The Rev. Michael George Rokos, a retired Episcopal priest who served in Baltimore parishes and led Czech organizations, died of cancer Aug. 30 at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. The Mayfield resident was 71.
Michael Rokos served as The Cult Awareness Network (CAN) president from late 1989 - October 1990.
"CAN declared bankruptcy after a jury found that CAN conspired to violate the civil rights and religious liberties of Jason Scott, a Pentecostalist, who had been forcibly kidnapped and subjected to a failed deprogramming by Rick Ross, a CAN-referred deprogrammer and others."
"The court ordered CAN to pay a judgment of US$1 million. The large award was intended to deter similar conduct in the future; the court noted that the defendants were unable to appreciate the maliciousness of their conduct towards the deprogrammee, and portrayed themselves, throughout the entire process of litigation, as victims of the alleged agenda of the plaintiff's attorney, Church of Scientology attorney Kendrick Moxon."
"In 1996, CAN went bankrupt and its assets were bought by a coalition of organizations and individuals, including Scientologists."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_Awareness_Network
The Baltimore Sun
September 3, 2017
The Rev. Michael George Rokos, a retired Episcopal priest who served in Baltimore parishes and led Czech organizations, died of cancer Aug. 30 at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. The Mayfield resident was 71.
Born in Chicago and raised in Mayfield, he was the son of George Rokos, an attorney, and his wife, Dorthea Wildeson, a homemaker. He was a 1964 graduate of Baltimore City College and earned a bachelor’s degree at the Johns Hopkins University. He was a 1972 graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary. As a child he was active in the Church of the Redeemer.
Bishop David K. Leighton ordained him to the priesthood in 1973. He was assigned to the Church of the Ascension in Silver Spring, St. Thomas in Garrison Forest, the Church of the Resurrection in Joppa, Grace Memorial Church in Darlington; and St. Margaret’s in Parkville, where he retired in 2014. He also served at Christ Church in Wilmington, Del.
“He had a dedication of the betterment of his parishioners,” said his husband, Gene-Michael Addis. “He had a deep understanding of the challenges of a modern day life.”
Rev. Rokos was also a strong advocate for and member in local national and international Czech organizations. He was a past president the Sokol Baltimore, the Bohemian National Cemetery in Armistead Gardens and American Friends of the Czech Republic.
“With the fall of Communism in what was then Czechoslovakia, he began an extensive search for long-lost relatives and for the original Rokos grist mill that was the forerunner to the Rokos Rye Bakery here in Baltimore,” said his husband. “Rokos Bread and Rokos ‘Only Genuine’ Rye Bread were registered with the National Patent Office in 1905 and 1915.” The family bakeries were once located throughout East Baltimore.
Mr. Addis said he celebrated his 70th birthday in Prague surrounded by 38 of the relatives he connected with over the years. The event was held at a restaurant on the Charles River.
Rev. Rokos joined the American Friends of the Czech Republic and was its past president and a board member.
His family members were among the earliest immigrants from Bohemia. His ancestors also included members of the Klečka family.
Bishop Eugene Sutton and the Revs. Tony Lewis and David Ware will preside at a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of the Redeemer, 5603 N. Charles St.
Survivors include his husband, the general manager of the Lord Baltimore Hotel who has been his life partner for 35 years; a sister, Georganna Rokos of Cockeysville; and nieces and nephews.
jacques.kelly@baltsun.com
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bs-md-ob-michael-rokos-20170903-story.html
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