The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America expresses its dismay and disappointment upon receiving the September 8, 1997 press release issued by the Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL).

The allegations that the ecclesiastical structure of the Archdiocese is being changed unilaterally by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and that a new charter for the Church in America has been created and applied to the life of the Church are untrue.

The Archdiocese expresses its deep concern that after repeated contact and communication with the Church, the OCL would disseminate misinformation to the faithful of the Greek Orthodox Community in America, preferring rather to accept unsubstantiated reports in secular newspapers and unqualified comments by individuals, than the facts as reported regularly by the Church and its several institutions which minister daily to the needs of the Community.