Orthodox church leader stresses need to attract Youth
17/2/2011
Oralandar Brand-Williams / The Detroit News
Troy — Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, auxiliary bishop of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Great Britain, launched a series of visits to local Orthodox churches today.
Ware is the author of the “The Orthodox Church” and The Orthodox Way” books and is Metropolitan of Diokleia. A native of Somerset, England, Ware is a convert into the Orthodox Church having joined the faith 52 years ago.
Ware also is a member of the official committee charged with ecumenical discussions between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church on strengthening ties between the two denominations and the role that the Catholic pope will play in the Orthodox faith in the coming years.
There are an estimated 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. There are 45,000 in Metro Detroit and Windsor.
Ware spoke with local media today at the Orthodox Metropolis Headquarters on Crooks Road in Troy on various issues affecting the Orthodox Church.
Like other faiths, the Orthodox Church is experiencing a drop-off in churchgoing by younger people. Ware said one of the major efforts of the Orthodox Church will be to attract youth to its parishes.
“Younger people are losing the connection in the practice of their faith,” said Ware. “They are becoming nominal and folklore members attending only during Easter and Christmas. We need to win them back.”
Ware addressed various issues relating to the future of the Orthodox Church, including congregations in the Middle East, particularly Egypt, where Orthodox Christians are a minority. Ware said the Orthodox Church is looking with keen interest at who will lead Egypt because whoever the ruling party will be will have a direct effect on the Orthodox Christian communities there.
“Things may not be so good for Coptic Christians,” said Ware. “Further east in Iraq, things are much worst.”
For more information about the Metropolitan’s appearances, call 248-823-2400 or visit detroit@goarch.org
bwilliams@detnews.com
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