This is an agreement that was voted by the General Assembly eight years ago. I found it in my archieves and I present it here, so there won't be any misunderstandings, gossip etc!
The agreement was altered during the COVID period as the Archdiocese accepted less contribution from the Community's churches when they were sealed because of COVID restrictions.
AGREEMENT FOR ECCLESIASTICAL CONTRIBUTIONS (the Agreement) made as of the 18th day of
December 2018 at Montreal, Quebec and is made:
BETWEEN: THE HELLENIC COMMUNITY OF GREATER
MONTREAL, a
Registered Charity corporation formed under the laws of Quebec
(HCGM);
AND:
THE GREEK ORTHODOX METROPOLIS OF
TORONTO (CANADA), a Registered Charity corporation formed under the laws
of Ontario
(Metropolis);
(A)
(D)
(E)
The HCGM is an organization established for the purpose of
ensuring the progress and promotion of the culture of the
population of Greek origin in the greater metropolitan region of Montreal and,
more particularly, to preserve and
promote the Greek language, to set up
charitable, welfare, and educational
organizations for the benefit of the population of Greek origin, and to preserve and
perpetuate the Greek Orthodox faith and tradition promulgated by the authority
of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople according to the doctrine and the faith proclaimed and
applied by the Greek Orthodox Church.
The Metropolis is the Greek Orthodox
ecclesiastical authority in Canada under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate of Constantinople. ·
The HCGM owns and operates
six Greek Orthodox churches in the greater
metropolitan region of Montreal, being St. George's Cathedral, Evangelismos tis Theotokou, Koimisis tis Theotokou, St. Jean Baptiste, St. Nicholas
and Holy Cross (each, a HCGM Church, and collectively, the HCGM Churches).
The HCGM and the Metropolis desire to enter into an
agreement to define their respective rights and obligations in connection with
the provision of a financial support given by the HCGM to the Metropolis, and
the assignments of the priests for the purpose of providing
religious services and the administration of holy sacrements by the Metropolis
for the benefit of the parishioners of the HCGM churches.
The HCGM's advisory board has recommended to
the HCGM's board of directors (the HCGM
Board), which has accepted and approved such recommendation, that the HCGM
enter into this Agreement.
The members of the HCGM
have approved, by way of resolution
adopted by a 2/3 majority at the special meetings held on the 9thday
of June 2014 and the 1?1h day of Juhe 2015, respectively, for
such purpose (the HCGM Special Meetings), the terms and conditions of this Agreement and
have authorized the HCGM to enter into this Agreement.
ARTICLE I
ECCLESTIASTICAL CONTRIBUTIONS
1.1
Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the
HCGM hereby agrees to make annual financial contributions to
the Metropolis in the amounts and in respect of the time periods set forth below:
1.1.1
An amount of two hundred and forty
thousand dollars ($240,000) for the twelve month period commencing on January
1, 2019 and terminating on December 31, 2022, representing an annual financial contribution of $40,000 per HCGM Church in operation;
1.1.2
Upon renewal of this Agreement, the
annual financial contribution per HCGM Church in operation shall be equal to
the contribution paid to the Metropolis
at such time by the other Greek Orthodox Churches in Canada under the jurisdiction
of the Metropolis.
1.2
The amounts payable by the HCGM pursuant
to Section 1.1 shall be payable in equal monthly instalments starting on
January 2019.
1.3
All payments shall be made in Canadian
dollars and shall be made by way of delivery by the HCGM to the Metropolis, on or before January 15 of each year, of twelve (12)
post-dated cheques representing the
monthly contribution instalments in respect of such year.
ARTICLE IICONSIDERATION
2.2
The Metropolis shall fulfill its obligations and provide
support to and for the benefit of the HCGM and its Churches in good faith and
with the same degree of care and diligence as the Metropolis provides similar
services for the benefit of churches
and parishes which adhere to and comply with the Uniform Community Regulations
and Bylaws of the Metropolis, and shall use its best efforts within the organization of the Greek Orthodox Church and the priests who are employed in the HCGM Churches to ensure that this Agreement is respected in its application.
2.3
During the term of this Agreement but
subject to Article IV herein, the Metropolis
covenants and agrees that it shall not, directly or indirectly, and
shall cause every person under its authority not to (directly or indirectly), apply any fee, charge, commission, cost, or other amount in respect of the administration and
registration of sacraments to and for the benefit of all HCHM Churches and their parishioners.
ARTICLE Ill
TERM
3.1
The obligations of the Parties to this Agreement shall
take effect immediately, provided that the HCGM's contribution obligations
shall commence as provided in Section 1.1.
3.2
This Agreement shall
terminate on December 31, 2022 (the
Term). The parties agree to negotiate in good faith and conclude by no later than June 15, 2022, a new
agreement for the said four (4) years
("Renewal Term").
ARTICLE
IV TERMINATION AND REMEDIES
4.1
The HCGM
may terminate this Agreement if the Metropolis defaults in any material respect in the performance or satisfaction of its obligations contained in Article II of this
Agreement. In the event a Default occurs and is continuing,
the HCGM shall send a written notice of such Default to the Metropolis. Unless the Metropolis has cured the Default within sixty (60)
days of the date of receipt of such written notice, the HCGM may exercise any
rights and remedies the HCGM may have under law.
4.2
The Metropolis may terminate this Agreement if the HCGM
defaults in any material respect in the
performance
or satisfaction of any agreement,
provision or covenant contained in this Agreement. In the
event a Default occurs and is continuing, the Metropolis shall send a written
notice of such Default to the HCGM. Unless the HCGM
has cured the Default within sixty
(60) days of the date of receipt of
such written notice, the Metropolis may exercise any rights and remedies the
Metropolis may have under law.
4.3
In the event a
Payment Default (as defined below) occurs and is continuing, the Metropolis
shall send a written notice of such Payment Default to the HCGM. Unless the HCGM has cured the Payment
Default within sixty (60) days of the date of receipt of such written notice,
the Metropolis may exercise any rights and remedies the Metropolis may have
under law. For the purposes hereof, a
Payment
Default shall mean any past due
amounts owing by the HCGM pursuant to Section 1.1 which has not been paid in full within fifteen (15) days of the initial payment due date.
ARTICLE V MISCELLANEOUS
5.1
The Metropolis will
be added as an additional insured under the HCGM's General Liability Insurance
Policy, but solely with regards to the HCGM Churches' premises, operations
and/or projects. Upon request, a
Certificate of Insurance will be provided each year to the Metropolis.
5.2
This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted and enforced in accordance with the laws of the Province of Quebec and the federal laws of
Canada applicable therein.
5.3
This Agreement may
be executed in any number of counterparts (including counterparts by facsimile) and all such counterparts taken together
shall be deemed to constitute one and the same
instrument.
5.4 The Parties
acknowledge that they have required that the present Agreement
be drafted in English. Les parties reconnaissent avoir exige la redaction de
la presente convention en anglais.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, each
of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized officer.
HELLENIC COMMUNITY
OF GREATER MONTREAL
Per:
THE GREEK ORTHODOX METROPOLIS OF TORONTO
(CANADA)
Per:
Name: Metropolitan Archbishop Sotirios
Title: President
