustice of the Synod decision is seen very clearly in the alternatives offered to Mar Bawai as his punishment. The first alternative is for Mar Bawai to agree to be transferred to Iran where he will be appointed the bishop of our church for all of Iran and Russia. How is it that Mar Bawai is not qualified to remain bishop for a small diocese in Northern California but he is qualified to be the bishop of two major countries.
This decision was predetermined prior to the Synod’s meeting that took place in Chicago at the end of October 2005. It was basically a conspiracy concocted by a few bishops who do not like Mar Bawai because he speaks the truth. We learned of it back in August 2005 at a meeting of Mutwa of the Mar Narsai Parish in San Francisco. Archdeacon Nenos Michael publicly announced at the meeting that Mar Bawai is finished and he will be out of the Church by the end of October.
That knowledge prompted us to embark on a campaign of requests and appeals to His Holiness, Mar Dinkha asking for his interference and help in stopping the implementation of this action against Mar Bawai. This was done by personal letters, personal discussions and other means of communication. His Holiness Mar Dinkha, promised that no harm would reach Mar Bawai. It seems, however, that His Holiness’s authority was curtailed by other bishops. We do not blame His Holiness, Mar Dinkha, for not keeping his word. It appears that even the Patriarch was forced to yield to certain powerful bishops surrounding him.
It is not just Mar Bawai rejecting the decision. Mostly, rather, it is “we the people” the majority of members of the three parishes under his jurisdiction (Mar Yosip Cathedral of San Jose, Mar Narsai Parish of San Francisco & Mar Gewargis Parish of Ceres) The number of people whose principles and ideals agree with Mar Bawai is growing and will continue to grow within the United States and throughout the world. It is time for the Church’s hierarchy to start listening and pay attention to “we the people”. Ignoring people’s voice will lead to the Church leadership’s isolation and may ultimately, cause its downfall. Let us not forget that autocratic methods no longer have a place in today’s modern and sophisticated society, let alone in the Holy Church, which is the Body of Christ.
Did Mar Bawai Question the Patriarch’s authority?
Certainly Not! Mar Bawai has always and continues to recognize Mar Dinkha as a Patriarch of the Church. He also accepts Mar Dinkiha’s authority as long as his decisions are compatible with the church canons.
Much has been said and circulated about the two letters that Mar Bawai wrote to His Holiness, Mar Dinkha. All these rumors have been fabricated to deceive the public. Mar Bawai never questioned the authority of His Holiness or prevented him from visiting the parishes in his Diocese of Western California..
What did Mar Bawai say in his two letters? It is an existing, acceptable practice that prevails within the circles of corporations, foundations, churches and other organizations that an officer can express his opinions freely to his superior, as long as such communications are kept private and confidential between the two concerned parties. Mar Bawai had a number of issues and disagreements with the way some activities were conducted. He put his thoughts into two very personal and confidential letters addressed to His Holiness, Mar Dinkha, like any bishop would write to his patriarch expressing cause of distress. He was expecting a response. He never disclosed the contents of these two letters to the public.. Why then, so many people are aware of the contents of these very private, personal and confidential letters? Why and by whom were their contents disclosed? We leave the answer to the reader’s intellect.
Those two letters have been translated into English and are ready for publication. However, the attorney’s advice is to hold them in confidence until they are first submitted to the court. Thereafter, we will soon publish them and let the readers be the judges.
Why Did Mar Bawai Comment on National Political Issues?
Throughout the history of our nation, the Patriarch has been an integral part of our national leadership. The Patriarch and his bishops have always championed the noble and glorious objectives of maintaining our nationality as Assyrians and our religion as Christians. Thousands of martyrs have been sacrificed for this cause. Atrocities that took place against our people during the First World War are an unforgettable reminder of this fact. How can we forget the martyrdom of our Patriarch, Mar Benyamin Shimon and about 150 Assyrians at the hands of Simko who spearheaded that shameful betrayal and assassination?
Today, in our ancestral homeland there is no patriarchal or church leadership. Those Assyrians who have chosen to stay in their homeland have developed a political leadership to represent our people in Iraq. The Iraqi elections of December 15, 2005 and the Assyrian, Chaldean, and Syriac vote inside and outside of Iraq showed an overwhelming support for ZOWAA. Mar Bawai has spoken in favor of ZOWAA’S program like the majority of our people worldwide.
Did Mar Bawai Use Church Money For His Personal Advantage?
There is an accounting system in place, where CPAs check the Church’s accounting systems regularly. The entire system is transparent. Mar Bawai neither did nor could use church money for his personal benefit.
We often hear how Mar Bawai refinanced Archdeacon Nenos Michael’s house without his approval and used the funds for his own benefit. Let us first remember, the house that Archdeacon Nenos lives in belongs to the church. Archdeacon Nenos lives in that house free and the church pays all the taxes, insurance, utilities, etc for the house. If the church wants to refinance that house to use the funds for other needs in the church, it does not need his approval for that. He is a tenant living there for free not an owner of the house. The funds generated from that refinancing were to be used to purchase a piece of land behind Mar Yosip Cathedral in San Jose. The transaction did not work out and the funds are deposited in Diocesan Savings Account. We have provided the court complete records of property title, refinancing documents and receipts from bank to show where the money is presently deposited.
To prove the honesty of Mar Bawai and of all other individuals handling the funds for the three parishes in his diocese, we challenge all the bishops of our church throughout the world to agree to an audit conducted by a nationally known audit firm to audit the church books for the last three, five, or ten years. Additionally, the firm will audit the personal accounts of all bishops worldwide. We at Diocese of Western California are the first to welcome these two audits. Results of the audit will be made public and available to church members and to the Assyrian people at large. All auditing expenses will be paid by individual volunteer donors. There will be no cost to the church. Then, and only then, will the truth come out as to which bishop has used church money for his advantage. We can assure the world that it will not be Mar Bawai.
What Are Mar Bawai’s Views on the Roman Catholic Church?
In 1984, His Holiness, Mar Dinkha, delegated to Mar Bawai the responsibility of opening discussions with Roman Catholic Church. Ten years later, in 1994, a Common Christological Declaration was signed in Vatican by His Holiness Mar Dinkha and Pope John Paul II. Witnessing this ceremony were their graces Mar Narsai, Mar Bawai and Mar Meelis. Both the Pope and Mar Dinkha stipulated the continuation of discussions between the two churches with the objective of reaching an agreement on the issue of full communion. In fact, the term “full communion” is used three (3) times in the Common Christological Declaration signed by both heads of churches. Subsequent meetings and discussions took place and agreements were reached on the issue of Church Sacraments.
At no time has Mar Bawai conducted any official meeting with representatives of Vatican without prior approval of His Holiness Mar Dinkha. Mar Bawai has never called for the unification of our church with the Roman Catholic Church nor has he called for the conversion of the Assyrian Church of the East to Roman Catholicism. He has called, however, for the restoration of communion between the two churches.. Mar Bawai’s views on papal primacy are no different than what our church fathers have recognized since the beginning of our church and what our sacred liturgy “Takhsa” has proclaimed for centuries. The present canons of our church accept the primacy of Peter as the Head of the Apostles.
Why is Mar Bawai changing the “Takhsa” (or the Liturgy) of the Church of the East?
Surprisingly, a number of people do not understand the meaning of the Aramaic word Takhsa. In English it means order and in Assyrian reeza (in Greek, Liturgy). Over many centuries the fathers of our church developed prayers, hymns, blessings, etc to celebrate a variety of church sacraments and services. For each occasion there is a specific order that the service is conducted with. This includes the celebration of Holy Qurbana, Christening, Burial, Marriage, etc.
All these services are written in the Aramaic language which we commonly call Leshana Attika. Today, most probably less that 1% of Assyrians fully understand the language, including the clergy. The balance who participates in church services has no idea of what is being said. This leads to lack of interest, failure to attend church services, and failure to develop the Christian beliefs and understanding. Ultimately, the church service becomes a disservice.
What Mar Bawai is calling for is to conduct church services in Assyrian language, the language that we speak daily and understand fully. Translating is not changing. We are maintaining the same Takhsa but reading it in a language that all can understand.
It will not be too long before the new generation will demand that the services be conducted even in the English language or whatever language is spoken where Assyrians have taken refuge outside their ancestral homeland.
After centuries of conducting their services in Latin, finally the Catholic Church came to the realization that it is not serving the needs of its parishioners. Thus today, Catholic services are conducted in the language of each specific country. Hearing the mass in French, English or Philippine does not change the Catholic Takhsa, it only makes it understandable to the parishioners. The Chaldeans who have almost the same Takhsa as the Church of the East and is written in Aramaic, today, most of their services are conducted either in Sourath, English or Arabic.
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