Author: Carmen D. Valentino
June 15, 2009
ADMINISTRATOR’S NOTE: “The author is from a family which has Romanian roots in the USA from the turn of the previous century. He is a descendant of the founding fathers of the community now known as the ROEA Philadelphia parish. The ROEA remains his religious home.”
The Romanian-American Orthodox Episcopate of America (ROEA), as a part of the Orthodox Church of America (OCA), has been given the precious gift of freedom to grow and flourish in North America, without the religious and political hindrances so prevalent in the Old World.
The ROEA and OCA are native organically established and developed institutions, as American as apple pie. After over one hundred years, most Romanian Americans and their families, as well as those newer immigrants from Romania, are here to stay and establish roots in North America. Why should the ROEA exchange fresh organic apple pie for imported stale mamaliga?
For those Romanian Americans /Canadians who desire to be subjugated both religiously and thus politically to the dictates of a former treacherous communist and now neo-communist state, they have several options, including membership in the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of America (ROAA) – which is already under the Romanian Patriarchate.
It is high time for all true blue Romanian American orthodox church members to support without fail, OCA’s Metropolitan Jonah’s American common sense proclamation to the bishops of the Old World -”There is an American Orthodox Church. Leave it alone.”
Sincerely,
(Mr.) Carmen D. Valentino – Member,Descent of the Holy Spirit Romanian Orthodox Church (Elkins Park/Philadelphia,founded 1913)
– Vice-President & Museum Curator, Societatea Banatiana-V.Alecsandri (Founded 1906)
– Fulbright Scholar and Researcher ,Vienna(1968-9), Bucharest (1971-72)
– Romanian-American Commissioner (1990-1994), Pennsylvania Ethnic Heritage Commission