A joint Communiqué announcing the successful outcome of the trial recently experienced by the Parish of Saint Gerasimos in Leichhardt, Sydney, was issued by the Board of Directors of the Parish and Elder Fr. Leslie Kostoglou.
Both sides declare their intention to move forward, while declaring their trust in the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and Archbishop Makarios.
“We have recently experienced an intense trial, which has fortunately had a pleasant ending,” was stated at the beggining of the joint Communiqué.
It was stressed: “We acknowledge the significant contribution of Fr Leslie in the previous years, and we thank him publicly for all the good that he offered us; yet we thank our Archbishop who, with much understanding, and upon our request, appointed a new clergyman in our Parish; namely, Fr Panteleimon, whom we welcome and embrace with much love.”
“For my part, as a clergyman of the Holy Archdiocese, and as a priest here for twenty-one years, | have endeavoured to serve the people and community of Saint Gerasimos as faithfully as I could. I worked exceptionally well with the Board of Directors, and I am grateful for our collaboration,” Fr. Leslie Kostoglou said.
“I apologise to the President, the members of the Board of Directors, and all the faithful parishioners of the parish of Saint Gerasimos, for my behaviour which culminated in the scandal that I caused to our Church,” he concluded.
Read the full joint Communiqué below: