Statement by the Metropolitan on the Japanese Earthquake

Ash Wednesday Metropolitan Address released

9 Mar. 2011 (ACNS) - The video of the Metropolitan Address for Ash Wednesday has been released. In the address, Archbishop Johnson discusses success in church growth, social responsibility of people and especially of worldwide government leadership, and proposes a number of intentions that should be especially prayed for during Lent.

Failure is fast becoming an unpleasant reality

Editorial

By Keith Patrick Steinhurst

SAN ANTONIO 5 Mar. 2011 (ACNS) - Interestingly enough, the only word in standard English usage to have the letters UFA in order, in the word is "manufacture" - we don't do enough of that in our Country any more - in fact (based on the book, "Failure is Not an Option" by Gene Kranz, we could have gone to Mars based on our Apollo technology functioning in 1972, but we lost the will, got into the 'bus' business, lost the infrastructure as well as the engineers to fabricate a program, and no longer even posess a complete set of technical documents for the Saturn V heavy lift launch vehicle. If we started today it would take us more than 20 years just to get back to where we were in '72 - really sad . . .I find it a microcosm of the macrocosm - we are broke, morally, insitutionally, and sytemically - perhaps individually we can effect some small change within our own spheres of influence, but by and large, we are witnessing our national decline . . .

Our grandfather's generation was perhaps the single, most ingenious and prosperous generation in our Nation's history - in the words of my late bishop - the one who ordered me and was himself a member of that generation, a veteran of WWII and Korea - they 'built the machine,' 'understood it,' could 'operate' it, and as needed, 'repair' it - they passed it to the 'boomers' (our father's generation) who neither built it, nor understood it, but could operate it and perhaps fix it. It is now left to us, operating, but in a growing state of disrepair, the design and even the reasons for its creation largely unknown or misunderstood. This is the legacy we leave our children who don't know how to fix it as they do not know what is broken and are content to let it operate on cruise until it breaks as they seem oblivious to the potential danger in failure. This takes us back to Kranz's posit - failure is not an option - but it is fast becoming an unpleasant reality . . .

College fraternities raise ethical questions

Editorial

By Wanda Deffenbaugh, ORSS(T)

25 Feb 2011 (ACNS) - Mention a college fraternity, and the first image in the minds of many is a drunken collection of oversexed college men as seen in movies like Animal House. While fraternities typically claim to be about the character development of young men, the behavior of their members and of the organizations in general often raise questions about the true ethics of such programs. Fraternities in general have suffered problems that would be expected when such young men, barely more than children, are put in control of the local chapter frat house. Excessive hazing, even sometimes resulting in severe injury, psychological damage, or even death have occurred, especially during the 1980s and 1990s.

The '80s and '90s were known in the fraternity world for their out-of-control nature. A former member of Phi Kappa Sigma (aka "The Skull House") Alpha Nu Chapter at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) stated that things were well beyond wild there in the 1990s to the point that he would not consider it a worthwhile organization. Another student spoke of drunken parties he claimed to witness at the Phi Kappa Sigma house in which underaged drinking was allegedly promoted. Similar allegations were made against the Chi Phi fraternity by a student who witnessed freshmen pledges allegedly being required to supply alcohol, as well as apparent heavy promotion of underaged drinking. This same student witnessed a party at the Chi Phi house in which two police officers were standing outside the door, apparently blind to what was going on inside. Other fraternities at numerous universities have been expelled, suspended, or otherwise disciplined for excessive and underaged drinking. The matter was apparently so significant that some fraternities seemed to realize that they had better clean up their act or risk the future of their organization. The national office of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity instituted the so-called "Dry Skulls" policy, making it against the rules to possess or consume alcohol in the fraternity house.

Even ignoring the issues of drinking and hazing, the question still remains as to whether or not fraternities in general truly serve the purpose that they claim to serve. Critics of the "Greek System" in general say that fraternities are simply "buying friends." Indeed, while members of fraternities may forge lifelong friendships, there is no reason why those same individuals cannot make lifelong friends outside of a fraternity. Perhaps fraternities prey on the insecurities of young freshmen just arrived at college who have not, of course, yet developed a social network. Along these lines is the criticism of the recruitment process, saying that it is called "Rush Week" because they attempt to rush you into joining before you really have time to think it through.

Fraternities also are criticized for being nothing more than party organizations rather than service organizations. Their main purpose is social, and while they may engage in some charity or service projects, this cannot be used to mask their negative aspects. For example, Phi Kappa Sigma purports to be "Men of Honor," yet their earlier apparent drinking problems hardly lend credence to that theory. Neither did some of their apparent recruitment practices. One legacy reported that he was denied entry into the fraternity for apparent reasons of religious and other discrimination. Attempts to handle the matter with the national office were reported to be unsuccessful.

No organization is without its problems. Campus organizations, even fraternities, can be good experiences for students. However, all such organizations have a responsibility to behave in an ethical and legal manner in their recruitment process and in how they treat their members, new and old. For example, one fraternity, Delta Upsilon, is reported to have a "no hazing, no secrets" policy to help deal with these issues. Perhaps the other Greek Societies on college campuses should take a lesson from them.

"An Anglo Catholic Sunday" Series Launched

10 Jan. 2010 (ACNS) - The Traditional Old Anglo-Catholic Church launched a new video series on Sunday called "An Anglo-Catholic Sunday." The series features weekly Sunday discussions with Archbishop Johnson. The discussions feature the readings for the day from the Holy Mass and/or the Daily Offices and how they relate to what it means to be an Anglo-Catholic.

In the first episode, released yesterday, the Archbishop discussed the Gospel from the mass for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The discussion continued with some thoughts and history on the Anglican Rite and its Catholic nature.

Metropolitan Christmas Address (Video)

Metropolitan Christmas Address

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. Dec. 14, 2010 (ACNS) - The Archbishop of the Southwest will release his Christmas Address on the 25th via video on the Metropolitan YouTube Channel. The direct link will be posted when the video is available. The transcript will be available via the ACNS.