First, I am not for illegal immigration. I would not like to see the Church becoming an accomplice in what is, after all, a crime. On the other hand, the Church cannot simply give its back to anyone. I’m not clergy, but I suppose that proper pastoral care would include an actual purification of the many entitlement lies they are told by liberals and an infusion of a deeper sense of of respect for the people, history, culture and laws of the country they are in. Hopefuly, in the end of this process they would either seek legal ways of staying in the country or return to theirs. I lived in in the UK for 2 years, legally. And I was absolutely shocked with the attitude of some immigrants who would offend and despise the country that had received them and given opportunities their own countries had denied them. Gratitude is a Christian virtue too.

Said that, there is a fact that strikes me as of great importance. In the New World, American Orthodoxy is the best organized one, not to mention that the sheer number of material already translated into English is vastly superior to the material in Spanish and even more to the material in Portuguese. Reaching for these communities in the US is a way for Orthodoxy to touch these cultures with its own voice. These people have ties in their countries of origins, many will eventually return. Surely, the final responsibility is that of the local churches in each country. Yet, I’m sure that there could be a good reverberation of mutual exchange between immigrants and their original cultures if there were Orthodox Latin-American communities in the US.

* I prefer the term “Latin-American” because not all Latin-American are Hispanics. In fact, “Latin-American” does not contemplate the countries where English and Dutsch are the first languages, although they are a minority.

We have periodically visited the possibility of having an Orthodox school in our parish. With 10 people in the room, there are at least 15 opionions of what such an animal really is. The folks with money typically want to make sure their children will still have the same secular avenue to fame, fortune and sucess that they have in their current private schools. Many simply want public school with an Orthodox patina.

So, what is an Orthodox school. What do we teach, how do we teach it, where is the money, administration and teachers going to come from.

Just one for instance among many: Is science really going to be taught from an Orthdox understanding of humanity and the rest of creation or simply replicate the materialist naturalism of the scientistic establishment. Do we have a multi-pronged approach that teaches both the worldly approach and our own? (Believe me there are plenty of Orthodox communicants who would be profoundly uncomofortable with their children being taught anything other than the scientistic paradigm.)

Would there be any continuity in approach and commitment or would the standards and approach change with each change in administrators and demographics of the student body?

Personally, a homeschooling cooperative is a much better way to go IMO.

Also, this highlights the need for the Church to reach out to latinos and blacks, each of whom constitute a substantial portion of the American public. The Church will really be able to say it’s doing it’s job in America when the Church reflects the ethnic composition of the culture. This, of course means evangelistic outreach. I propose we cancel the EA and use the money about to be wasted on it for something worthwhile. The bishops can do a conference call.