A Message from the President – April 2017
Dear friends,
Easter is the most important celebration in our Christian faith. Across the world, believers relive the course of the Divine Drama; a path that leads to catharsis and Resurrection. Easter is the great celebration that unites us and keeps our faith and traditions alive. These traditions are undeniably linked to every Greek family and as such, I invite you to participate in the Holy procession toward the triumph of the Resurrection. Each year, our churches fill with members of our faith, celebrating this holy event. To keep you better informed, we have posted on our website (www.hcgm.org), our churches’ schedules for the Holy and Bright week.
The HCGM has a responsibility to maintain its buildings and keep them operational, and as such, some major work must to be done and cannot be postponed for the future. Two major projects that must begin immediately are St. George Cathedral’s pedestrian bridge and the roof replacement of the Hellenic Community Centre Adrian Maris Banquet Facility. Therefore, according to the HCGM Bylaws, a Special Community General Meeting has been called for Sunday, April 23rd at 2p.m., in order to obtain approval for these urgent projects.
March was an important and busy month for us. The HCGM, hosted a series of events, commemorating Greek Independence, where many dignitaries honoured us with their presence. Most important was the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada’s acceptance of our proposal to be the Grand Marshal of this year’s parade. We were truly honoured!
On March 28th and 29th, we hosted a two-day convention on “Health Tourism in Greece”. The Athenian Medical Association explained how this initiative benefits both Montrealers and Greeks.
Again this year, on March 19th, a delegation of 49 students represented our school “ École Socrate-Démosthène” in the 194th St. Patrick’s Day parade in Montreal. Our students proudly represented our school and the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal as a whole.
The 2017 Montreal Greek Film Festival which took place from March 27th to April 2nd boasted a great turnout. The HCGM was a proud major partner in this exceptional event, which showcased the grandeur of Greek cinematography. A special thank you to the Messenian Amphictyony of Greece for presenting the film “Our Maria Callas” and for donating all proceeds to our schools, as well as, to John Caoussias and Constance Karvelas who worked tirelessly to make this event a huge success.
Καλή Ανάσταση, Καλό Πάσχα και Χρόνια Πολλά!
Nicholas T. Pagonis
President