Source: The Chicago Tribune by Tony Briscoe and Kate ThayerContact ReportersChicago Tribune A Greek Orthodox priest from Chicago who pleaded guilty to stealing more than $100,000 from his church had his felony theft conviction reduced to a misdemeanor Wednesday. A judge in Milwaukee agreed to instate the lesser conviction after the Rev. James Dokos satisfied the terms of his yearlong probation, including 40 hours of community service, which he fulfilled by volunteering in a Chicago church. Dokos, 64, will continue to avoid jail time if he pays a $5,000 fine within the next year, officials said. While leading Annunciation Church in…
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Source: Chicago Tribune By John Kass, Contact Reporter If you stole $100,000 from a church, a reasonable person would expect that you’d get some jail time for your crimes. If a poor kid was charged with stealing a fraction of that much cash from a sandwich shop, chances are that jail would be waiting. But a Wisconsin priest stealing from a church trust, a priest with a fondness for luxury goods and fine restaurants, a priest with a powerful ally in the Chicago Greek Orthodox church hierarchy? Well, that’s a different story, because that’s no poor kid. That’s a holy man with…
Source: Chicago Tribune by John Keilman Chicago Tribune A Greek Orthodox priest charged with stealing more than $110,000 from a church trust fund has reached a tentative plea deal with prosecutors, authorities said Wednesday. The Rev. James Dokos, who lives in Chicago, is accused of taking the money from a $1.2 million fund he controlled at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Milwaukee and spending it on himself, family members and other church officials. The Milwaukee County district attorney’s office charged Dokos with theft in 2014, two years after he had left Annunciation to become head of Sts. Peter and Paul Greek…
Source: Pravoslavie.ru CHICAGO’S GREEK ORTHODOX BISHOP DEMETRIOS APPOINTED TO STATE’S ATTORNEY’S HATE CRIME PROSECUTION COUNCIL Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, has been appointed to the Hate Crime Prosecution Council by Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez. “I am honored and humbled by this appointment, I have witnessed the damage done by hate crimes against many in our communities,” said Bishop Demetrios. “I hope to create an atmosphere of understanding and security for victims of these crimes, in the hope that may come forward and justice can be served.” Bishop Demetrios is deeply committed…
Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA Chicago, IL– The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America convened for a second day on Wednesday, September 16 in Chicago, IL. Before beginning the day’s meetings, the hierarchs offered a service of supplication to the Mother of God. In the first session of the day, the hierarchs engaged in a candid and lengthy discussion on the Committee for Canonical Regional Planning’s proposal, discussing in greater depth the opinions that had been offered on Tuesday. After deliberation, the hierarchs unanimously agreed that the Committee for Canonical Regional…
Source: The National Herald By Theodore Kalmoukos Rev. Angelo Artemas, presiding priest at the Annunciation parish in Milwaukee, spoke with TNH about his predecessor, Fr. James Dokos, who has been charged with stealing money from a trust of a former parishioner of his. MILWAUKEE, Wisc. – Rev. Angelo Artemas, presiding priest at the Annunciation parish in Milwaukee, WI broke his silence and in exclusive interview to TNH spoke freely and openly about the situation involving his predecessor, Fr. James Dokos, who has been charged with stealing money from a trust of a former parishioner of his. Dokos, who is charged…
Source: Chicago Tribune By Lisa Black Prosecutor: Chicago Greek Orthodox bishop was warned not to intimidate witness in theft case against priest A high-ranking Greek Orthodox bishop in Chicago was warned by a prosecutor against “potential efforts to intimidate witnesses” in a case involving a priest accused of stealing more than $100,000 from a Milwaukee church. The warning came after another priest in Milwaukee told authorities that Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, the No. 2-ranking official in the Greek Orthodox faith in the Midwest, threatened in emails to remove him from his post if the church did not withdraw a theft…
Source: Orthodox Church in America CHICAGO, IL [OCA] Clergy and faithful from parishes across the Midwest gathered at historic Holy Trinity Cathedral here on the morning of Saturday, December 27, 2014 for the celebration of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, during which Bishop-Elect Paul [Gassios] was consecrated to the Episcopacy as Bishop of Chicago and the Midwest. Bishop-elect Paul, who had served as Administrator of the Diocese of the Midwest, was nominated by delegates at a special Diocesan Assembly held in Broadview, OH on October 7, 2014. On October 21, his name was presented to the members of the Holy Synod…
Source: Greek Reporter USA The Greek community in USA and people from all around the world mourned his death, including heads of States, countless political figures, and organizations. Supreme President of AHEPA, Dr. John Grossomanides has issued the following statement: “The members of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association mourn the passing of Life Member Andrew Athens, a true pillar of global Hellenism, a highly-decorated World War Two veteran, an unwavering community activist, ardent philanthropist, and a successful businessman who truly realized and fulfilled the American Dream.” “Brother Athens will be sorely missed by all Hellenes as his kind and…
Bishop Matthias
Source: Chicago Tribune The local bishop of the Orthodox Church in America has been placed on administrative leave amid allegations of “inappropriate” behavior with a woman. The action comes more than a month after the church’s national leader, from Chicago, was forced to resign. In a letter to parishioners, Bishop Matthias, 63, denied the accusations, which he said came to light in a formal complaint submitted to the church last week. “The allegations are that I made unwelcome written and spoken comments to a woman that she regarded as an inappropriate crossing of personal boundaries and an abuse of my…
Source: The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops’ Committee on Canonical Regional Planning met in-person on Friday, January 27, 2012, at the headquarters of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in Chicago, Illinois, hosted by Archbishop Nicolae, Chairman of the Committee. Committee members present in addition to His Eminence were Archbishop Justinian, Russian Orthodox Church in the USA; Metropolitan Jonah, Orthodox Church in America; and Bishop Demetrios representing Metropolitan Iakovos, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Consultants to the Committee who participated in the all-day meeting were: Fr Nicholas Apostola, Fr Joseph Abud, Jerry Dimitriou,…