Greek Orthdx Metrplis f Bstn Iera Mhtrplis Bstwnhs February 2018 Timeline (As updated n February 13, 2018) Reverend Fr. Anthny S. Evangelats cmmences frmal duties as the new Parish Priest (Pristamens) f Saint Athanasius the Great Church in Arlingtn. January 2018 On January 22, 2018, the Metrplis asks the Curt t subpena Citizens Bank fr recrds f all transactins assciated with the Saint Athanasius Greek Orthdx Church Hmeless & Needy Fund (the Undisclsed Accunt), which had never previusly been reprted in the Parish s annual financial reprts. The Metrplis cntinues t review the mre than 4,600 cmputer files determined by the reviewing priests t be church recrds that were stred n the cmputer. This fact vindicates the Metrplis assertins that the cmputer cntains recrds relating t Church business, and expressly cntradicts Fr. Kastanas assertins that the cmputer and all f its cntents belng t him. Attrneys representing the Greek Orthdx Metrplis f Bstn and Fr. Kastanas review r will review the cmputer files that were the subject f disagreement between the priests during their examinatin f the cmputer fr the purpse f identifying fr the Curt thse files which cnstitute church business and thse which d nt. Final determinatin f the wnership f the disputed files will be made by the Curt, as required by the Orders. On January 17, 2018, His Eminence, Metrplitan Methdis, installs Fr. Evangelats as the new Parish Priest (Pristamens) f Saint Athanasius during the Vespers Services presided ver by the Metrplitan and attended by hundreds f parishiners and fellw priests frm thrughut New England. On January 5, 2018, His Eminence, Metrplitan Methdis, annunces the appintment f Reverend Fr. Anthny S. Evangelats as the new Parish Priest (Pristamens) f Saint Athanasius. 162 Gddard Avenue, Brkline, MA 02445-7414 Telephne: (617) 277-4742 Fax: (617) 739-9229 web: www.bstn.garch.rg e-mail: metrplis@bstn.garch.rg
December 2017 The initial examinatin f the cmputer in accrdance with the Orders is cmpleted. Tw priests ne selected by the Metrplis and ne by Fr. Kastanas inspect all f the files stred n the cmputer, ver eight thusand in ttal, perfrming this duty ver the curse f fur days, wrking fr up t 12 hurs at a time. The priests agree that nearly five thusand items n the cmputer relate t church business, which pursuant t the Orders, belng t the Metrplis and must be returned t the Metrplis. This finding vindicates the Metrplis assertins that the cmputer cntained recrds relating t Church business, and expressly cntradicts Fr. Kastanas assertins that the cmputer and all f its cntents belnged t him. A prtin f the remaining files n the cmputer require further review, as they appear t cnstitute a cmbinatin f church recrds and persnal items, r are therwise the subject f disagreement between the tw priests. A prtin f the files are determined t be strictly persnal and will be returned t Fr. Kastanas, as has always been the intent f the Metrplis. Nvember 2017 The Metrplis believes all cnditins t perfrmance f the Order have been satisfied, and is prepared t execute the cmputer examinatin under the Order. On Nvember 6, 2017, Fr. Kastanas files anther mtin with the Curt seeking t amend the agreed-upn terms f the priests examinatin prcess and add certain cnditins that were nt in the riginal Order. On Nvember 6, 2017 the Metrplis files mtin t enfrce the Order, and ppses Fr. Kastanas mtin. On Nvember 8, 2017, the Metrplis files its Answer and Cunterclaim t Fr. Kastanas riginal lawsuit. On Nvember 21, 2017, the Curt denies Fr. Kastanas mtin and issues its secnd Order fr examinatin f the cmputer, specifically rdering that review t ccur n later than December 1, 2017. September 2017 The Judge rules that it is nt pssible t issue a fair ruling withut knwing what files are stred n Fr. Kastanas cmputer. The Judge rders the Metrplis and Fr. Kastanas t select tw members f the Church clergy, with bth priests subject t apprval, wh will inspect the cmputer s cntents.
Fllwing the priests review: (i) all items which the clergy agree relate t Church business wuld be returned t the Metrplis, and (ii) all items n which the clergy d nt s agree wuld be catalgued by cunsel and sent t the Judge fr his final determinatin. August 2017 On August 1, just tw days later, Fr. Kastanas files a law suit against the Greek Orthdx Metrplis f Bstn, claiming the Metrplis seized his persnal prperty. In the lawsuit, Fr. Kastanas asks the Curt t prhibit fficials frm the Metrplis frm examining data n a cmputer in his ffice, claiming any review f the recrds f the cmputer is a punitive actin and might vilate the tenets f priestparishiner cnfidentiality. The Metrplis asks the Curt t address Fr. Kastanas cmplaint within the prper ecclesiastical frum f the GOAA while publicly stating that it will return the cmputer immediately t Fr. Kastanas nce data files, dcuments and cmmunicatins relating t Church business have been reviewed and prcessed t ensure accuracy and cmpleteness f all St. Athanasius recrds, including thse related t the Undisclsed Accunt. Numerus scial media accunts are launched in supprt f Fr. Kastanas. All f Fr. Kastanas knwn persnal effects at St. Athanasius are carefully gathered by supervised prfessinal mvers beginning early mrning and cmpleted by midday n August 1, 2017 and then are all delivered t his hme by prfessinal mvers by later that same day. All additinal items belnging t Fr. Kastanas fund since August 1, 2017 have been returned t him, and ging frward the Parish shall cntinue t return t Fr. Kastanas all items belnging t him, if any, as they are fund. July 2017 Fr. Kastanas is remved frm his pastral duties at the ffices f the Metrplis in Brkline n July 27. Less than three hurs after Fr. Kastanas is remved, a petitin is published n the Internet called Bring Back Father Nick. The same day, scial media pstings n Facebk and Twitter appear urging reinstatement f Fr. Kastanas. The next day, news reprts first appear abut the cntrversy at St. Athanasius. Three days later, Fr. Kastanas presides ver a farewell service where mre than 1,000 parishiners attend, alng with media frm lcal Bstn TV and print media. Several in the crwd interrupt the prceedings t catcall and denunce Metrplis fficials.
June 2017 The website Orthdx Stewards fr Justice and Recnciliatin (OSJR), which seeks t reverse the dismissal f Fr. Kastanas, is updated accrding t recrds n the ICANN dmain name registratin recrd (WHOIS). April 2017 A website called Orthdx Stewards fr Justice and Recnciliatin (OSJR) is registered via GDaddy.cm, accrding t ICANN recrds, the nnprfit rganizatin that maintains and establishes website names. The website, which des nt list the names f any individuals, claims t be a selfrganized grup f parishiners and friends f St. Athanasius that seeks t reverse the decisin by Metrplitan Methdis t dismiss the St. Athanasius parish priest. March 2017 St. Athanasius Special Advisry Cmmittee releases its reprt f its findings regarding the Undisclsed Accunt, stating that Fr. Kastanas management f the accunt did nt cmply with the UPR. The Cmmittee reprt states: Prper prtcl was nt fllwed regarding the Undisclsed Accunt; Fr. Kastanas never accunted fr r disclsed his use f the Undisclsed Accunt t the St. Athanasius Parish Cuncil as required by the UPR; Fr. Kastanas never prvided required annual reprting f the Undisclsed Accunt s activities as required by the UPR; and Fr. Kastanas did nt answer questins abut the surces f revenue depsited int the Undisclsed Accunt r the use f funds withdrawn frm such Accunt even thugh he alne cntrlled it. February 2017 By letter reprt dated February 8, 2017 addressed t Fr. Kastanas and the Parish Cuncil, MFC presents its findings and pen questins relating t the Undisclsed Accunt with respect t the several years f partial accunt recrds the MFC was able t btain. The MFC directs St. Athanasius Parish Cuncil t establish a Special Audit Cmmittee fr the sle purpse f carefully reviewing the Undisclsed Accunt. Eight days after the MFC frmally raises questins relating t the Undisclsed Fund, Fr. Kastanas, withut disclsure r ntice t the Parish Cuncil, purchases a new cmputer that he installs in his ffice at St. Athanasius and he directs his sn t transfer Church recrds and data frm the Parish cmputer previusly in use nt the new cmputer.
Fr. Kastanas buys the new cmputer with persnal funds rather than the Parish credit card prvided t him by the St. Athanasius Parish Cuncil fr the purchase f gds r services that will be used by the Parish. 2015-16 MFC auditrs discvered a bank accunt named St. Athanasius Greek Orthdx Church Hmeless & Needy Fund that had never previusly been reprted n the Parish s annual financial reprts (the Undisclsed Accunt). The MFC learns the Undisclsed Accunt was a passbk accunt, cntrlled and accessed by Fr. Kastanas alne, with n ther signatries n the accunt and with n reprting f its activities in any way t the Parish Cuncil r the Parish as a whle. Fr. Kastanas repeatedly declines numerus requests and ignres directives frm the MFC t prvide bank recrds assciated with the Undisclsed Accunt, r t authrize the MFC t btain recrds directly frm the bank despite church regulatins which require full disclsure f each Parish s finances. Octber 2014 St. Athanasius is ne f several parishes selected by the Metrplis Finance Cmmittee (MFC) fr a review f its financial recrds and accunts cvering the years 2012 and 2013.