A follow up to the plastic spoon controversy-The Metropolis of Boston responds

Hat tip to Constantine.
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SOURCE:

This is the follow up to the article I posted here.

This is good news indeed.

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PRESS RELEASE

On October 8, 2009, The Metropolis of Boston issued the following statement:

"The Center of Disease Control (CDC), fearing an H1N1 Pandemic, strongly discourages participation in group activities, recommending individuals, (especially children) with colds or the flu remain at home and follow the instructions of their medical doctors. Many faithful have approached our Parish Priests expressing concern about their participation in worship services, especially in the sacramental life of the Church. While the warnings of the medical community should be heeded by persons with colds and flu-like symptoms, people, in general, should not panic but carry on with their usual activities, including going to church and receiving Holy Communion.

"It should be noted, that the Church has always been clear in its belief that diseases are not transmitted from the Holy Chalice which we believe contains the very Body and Blood of our Savior. Hence, the distribution of Holy Communion was never a question even when various diseases ravaged the world. As is well known, Priests consume what remains in the Chalice at the end of the Divine Liturgy, regardless whether it was celebrated in a parish church, a hospital or hospice chapel.

"Orthodox faithful have always acted responsibly. As we face the reality of the present flu pandemic fears, Orthodox Christians are urged to use discretion as they follow the directives of the medical community."


Regrettably, a priest serving in New England - surely pressured by well meaning parishioners concerned with the outbreak of the H1N1 flu pandemic - utilized plastic spoons to distribute Holy Communion. This unacceptable violation of Church order was addressed in accordance with Ecclesiastical procedure.

The Metropolis expresses its regret that this lapse of judgment resulted in widespread controversy, and is appalled that some individuals questioned whether this practice was authorized. It expresses its fervent prayer that those who arrive at rash judgments - hurtling paranoid condemnations in the press and on the internet - will rather invest their time in prayer and self examination during Great Lent. They should reflect on the countless passages in the New Testament which urge the followers of the Crucified Lord to avoid gossip and the sin of judging others. Let us all etch in our hearts and souls the prayer of St. Ephraim,

O Lord and Master of my life,
Give me not the spirit of laziness,
curiosity, lust for power, and idle talk.
But give to me your servant a
spirit of prudence, humility,
patience, and love.
Yes, Lord and King grant me to see
my own faults and not to
judge my brother.
For You are blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Boston Diocese provides plastic spoon!!!-"Communicable Diseases and the Common Cup"

Hat tip to Constantine.(not Constantine Zalalas)
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When I used to post Orthodox News from around the world as a regular feature of this blog, I ran across the below referenced Metropolitan Methodios'(GOA) and  Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley's, (Roman Catholic) Archbishop of Boston,  inter faith exchanges.  Those posts may be found here, here, here, and here.

I agree with Constantine Zalalas, who follows his ever venerable Elder, Athanasios Mitilinaios, that

"ecumenism leads to secularism and faithlessness"

May God continue to preserve Holy Orthodoxy from the innovative spirit which seeks to implant itself within the Church.

The following is the e-mail I received relating the incident as told by Constantine Zalalas.  There is a brief introduction before Constantine's letter.

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Boston Diocese provides plastic spoon!!!


Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The enemy has moved within the walls! Let's not take this lightly!

Please share this message with others.  [written by a very well respected and humble theologian, Constantine Zalalas]

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Communicable Diseases and the Common Cup

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

A Blessed Lenten Season!

        It is with much sadness, pain of heart and love for our Holy Church that I write these lines only a few days after the first Sunday of Great Lent, the Sunday of Orthodoxy, which is the culmination of her many and great victories against heresy.

        There was something different however about this particular Sunday of Orthodoxy in the Americas. I honestly did not expect to witness this sort of thing in my lifetime. It seems that my holy elder (A. Mitilinaios) was justified in teaching that ecumenism leads to secularism and faithlessness. 

        On this Sunday of Orthodoxy 2010, most of the parishioners of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Rutland Vermont (Diocese of Boston), separated themselves from the Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church. Alas! They were administered “hold communion” with an individual plastic spoon!!!

        The liberal and anti-orthodox agenda of the New York based newspaper National Herald, well known for the anti-monastic and extreme views of its theological section is what propagated this most sacrilegious and impious action. During the Christmas season (as most liberal newspapers spill out their anti-Christian venom to please their patron, Satan), the “theologians” of this Greek-American newspaper (most of its subscribers are Greek Orthodox) published a commentary by a Dr. John Collis a “distinguished physician and a former member of the Archdiocesan council” (God help us.), on the perils of contracting the H1N1 virus via the Eucharistic, or Common Cup.

          His purely scientific, rationalistic, and secular views on this most central and profound mystery of the Body of Christ, of the Orthodox Church, is characteristic of the higher echelon of the scientific community.  Tragically, that commentary sowed a great many seeds of doubt in the already darkened minds of the readers of this very popular newspaper.

            The tares that he sowed (Matt.13:25) this past Christmas season in the minds of “these little ones for whom Christ died”, did not take long to sprout and grow according to the audacious testimony of a Theodore Corsones who seems to be quite proud of the innovationist spirit of his parish priest.  I hereby include the contents of his entire letter to the editor of the National Herald issued 2/20-26/2010.

RUTLAND, VERMONT CHURCH

PROVIDES PLASTIC SPOON

To the Editor:

      In response to the article written by John Collis, M.D., this is to inform you of the procedure in use this winter at our Greek Orthodox Church in Rutland, Vermont (St. Nicholas Orthodox Church).

      The priest instructs the parishioners who prefer to use individual plastic spoons to be first in line. Then, as each one of them approaches, an altar server provides a plastic spoon and the priest administers holy communion (???) to each of then with a plastic spoon. Each spoon that is used is discarded!!! How!!! Where!!!  [Emphasis is mine].

       Then, those that wish to receive Holy Communion with the common spoon do so immediately afterwards. It works very well and all are pleased with this procedure.

      During this winter season, most parishioners are using individual plastic spoons.

 Theodore Corsones

Rutland, Vermont

I tried to refrain from any further comments on this travesty but I cannot resist enumerating some of my personal questions on this matter:

           1. Did the parish priest receive a blessing from his Metropolitan Methodios?

           2. Is he still using the Divine Liturgy of St. John the Chrysostom/Basil?

           3. Does he still summon the communicants to draw near with:  Fear   Faith   and  Love?   What for?

The fear of God does not exist:  It has been replaced by the fear of H1N1!

The faith in this awesome mystery has evaporated. Those scandalized by the Herald and Dr. Collins no longer believe that what they partake is the very Body and Blood of our Creator but a possible disease agent!  

The Love for God, which is the first and foremost of the Christian commandments, has been superimposed by self-love,           which according to the Fathers is the main source of many evil passions.

In closing I humbly suggest that the Metropolitan of the Holy Diocese of Boston should consider spending less time organizing dialogues and pilgrimages to the Vatican with his Papist friend Archbishop O’Malley, because it sends the wrong signal to his priests and confuses the weak members of the only Church of Christ - the Orthodox Church. More time needs to be spent to immunize the flock with the antibodies of traditional orthodox spirituality so they can once again worship our Lord with fear, faith and love.

For more information please refer to two of our past homilies: Communicable Diseases and the Common Cup. They can be found under the Question and Answer category #8 and #9 and can be downloaded (at no charge) from www.Philokalia.org.

Asking your ardent prayers to have this great temptation expunged from His Holy Church, and to grant forgiveness to His sinful servant Constantine