The first official visit to the Greek Welfare Center by Archbishop Makarios of Australia, was held on Monday, July 22, at the Regional Office of the Organization at The Millenium Center in Brighton-Le-Sands.
The Archbishop was welcomed by members of the Administrative Commission of the Greek Welfare Center, the Director of the Organization, all the executives, the staff and the volunteers of the Center.
The event was launched with the welcome of Archbishop Makarios by the Deputy Chairman of the Administrative Committee, Odysseas Koustas, as representative of the Administrative Committee of the Greek Welfare Center.
A speech by Mr. Stylianos Magdalopoulos, Director of the “Welfare”, was presented, the content of which was related to the history of the establishment, operation, actions and mission of the Organization.
“You are our head and father. It is the desire and the principle of the Greek Welfare Center to serve within the Greek Orthodox status data, context and ideals,” he said, welcoming the spiritual leader of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia.
Archbishop Makarios, taking the floor right afterwards, obviously excited, thanked everyone by pointing out that “… the work of the Welfare is unique not only because we serve people but because we do this within the church, and people within the church are of special value, as they are in God’s image to us.
That’s why I do not consider you a Welfare organization, but a workshop of holiness,” Makarios said, concluding his speech.