Prominent members of the Serbian community in America addressed an open letter to the Serbian Patriarch, Mr. Irinej. It defends the bishops and heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the United States of America, and regarding recent accusations made against them by some media and individuals.
The letter signed by the famous basketball player Vlade Divac, businessman Michael Djordjevic, a member of “The Serbian Apollo 7“, David Vujic, the former Federal Energy Commissioner Branko Terzic, we are publishing in full.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
– Ephesians 4:14-15
Your Holiness,
Your Eminence and Your Graces:
As faithful children, communicants, and benefactors of our Holy Serbian Orthodox Church, we write to express our steadfast support for our bishops in America: Their Graces Bishop Longin, Bishop Maxim, and Bishop Irinej. Recent slanderous articles and petitions to you by a vocal and unchurched minority oblige us before the public and before the Holy Synod to raise our voices openly in support of our archpastors— and to speak the truth in love.
We humbly submit to you that the Church of Saint Sava in America is among the most dynamic parts of our church anywhere in the world. This is evidenced by our faithful’s regular attendance of divine services, participation in the divine mysteries, and generous stewardship to support the ministries of our dioceses and parishes; by the many active programs for youth and adult education at all levels of church organization; by the frequent and impressive publishing of religious literature; by continuous humanitarian and charitable activities and active hospital ministries; and by defending our brothers and sisters in our ancestral homeland, by educating our nation’s government about their oppression. All of these efforts have been inspired and fostered by our bishops who deserve to be commended for their work and their leadership. Indeed, our bishops are honored and respected for their ministries even more widely in the Pan-Orthodox community which is the reality in our country.
Petitions and letters sent to the Holy Synod based on outright lies, half-truths, rumors, or presenting facts out-of-context cannot be the basis for any action which would bring any good to our Church and her faithful children here. Anyone who claims to the Holy Synod that Bishop Longin, Bishop Maxim, or Bishop Irinej seek to separate our dioceses from the Serbian Orthodox Church is either unknowing and ill-informed, or lying with malicious intent. Indeed, it appears that this disinformation is being generated and disseminated by a small group of detractors—while the vast majority of our parishes and faithful in America remain peacefully supportive of our bishops. We urge you not to heed the ill-informed calls to action of these few detractors at the risk of disturbing the peace and harmony of the much larger majority.
We trust and hope, dear Synodal fathers, that you will have the ability and wisdom to discern the true, ulterior motives of the few who create and raise public controversies in the life of the church in America for their own personal reasons. “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16). And we hope that you will give due consideration to our joint letter as well, given our years of filial devotion and service to Christ’s Church and Svetosavlje in America and throughout the world.
Yours faithfully,
Daniel August
Tonsured Reader – Čtec
Member, St Elijah Church, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania
Zoran Beric
Owner, Fiber Node Services, Inc.
University of Banja Luka, Republika Srpska (Electrical and Electronics Engineering)
Chicago, Illinois
Mira Bishop
Owner, Oliver Brothers Art Restoration and Conservation, Est. 1850
Parishioner, St. Sava Cathedral
Boston, Massachusetts
Milana-Mim Karlo Bizic
Contributor, Tesla Nation
Serbian-American Cultural Advocate and Activist
Member, St. Elijah Church
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Jasmina Theodore Boulanger
Juris Doctor and Master of Science, Economics
Order of St. Sava, 2d degree
Former President, Serbian Unity Congress
Former First Vice President of Diocesan Council, Diocese of Western America
Parishioner, St. Steven’s Cathedral
Board of Directors, International Orthodox Christian Charities
Former President, Cotton Point Advisors, LLC
Former Vice President, Conexant Systems, Inc.
Alhambra, California
Eli Bradaric
Assistant Vice President at Major Financial Services Corporation managing accounting for the 2nd largest public pension fund in the US
Treasurer Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church
Sacramento (Fair Oaks), California
John Buffalini
Serbian American Leadership Conference
Tonsured Reader – Čtec
St. Luke Church
Washington, DC
Vlade Divac
Basketball player
Sacramento Kings General Manager
Elected to Hall of Fame 2019
Founder Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation
UNICEF Ambassador
Sacramento, California
Miroslav Michael Djordjevich
Founder, Capital Guaranty Corporation and three commercial banks
Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Southeast Europe International, Inc.
Rebuilt Razvojna Banka in Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina post war
Founder and Director Serbian Unity Congress and Studenica Foundation
Medal of Nemanja (II Degree)
Medal of Yugoslav Flag (II Degree)
Who’s Who Worldwide Lifetime Achievement Award
Recipient, Americanism Medal from National Society Daughters of the American Colonists
Served on the Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Centennial Commission
Initiated and organized the Sentandrea Sabor in Hungary,
Member of the Serbian Orthodox Church St. John the Baptist (since 1956)
San Francisco, California
Neno Djordjevich, CIC, CRM
Business Development Director for Specialty Underwriters Company
Past President, Northshore Insurance Managers
Past President, Saint Sava Academy
Order of St. Sebastian I Degree
Patriarchal Gramata by His Holiness Patriarch Pavle
Rolling Meadows, Illinois
Aleksandar Djuricic
Juris Doctorate candidate, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
President, Serbian American Leadership Conference
Indianapolis, Indiana
Luka Erceg, Esq.
Attorney and Counselor-at-Law
Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Commerce
Tonsured Reader- Čtec
Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (AIRA)
Professor, University of St. Katherine, Orthodox University in San Marcos, CA
Member, Diocesan Council, Diocese of Western America
Member, Central Church Council
Member, Legal Risk & Compliance Committee of the Central Church Council
San Diego, California
Anka Jaksic Erne
Philanthropist
Parishioner, St. Sava Cathedral
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
David Erne, Esq.
Corporate Attorney
Juris Doctor, Harvard University
Current Board Member of Five Fortune 500 corporations
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Andjelka Gojkovich
Plan Review Coordinator at Engineering Firm
Board Member, Director of Sunday School, Director of Folklore, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Church
Sacramento (Fair Oaks), California
Radmila J. Gorup
Columbia University Senior Lecturer
Department of Slavic Languages
Parishioner, St. Sava Cathedral, New York
New York, New York
Jeffrey Gray
California Polytechnic State University, B.A. Political Science.
CEO, Growth Stage Venture Backed Software Company serving Global Fortune 500 Enterprises.
Recipient of Gartner Cool Vendor and 2019 Sacramento Region Innovation Awards.
Recipient, John F. Kennedy Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 United States Congressional Commendation, United States Congress for business entrepreneurship with a social conscience.
Recipient United States Special Congressional Recognition, United States House of Representatives, for invaluable service to the community.
Entrepreneur mentor in AT&T Operation Hand Salute to assist and mentor service disabled veterans seeking to launch or grow IT businesses.
Former Board Member, John F. Kennedy University Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership
Selected as Sacramento Business Journal “40 Under 40 Winner”
Member, Diocesan Council, Diocese of Western America
Member, Central Church Council
President, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Church
Sacramento (Fair Oaks), California
Alexandra Brkic Griffin
Policy, Change Management and Communications Strategist
Former Congressional Aide to Hon. Congresswoman Helen Delich Bentley
Alexandria, Virginia
Martina Hone, Esq.
Attorney, Juris Doctor, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Bachelor of Arts, University of Chicago
Former Associate Undersecretary, US Department of Commerce
Chicago, Illinois
Milos Jovovich
Member at Large, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church
Sacramento (Fair Oaks), California
Lila J. Kalinic, M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University.
Founding Member Advisory Board, Njegos Foundation, Columbia University
Former Board Member, International Orthodox Christian Charities
Parishoner/Steward, St. Sava Cathedral, New York
New York, New York
Michael Kosanovich
Special Agent (Retired), Federal Bureau of Investigation
Trusteeship President, St. Basil of Ostrog Church, Lake Forest, Illinois
Elmhurst, Illinois
Nick Kosanovich
President, Executive Board, St Elijah Church, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Recipient, Episcopal Gramata (Bishop Mitrophan 2014)
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Don Kosovac
Colonel (Retired), USAF
Past president and Board Member of St. John Cathedral,
San Francisco, California
Dragan Kovacevic
Owner, City Fresh Market, Chicago, Illinois
Entrepreneur/Investor
Chicago/Lake Forest, Illinois
Nikola Lonchar
President / Founder
Tesla Science Foundation
Narberth, Pennsylvania
Leon J. Lysaght, Esq.
Juris Doctor, University of Chicago
Retired Professor, Philosophy and Law (five universities in three countries on two continents)
Recipient, Czar Dushan Award of Serbian Bar Association of America
Member, Legal Risk and Compliance Committee of the Central Church Council
Trustee Emeritus, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary.
Member, St. George Church, Monroe, Michigan
Glen Arbor, Michigan
John G. Martich
Immediate Past President, Serb National Federation
Member, Holy Resurrection Church, Steubenville, Ohio
Weirton, West Virginia
Branko Mikasinovic
Recipient, Order of the Holy Despot Stefan Lazarevic
Ph.D. University of Beograd, M.A. Northwestern University
Fellow, International Strategic Studies Association
Former Broadcaster, Voice of America Serbian Service
Former Professor Tulane University
Scholar and award winning anthologist of Serbian literature in English.
Editor, Fantastic Serbian Plays (co-editor Dejan Stojanovic), Serbian Satire and Aphorisms, Selected Serbian Comedies and Great Serbian Short Stories.
Parishoner/Steward Saint Luke Church, Potomac, Maryland
Washington, DC
Ljubiša Miličić, Esq.
Juris Doctor, Northwestern University Pritzger School of Law, Chicago, Illinois
B.A. Political Science, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Tonsured Reader- Čtec
Member, Central Church Council
Past Member, Diocesan Council, Midwest Metropolitanate
Past Member, Diocesan Council, American-Canadian Diocese, New Gracanica Metropolitanate
Co-Chairman and Founding Member, Chicago-Belgrade Sister Cities Committee
Past Member, Diaspora Council, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Past President and all other offices, Serbian Bar Association of America
Past 1st Vice President, Serbian National Defense Council of America
Past 3rd Vice President, Serb National Federation
Chicago/Lake Forest, Illinois
Savka Mileusnic
Recipient, Order of St. Sebastian
Founder, First Secretary and Former Kolo Serbian Sisters President,
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church
Sacramento (Fair Oaks), California
Larry Milosh
Parishioner, St. Elijah Church,
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Milana M. Milosh
Parishioner, St. Elijah Church,
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Milan Mrkal
Tonsured Reader- Čtec
Vice President, Diocesan Council, Diocese of Eastern America
Member, Central Church Council
Past Member, Diocesan Council, Diocese of Eastern America
Past President and Treasurer, Executive Board, St. Elijah Church, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania Member, Executive Board, St. Elijah Church Past President, Tsar Lazar Choir
Eagle Scout and Alpha Omega Award B.S.A.
Moon Township, Pennsylvania
Andrew J. Muha, Esq.
Attorney, Juris Doctor, The George Washington University Law School
B.A., Economics, Allegheny College
Tonsured Reader- Čtec
Recipient, Episcopal Gramata (Bishop Mitrofan, 2014)
Past Member, Executive Board, St. Elijah Church, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Member, St. Elijah Church
Member, Legal Risk & Compliance Committee, Central Church Council
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Desko Nikitovic
University of Belgrade, School of Law
Executive Chairman, East Point Holding
Past Consul General (Chicago), Republic of Serbia
Co-Chairman of Belgrade Committee, Chicago Sister Cities International
Chicago, Illinois
Marija Popovac
Financial Secretary, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church
Sacramento (Fair Oaks), California
Dushica Protic, Esq.
Attorney, Juris Doctor
Former Chief Counsel Regulation, American Stock Exchange
Former, Senior Counsel, New York Stock Exchange
Member, Board of Directors, Studenica Foundation
Past Executive Board Member, Serbian Unity Congress
Founder, Serbian American Professional Networking LinkedIn (5800 members)
Parishioner/Steward, St. Sava Cathedral, New York (since 1968)
New York, New York
Jovan Radomir Protic, M.D.
Former Chairman of Pathology, Trinitas Hospital
Former Director of Residency Program at Beth Israel, St Luke’s, Roosevelt Hospital
Parishioner/Steward, St. Sava Cathedral, New York
New York, New York
Nikola J. Protic
University of Chicago, Ph.D. candidate in Molecular Engineering/Physics
Bachelor of Science, Cornell University, College of Engineering, Applied Engineering Physics
Member, St. Sava Cathedral, New York (since birth)
New York, New York
Pero Prpa
Former Vice President, St. George Church Board, Schererville, Indiana
Former President, SSS Bishop Stevan Lastavica, Schererville, Indiana
Former President, St. Nicholas Church Choir, Monroeville, Pennsylvania Founder “Tsar Lazar” Male Chorus, Tri-State Area (Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia)
Former Vice President, St. Nicholas Church Board, Monroeville, Pennsylvania
Past President, Serbian Singing Federation of America
Member, St. Nicholas Church
Monroeville, Pennsylvania
Mike Radakovich
President KBI Benefits
Member, Holy Trinity Church, Moraga, California
Cupertino, California
Steve Radakovich
Member, Board of Directors, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)
Member, Holy Trinity Church, Moraga, California
San Francisco, California
Ron Radakovich
Corporate Vice President (Emeritus), Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp.
Order of St. Sava – 1st Degree
Nemanja Medal – 2nd Degree, State Union of Serbia and Montenegro
Member, Central Church Council (25 years)
Vice President, Diocesan Council, Diocese of Western American (12 years)
President, Parish Council, Holy Trinity Church, Moraga, California (5 years)
Executive Vice President, Serbian Unity Congress (10 years)
San Francisco, California
Milos Radmanovich
Retired Engineering Manager of major US Flag Carrier Airline
Former President, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Serbian Orthodox Church,
Sacramento (Fair Oaks), California
Lazar Supic
Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Michael T. Rice
Deputy Sheriff Sergeant
Member, Central Church Council
Member, St. Sava Church
Jackson, California
Debra Tasic, Ph.D
Vice President, Diocesan Council, Diocese of Western America
Member, Board of Trustees, St. Steven’s Cathedral
Alhambra, California
The Honorable Branko Terzic
Doctor of Sciences h.c. In Engineering
Former Commissioner, US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Former Commissioner, State of Wisconsin Public Service Commission
Parishioner and Former Board Member, Saint Luke Church, Potomac Maryland
Former Board Member Saint Sava Cathedral, Milwaukee WI
Potomac, Maryland
Marko Tesla
Manager, Serbian American Professional Networking
Eaton Town, New Jersey
George Topich
Former Secretary and Treasurer, Serb National Federation
Recipient of HRH Princess Katherine Award from the Karadjordjevic Royal Philanthropic Organization “Lifeline” (2017)
Past President, Holy Trinity Cathedral
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
Branko Tupanjac
Order of Saint Sava, 1st Degree
Senator, Republika Srpska
Real Estate Investor and Construction Entrepreneur
Chicago/Lake Forest, Illinois
Milan Visnick
Trusteeship President, St. Luke Church, Potomac, Maryland
Former 1st Vice President, Treasurer & Member, Diocesan Council, Diocese of Eastern America
Former Member, Central Church Council
Washington, DC
David Vuich
Retired Aviation-Aerospace Executive
Member, “Serbian Apollo 7”
Recipient Medal of “Karadjordje Star” in the first degree
Parishioner and Former Board Member, Saint Luke Church, Potomac MD
Washington, D.C.
Jasmina Vujic, Ph,D
Professor, Nuclear Engineering at University of California, Berkeley
First woman to serve as chair of a US university nuclear engineering department
Researcher with over 240 published papers
Program director of a coalition of eight universities headed by Berkeley
Recipient of numerous awards, including Berkeley‘s 1996 Prytanean Faculty Award and the 1991 American Nuclear Society best paper award.
Berkeley, California
Nenad Vukicevic
Vice President, Intrepid Technology, Inc.
Founder, Blago Fund, a US nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of Serbian treasures, including monasteries and frescos
Past President, St. Archangel Michael Church, Saratoga, California
Half Moon Bay, California
Mark P. Zatezalo
Former Member, West Virginia House of Delegates
Member, Holy Resurrection Church, Steubenville, Ohio
Weirton, West Virginia
