• „Archbishop Valerian’s Legacy“
• A Statement by the Officers of the Board
• Traian Lascu: „What Did He Do?“
• Alexandru Nemoianu: „Archbishop Valerian D. Trifa and Romanian-American Heritage“
• About the Book “Trepte”
• Hieromonk Calinic: God’s Gifts, our Gifts and the Gift of Christmas
• Round Table at the Heritage Center
• Bishop Valerian D. Trifa: „The Orthodox Church Today 1964“
• Alexandru Nemoianu: „Romanian-American Heritage and Romanian Cultural and Historical Personalities“
• New Book
• V. Rev. Fr. Vasile Hategan: „Displaying and Promoting Romanian Folk Art in America“
• Alexandru Nemoianu: „About the Romanian-American Culture“
• Phillip J. Toconita, Jr.: „Folklore of the Romanians of Saint Paul, Minnesota“
• The Background of Romanian History
• Alexandru Nemoianu: „The Romanian-American Community and the English Language“
• ARCHIVE FROM “ROMANIAN-AMERICAN STUDIES”, on-line review

Archbishop Valerian’s pastorate was long and eventful.
The historical time was one of profound turmoil, rapid changes, and extraordinary mutations. All the existing historical challenges which Archbishop Valerian confronted in a manly manner, he solved with stunning wisdom. In fact, his pastorate represalii me historical time when the F a m mim American community gained its identity and proudly claimed its freedom. In a larger frame, the election of Valerian as leader of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America represented the moment when the nefarious communist regime imposed on the Romanians was confronted and forced to back off.
The historical events are now well-known, books were written, thousands of articles analyzed the events and in fact, conclusions were reached. (It is interesting to note that right now, in Romania, a certain type of historical revisionism is flying high. Those “histories” and “historians” can not deny the unique importance of Archbishop Valerian’s pastorate but, at the same time, they try to accommodate the rather shameful machinations of the rather pathetic ecclesiastical contraptions brought into being by the Romanian communist regime. It is equally important to note that during the same time and in the same country, the writings of Archbishop Valerian continue to be censored as will be documented in pages printed in the January-March, 2008 issue of the “Information Bulletin” of the Heritage Center.) >>>Alexandru Nemoianu>>>

December 2007
Among the purposes for which the Valerian D. Trifa Romanian-American Heritage Center was established, was providing an appropriate place of reposit for documents of various kinds concerning the Romanian-North American Community and to promote research and distribution of information about the same. The collection of materials has continued unabated since the foundation of the Center which now houses the largest single collection about the Romanian-North American community. The Center is a Michigan Not-for-Profit Organization located in Grass Lake, Michigan, and stands on property rented from the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America.
Mr. Stelian Stanicei was the first temporary resident. Dr. David Bernatowicz was resident for a short period of time. It had been the intention of the late Archbishop Valerian D. Trifa, of Thrice-Blessed Memory, that after his retirement he would reside at the Center to initiate and carry out studies and projects concerning the community. After the departure of Archbishop Valerian, the Board of Trustees engaged Mr. Alexander Nemoianu as permanent Secretary-Archivist. >>>>>

“Nothing has been left from Valerian; and whatever he did was bad.”
That’s the statement and the thinking of one of the new priests in our Episcopate which was uttered at the Vatra not too long ago. A more reasoned priest, an old-timer, hearing that statement, told him to “leave the Archbishop alone; he’s now resting in his eternal sleep,” as if the new priest had committed a sacrilege. It was a rather mild admonition compared to the absurdity of that statement.
It is ironic that such a statement was made on the grounds of the Vatra, the site of Archbishop Valerian’s greatest accomplishments. Obviously, that recently-arrived priest knows very little – if anything – about the history of our Episcopate, how an estate with dilapidated farm buildings was transformed by Bishop Valerian into an administrative center which is the envy of other Orthodox Churches, as well as into a center of religious education and a meeting and resting place for all Romanian Orthodox in America.
The St. Mary’s church and Pioneer Chapel, as well as the dormitories for the religious education courses and Camp Vatra, did not fall from heaven Father; they were judiciously planned and built by Bishop Valerian with the support of our faithful who believed in his leadership. In St. Mary’s cemetery at the Vatra, planned by Bishop Valerian, rest hundreds of our faithful from throughout the United States. >>>>>

Archbishop Valerian was a personality of numerous talents and a born leader. He had the capacity to understand the problems of his people, the wisdom to resolve them, and the power to sacrifice himself for the good of his flock.
It was given to him to have an eventful life and to spend long periods of time in different parts of the world in diverse nations and cultures. However, he fulfilled the mission of his life among his own people in the New World.
In studying the history of Archbishop Valerian’s life, a parallel between his particular destiny and that of the group of people he descended from should be noticed.
He descended from the “Mori,” the very special and noble branch of the Romanians living in the Western (Apuseni) Mountains of Romania, a group of people that were remarkable for their dignity, courage, steadfastness under adversities and respect for traditions. In the very turbulent history of Romanian Transylvania, a lot of the legendary leaders of the struggle for liberty and human dignity were “Mofi” like Horia, Cloşca and Avram Iancu; and, all of them met an undeserved tragic end. >>>>>

In 2007, in Romanian, I published the book “Trepte” (Rungs). The book has nothing to do with my job; it is part of my private life, of my inner world.
The book is a journal of affectional experiences. It is a literary style that basically records the emotions. It is not history; it is the most subjective type of memories.
The book was not about ideas or promotion of ideas. Definitely it was not its purpose to promote “good” or “bad”. Anyhow, if somehow I offended someone, I am very sorry for that and publicly apologize. >>Alexandru Nemoianu >>>>

Christ trie Child was born today,
The Saving Lord who lights our way.
Praise him long with our song,
Joy to us belongs.

Infant child in swaddling clothes,
Wrapped and bundled. Mary knows,
Praise him long with our song,
Joy to us belongs.

Blowing winds do not disturb him,
Falling snow will not come near him,
Praise him long with our song,
Joy to us belongs. >>>>>

“The earth is the Lord*? and the full­ness thereof (Ps 24:1 f. This verse fro— the Psalms reminds us of one very im­portant truth: God created all things. and this means He oh7u all things. He loans us these things for the duration of our lives on earth. The world is first of all a gift of God to us, and for our part, made in God’s image, the world is to be used as a gift. By receiving the world as a gift, and offering it back to God as a gift, the world becomes a means for spiritual growth and com­munion.
In fact, the world and all that is in it has no meaning except as a means of sharing between the two poles of its existence: God who created it, and man, for whom it was created.In this created world, man stands in the “middle” – part immaterial soul and part material body – a “mingled wor­shipper,” who is “half-way between greatness and lowliness” in the words of Gregory the Theologian. We are bound to the things of the earth for our very existence, but also by our very existence we are called to transcend the things of the earth. Man is at once part of and above the earth. Our rela­tionship is that of stewards, offering the creation to God, and our steward­ship will determine our eternal destiny. All of this takes place during our short time on earth, for the orientation and habits of the soul cannot change with­out the body. >>>>>Hieromonk Calinic>>>>>

On July 7, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. the Heritage Center organized its first “round table” at its head­quarters, 2540 Grey Tower Road, Jackson, Michigan.
The session was chaired by His Eminence, Most Rev. Archbishop Nathaniel, the Chairman of the Heritage Center Board of Direc­tors.
The main speakers were: Uni­versity Professor Dr. Aurel Sasu (University of Cluj, Romania), an old and staunch supporter and friend of the Heritage Center, well known for his outstanding scho­lastic contribution to the history of the Romanian-American com­munity, and Alexandru Nemoianu, the Historian of the Heritage Center.
The main topics debated were: the concepts used to define the personal and the group identity and the significance of Arch­bishop Valerian D. Trifa’s pas­torate .
The debates were animated and Mrs. (Preoteasa) Joan Heifner from Rives Junction participated and contributed very precious ob­servations.
The conclusions reached will be incorporated in articles to be published in future issues of the “Information Bulletin.” >>>>>