Issues of monks outside of monasteries

The report of the Synodal Monasteries Affairs Committee was presented, and the recommendations were accepted, as follows:

The Synodal Monasteries Committee met on 06/04/2010, and His Holiness the Pope sent questions that need three decisions. The Committee drafted responses to these questions in line with preserving the ecclesiastical traditions and in line with preventing deviation from, and abuse of, the basic principles of monasticism.

These decisions were submitted to His Holiness the Pope for publication in El-Keraza magazine, and this was done.

It was decided that the members of the Holy Synod should take care, wherever they are, especially the fathers and heads of the monasteries, to implement these decisions by enunciating and implementing them.

The three decrees are:

1. Upon the task given by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III (may the Lord extended his life) the Committee discussed in its meeting today the issue of monks who travel outside Egypt without permission from His Holiness the Pope and who stay in the diaspora without the permission of His Holiness. The Committee decided that the violating monk be stripped of monasticism (and also priesthood if he is a priest) if he did not return to his monastery in Egypt within four weeks from the date of this decision, having been formally notified with the publication of this decision in El-Keraza magazine. If there is a compelling reason for the extension of this period, a petition is to be submitted to His Holiness the Pope for His Holiness to make the decision he deems fit.
2. Upon the task given by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III (may the Lord extended his life) the Committee was informed in its meeting today that the priest-monk Moises the Moharraqi had served in Indianapolis in the United States of America without the permission of His Holiness the Pope. He [Moises the Moharraqi] formed a church group there and when His Holiness the Pope sent a priest there on the glorious Easter feast, he rallied some people against him. The Committee was informed that His Holiness the Pope wished for a decision to be made concerning him. The Committee decided that an official warning be made by His Grace Bishop David, and if he does not return to his monastery in Egypt within two weeks from the date of notification of the Committee’s decision, he would be stripped of from his priesthood and monasticism, and it would be announced in the manner decided by the Pope.
3. Upon the task given by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, the Committee discussed the problem of the monks inside Egypt, who are outside the monasteries without the permission of the heads of their monasteries. The Committee considered that it is dangerous to attribute to the official Church what may be issued by them or from some of them to be detrimental to the reputation of the Church or the reputation of monasticism, and therefore they are considered stripped of monasticism (and priesthood if they are priests) if they do not submit to the Synodal Committee for Monks Affairs or the Synodal Committee for Monasteries Affairs within four weeks of the date of this decision being announced in El-Keraza magazine. The aforementioned Committee will decide what is required of them under the guidance of His Holiness the Pope (may the Lord extended his life).