This was posted on OCATruth.org
Have you noticed the relative silence on OCANews? You might be thinking that they’re backing off, given how much has been exposed about the behind-the-scenes manipulations and conspiring against Metropolitan Jonah on the part of Stokoe, Skordinski, Solodow, and apparently involving several bishops. Have they been embarrassed into silence? Hardly.
Insiders tell us that since Bishop Tikhon (ret.) leaked the emails exposing the plans to “rid” the OCA of Metropolitan Jonah, the cabal members have resorted to communicating by phone. Smart. Never put in e-mail something you would not want to see posted on a website.
But we’re hearing this afternoon that OCANews is about to come back in a big way.
The plan is this: an all-out assault on Metropolitan Jonah will be unleashed around April 11th by Mark Stokoe. Then, Stokoe, as he usually does, will shut down his website for Holy Week, but will resume his attacks on +Jonah in an effort to gin up the Holy Synod and the Metropolitan Council before their meetings in Chicago the week after Bright Week.
This will be their last stand to hijack the Church. They will use His Beatitude to consecrate Bishop-elect Matthias, then attempt to force him back onto a leave of absence — and this time, keep him on it through the AAC.
You read it here first. Now, sit back and wait for Stokoe’s latest “I am just reporting the news” spin job.
Here comes that awful pain in the pit in my stomach again.
We need to pray, pray for Metropolitan Jonah and for all of these people.
amen.
Helga,
I am well aware of that pain, as I am related to +Jonah. This has been a nightmare since February 25th and it’s not going away. I even contacted one of the Bishops whom I considered a friend who has turned on +Jonah and lied to me. I really don’t know anymore. I just wish more and more people would back +Jonah publicly and maybe that would put an end to this.
Hello, just popping in to say hello, and it’s good to hear from you. I’m sorry for your pain! And, if it helps, it WILL be okay. Keep going. Here’s a bit from St John Wonderworker.org about what St. John Maximovitch went through in a similar situation: “Under Vladika’s guidance a measure of peace was restored, the paralysis of the community was ended, and the cathedral finished. Yet even in the role of peacemaker Vladika was attacked, and accusations and slanders were heaped upon his head. He was forced to appear in public court – in flagrant violation of church canons – to answer to preposterous charges of concealing financial dishonesty by the Parish Council. All involved were completely exonerated; but thus Vladika’s last years were filled with the bitterness of slander and persecution, to which he unfailingly replied without complaint, without judging anyone, with undisturbed peacefulness. “
Here’s a link to a great photograph of St. John Maximovitch with a big smile on his face.
Madam, I am so sorry for the pain this has caused you and the rest of Metropolitan Jonah’s family. The only defense I can offer is that this has been played out many times over the course of the history of the Orthodox Church, and Metropolitan Jonah is not the first victim of ecclesial politics.
This is, sadly, starting to remind me of the scandal that had Metropolitan Nektarios of Aegina removed from his see after only a year, and sent back to Athens in poverty. But the saint lived a humble and simple life of ministry after his unfair ousting, and Saint Nektarios is known to work wonders through God’s mercy to this day. http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=103251
The best we can do is pray, and secondly, write to the bishops, and tell them how we feel. I wonder if they could still act this way if they could see the pain it causes. But if anything, this has made me love and pray for Metropolitan Jonah even more than before.
Madam, Helga and Rachel speak the truth. I am personally devoted to St Nektarios, as he interceded in saving my life when I was a young boy. Today, he stands before the Great White Throne while those who slandered him are eating ashes. I am a horrible sinner but I cannot stop praying for your cousin, who is a great gift to the Church and will be the source of great comfort to many.
Dear Madam,
You must be suffering even worse than +Jonah- it’s always worse to see ones you love go through difficulties-and such difficulties!. He’s being taken through the fires, but he will come out stronger-I am amazed with how he has handled himself through all of this. If I didn’t respect him before, I do now. He is always bright and welcoming. We pray for +Jonah daily, we will pray for you too.
God bless you.
Sir, he is not my cousin; he’s my brother. And, only brother.
Bless you, dear! I really liked what you said about him in the Washington Post article. Metropolitan Jonah is so blessed to have such a loving sister.
Again, I’m so sorry that you have to watch this. Please know many people love and admire your brother, and are upset about what’s going on. We will do all we can to restore the peace.
Reflecting on Metropolitan Jonah’s struggles, I’m reminded of this section of St. Nikolai Velimirovic’s Prayers By The Lake called “Bless my enemies, O Lord”. St. Nikolai survived a concentration camp, so he knew something about persecution, and as a monk like Metropolitan Jonah, he knew how to transfigure suffering and uncertainty into something that draws us closer to Christ.
Helga, sorry, its taken me so long to thank you for your thoughts, encouragement and prayers.
The Washington Post article, I thought, turned out very well. Julia Duin is a talented journalist and a joy to speak with.
Hopefully, soon, this will be behind us!
The part about “Are you tripping?” made me laugh so hard I cried! I know some of the other bishops were less than enthused about the way the article portrayed the current situation, but I share George’s opinion, that it shows Metropolitan Jonah as a good man because he is a good man.
I only met Met. Jonah after he became Metropolitan, but I have always been so impressed by his faithfulness and humility (not to mention his sense of humor), whether he was among a large group of people, or just having a simple conversation. When I read the negative things being said about him, it was like they were talking about some completely different person. It was just preposterous.
Met. Jonah has been in my prayers since he was elected, but I have been praying for him especially hard since February. I will keep praying for you all.
Helga, just the facts, just the facts. Preposterous — perfect! Thanks again for all concerns; means a lot!
Madam, please forgive me.
I’m truly sorry to hear about this. I pray that the Holy Theotokos will wrap her mantle around your family in comfort. Perhaps we’ll get to meet in person someday.
Thank you all so much. To say it’s been difficult for us is putting it lightly. If anyone truly knows+Jonah, they should know better than to make such ridiculous allegations.
George, no need to forgive you!
Lola, I would love that!
Madam, I would love to meet you as well someday.
George, I would love that as well. You are doing a wonderful job of keeping these issues civil, I thank you!
And thank you for being supportive of your brother. It’s important for him to know that his family is behind him as well.
Finally, some comments on the situation with real relevance, meaning and significance!
From the subject post from OCATruth:
Are “they” so blinded by their passion as to think that the pro-Jonah attendees at the AAC are going to take that quietly sitting down and only ask questions never to be really answered??? And what neophyte bishop will they then find willing to go out onto center stage to allay the resulting chaos at the assembly (as HB did at the last AAC and saved it)? So I can’t help but to think that if “they” are successful in doing that or something to the same effect, the coming AAC will “blow up in their faces” with a resulting deep chasm in the OCA between the pro-Jonah (“Holy Tradition” Orthodox) and anti-Jonah (“secular-liberal/Episcopalian” Orthodox) attendees and leaders.
“Preserve, O God, thy holy Orthodox Faith, …, unto ages of ages. Amen.”
You’re right, Deacon Nicholas. Somehow, I can’t imagine such a council getting a lot of work done besides forcing the Synod to answer the question, “Where is our Metropolitan?”
Unfortunately it looks like internet hunting season is open on our own brethren. Gives an evil meaning to the phrase “fisher of men”. I pray this internet practice that is seemingly becoming accepted will be unequivocally rejected by all the right minded Orthodox bishops, clergy and laity.
Hunter,
I agree with you, what’s been happening on the internet has been causing real tragic harm to the faithful. Why hasn’t the Holy Synod stepped up pastorally to set our fears to rest?
Why do they feel the need to address the Washington Post , but not the faithful?
that’s a good question, isn’t it?
How interesting. I was thinking of comparisons with St. Nektarios and St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, too. I guess we all know who to ask for intercessions (in addition to the whole choir of other saints, the Most Blessed Theotokos being first.
If it were remembered that all of the “main characters” under discussion are not just characters but fellow human beings who have friends and family who love them, there would be a veritable outbreak of Christianity.
Father, I doubt it as human beings a quite capable of extreme cruelty in our humaness. It will take a lot more that simply remembering that we are talking about other human beings. In fact, part of the problem is that the situation is so personalized that there is a tendency to feel even more justified because so and so has hurt me, or is evil, or is (fill in the blank). That’s what scape-goating does.
Matthew 5:23-24 has the antidote
That might very well lead to a whole lot of people not partaking of the Body and Blood until peace is really made. But, hey, we are entitled to that aren’t we?
Fr Yousuf, you are correct. Just so you know, I pray nightly for all involved, not just HB but the HS and HB’s critics as well.
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