Follow-up from Dallas cathedral town hall

Dallas, TX (St. Seraphim Cathedral) - Dear Parishioners of St. Seraphim Cathedral,

In response to the request of the Deans of the Diocese of the South and the St. Seraphim parish council, our Locum Tenens, Bishop Nikon spent four days visiting with our parish and then spent another week traveling to the eastern parts of the diocese. His Grace indicated that he would provide us with some direction after his meeting with the Holy Synod in Chicago, during free time from the Episcopal Assembly meetings on May 25 -
27th.

Here are the questions posed by the parish council officers. Below is Bishop Nikon’s response via email on the evening of May 27. 2011.

Will you please send us a brief statement outlining the current state of the governance of both the Cathedral of St. Seraphim and of the Diocese of the South?

Are you still serving as our locum tenens? Is Bishop Mark the administrator of the DOS? What is Fr. John's status? To whom should we look for direction among the clergy/episcopate? The Parish Council stands ready to assist in whatever is needed. What role would you like the parish council to play? Through the transition? Long term?

Response from Bishop Nikon:

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Yes I am still the locum tenens. Bishop Mark is not the administrator of the diocese, although he may continue to visit some parishes as he still is a possible candidate and this procedure has been in practice in several diocese for a number of years, holding different titles as guests. For example, I was listed as Bishop of Baltimore while taking care of the Albanian Archdiocese and the Diocese of New England prior to my election, two individuals were guests of the diocese of Alaska and one still is and both are possible candidates for election in Alaska, Bishop Matthais was a guest visiting parishes in the diocese of the mid-west prior to his election so it is not an unusual practice and in the long run has proved most beneficial.

Bishop Mark for the time being will be listed among the clergy as simply the Bishop of Baltimore but not as rector of the Cathedral. Fr. John is acting rector for the time being since he is there and we are looking for a permanent rector of the cathedral. By we I mean my brother hierarchs and ascertain who is or will be available in the near future. Bishop Mark's name should already have been removed from the cathedral listing.

I will be meeting with the deans this week and from my experience in other diocese, when there is a pastoral or parochial issue that the pastor feels is beyond his competence, he refers the matter to the dean, if the dean feels that it is necessary to move to a higher level, he refers the matter to the chancellor (whom I hope to appoint this week) if the chancellor feels the matter needs to be directed to a hierarchal authority, it is referred to me or whomever is the locum tenens or ruling bishop of a diocese.

I hope this answers the immediate questions. As you state, there are a number of things in motion and we do not want to make hasty decisions when it comes to the good order of the Church and the good order of the cathedral.

With my Blessings,
+Nikon

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In Christ,

The Parish Council of St. Seraphim Cathedral