Back in early July, before the unjust putsch against His Beatitude took place, Monomakhos published a piece called “Ineptocracy.” It was a reluctant indictment against Arb Nikon of Boston, the locum tenens of the Diocese of Dallas, who unilaterally canceled the Special Assembly for our Diocese.
The delegates to Miami were going to nominate Abbott Gerasim Eliel of Platina to be our bishop and to submit his name to the Synod for election. He was the overwhelming choice of our Deans and the shoes of the Venerable Dmitri were longing to be filled. Fr Gerasim had done everything that the Synod requested, including going to St Vladimir’s. Indeed, he went the extra mile: where they asked him to attend for only one year, he went for all three and graduated cum laude from that fine institution. He had been vetted three years earlier, submitted to their dictates, and exceeded their expectations. In other words, he played by the rules.
Needless to say, many in the South were dismayed when we found out that Fr Gerasim hadn’t been “vetted” properly by the newer members of the Synod and thus he could not be nominated. This caused an uproar many of the delegates who had purchased tickets and were eagerly awaiting their chance to meet the former Abbott of Platina in Miami. The expense of an added night in Miami for no reason was not pleasant as well. In His Eminence’s defense, he said that if we nominated a man who was largely unknown to the Synod then he might possibly be turned down. The cancellation of the Special Assembly therefore was orchestrated in order to prevent such an embarrassment. All would be well however we were told: Abbott Gerasim would be vetted at the next Synod meeting scheduled for October where he would meet with the newer members of the Synod. If all went well, he would have been elected and enthroned early next year.
I regret to inform you that this did not happen. Abbott Gerasim was not invited to the Synod, did not meet with anybody, nor was his name brought up except in a most perfunctory manner. Nor has the Synod informed anybody to this effect.
As to whether His Eminence is to blame for this I’d rather not say. As our locum tenens he’s been pretty much a stand-up guy. Even though he’s grievously ill, he has displayed good faith time and again by visiting us and listening to our concerns. He certainly had the political savvy to remove Bp Mark Maymon from Dallas. (Word on the street is that he will soon be the Midwest’s problem.) Unfortunately, the cancellation of the Special Assembly looks now in retrospect to be a continuation of the bad faith that Syosset has long been famous for. I for one would rather not blame His Eminence for this unfortunate turn of events but as the bishop in charge of our Diocese, but the buck has to stop somewhere.
At any rate, we in the South were played for fools.
Here is a copy of +Nikon’s letter to the Holy Synod on the cancellation, which was sent to the chancellor on July 1, 2012 with permission to share it with and the deans and diocesan council.
Dear Brothers,
Originally as LocumTenens of the Diocese of the South I hadscheduled a Special Assembly this month(July) in order for a candidate to be selected and proposed to us for canonicalelection to fill the vacancy of the archpastor of this widowed diocese.
Two candidates todate were probably going to appear on the ballot and one name would be sent tous. Both are controversial in different ways. One Bishop Mark Maymon within the diocese due to some unfortunateincidences and the other outside of the diocese Fr Gerasim Eliel that severalof you have indicated have serious questions or concerns.
The problem is thatone of them has never met any of us. Although there was a rudimentary vettingof Fr. Grasim a number of years ago but the make up of the Synod at that timewas different than today and several of you have expressed serious concerns andhave questions that they would like to have answered should his name be placedbefore us.
Therefore I ampostponing the special assembly and suggest that Fr Gerasim be invited to theFall session of the Holy Synod so that he may be properly vetted by the currentmembers of the whole Synod and answer any questions and address any concernsyou may have.
In all fairness to usand to the Diocese of the South, we cannot expect the Synod to elect someonethey do not know and further, should the special election take place now, andthe name be unacceptable to the majority of the Synod members, this would thenplace us in the precarious position of “appointing” an arch pastor who eithermay or may not be known to the diocese. In effect the diocese would have forfeitedthere election process. This issomething that cannot and should not occur as we, both the synod and thediocese choose a successor to Archbishop Dmitri, of Blessed memory. + NIKON
Regardless of who is to blame, the failure to vet Fr. Gerasim is yet another sign of the Synod’s disrespect of the DOS, one of the few growing and vibrant parts of the OCA. The lack of episcopal care has already damaged the diocese greatly. These continued delays will only exacerbate the damage. The DOS should hold an Assembly and nominate Met. Jonah tomorrow!
I met Fr. Gerasim in 1987 in Portland, Ore when he was a monk directly under the spiritual leadership of Abbot Herman, ( defrocked by ROCOR, with unnamed moral charges which he refused to address and was defrocked for disobedience.) He accepted the spiritual leadership of convicted child molester Met Pangratious, at Abbot Herman direction in Platina The vigante jurisdiction of defrocked Met Pangratious also set up the priests in Blanco, one of whom committed suicide and one is imprisoned for more child molestation charges. They also set up the weeping icon which was a complete fraud. The myrrh dipper who, at his priest orders, put the myrrh on the cotton balls they gave to the sadly deceived pilgrims was accepted by Fr. Gerasim in Platina. I know all this because the myrrh dipper told me he did it the first day I met him at Platina. He then proceeded to attempt to establish a total dominance over me as a novice, which is what homosexual agenda monks try to pass off as monastic obedience. It is domination and submission with no free will involved, which is exactly what Abbot Herman did. Abbot Herman kicked me out in 1988, saying I was not one of his people. He got that right! I was not under control and they knew it. In 2008 I was sent to Kodiak to St. Micheal’s skete on Spruce Island. There his most criminally insane monk, incapable of civility worked me over for a month. This one used the masonic hand gesture before he launched into a ti raid. I know what the fruits of the Holy Spirit are, and know when they are utterly lacking. I was brutally treated by the US military for refusing to serve in Vietnam and the brutality of Fr. Gerasim’s, Abbot Herman trained monks was at least equal in inhumanity as the military. I left Platina when Abbort Gerasim came raging out of the sanctuary, screaming ” wash your hands” in total condemnation of me. This abusiveness is the manner which Platina monks maintain the status quo, and is standard procedure. But, they forgot to bring their lunch, like St Paul, I can be beaten down, but not broken. The history of Fr. Gerasim is, he fully in favor of the homosexual agenda and homosexual monks who would not tolerate me, because my discernment instructs me, that these fruitless wonders have no business in a monastery that is dedicated to the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. These are the type of sneaks who do their dirty work when no one is looking and the piety is a show. Fr. Gerasim is not kind, charitable or most especially, self controlled. I left in 2008 with some Russian pilgrim back to Portland. I was never in the HOOM, but attended their lectures and services. I sought chrismation in Platina by the Serbian Church in 2008. The first charismation offered by the HOOM/CSB the first time wasn’t any good, so they told me. I was not going to let them touch me again.Can’t you see St. John the Baptist in the Jordan, telling the Christ to come back tomorrow, that first Orthodox Baptism wasn’t any good. I am a pro-life activist with the fines ,beatings and imprisonments to prove it.Baby John Doe1709 Marchall in Command Operation Rescue Oct 29 1988, Sunnyvalle, and I am the author the the precise definition of the Abomination of Desolation. I will let the reader understand.
Mr Kinsey, I did not censor your earlier comment. This is it. Because of my work schedule I am not at liberty to reply to opinions that are as momentous as yours.
So here goes: the HOOM angle has been played to death. As far as his previous association with Abbott Herman he states in his 35-page bio (which is posted on http://www.dosoca.org) that he regrets that. Like many traditionalist converts/reverts to Orthodoxy, it’s real easy to fall into delusion and join a sect that is hyper-Orthodox. If what you say about his treatment of you is true, then we can surmise that he was under the grip of that delusion and acted accordingly. Let us not forget that as the Venerable Dmitri said many years ago, that ROCOR made “extravagant claims for itself. In any event, he has repented of that previous association (and I must assume of any actions he took while there).
Blanco was a travesty but Abbott Gerasim cannot be blamed for it unless you believe in guilt by association.
I am disturbed by your assertion that he “is in favor of the homosexual agenda.” Again, having met him and talked with him, I did not get this at all. I rather doubt that Platina was ever a hotbed of homosexuality. At least not since it was taken under the omorphor of the Serbian church. Why do I surmise this? The six monks who left Manton sought refuge in Platina and we know why they left: Fr Martin and a novice wrote to Arb Benjamin complaining about the former Abbott’s leniency in this regard.
As for your own Christian witness in the pro-life movement as well as pacifism, I applaud it. It does not excuse however your indictment which is a compendium of several different arguments. The fact that the Synod vetted him and sent him to SVS (I guess on their dime since he’s a monk who is without any wealth) means to me that despite his former associations, his own character is morally sound.
None of this is at issue however. What is at issue is the fact that we were told by Arb Nikon that the reason he unilaterally suspended our electoral assembly was in order to get the newer members of the Synod to meet with him in October. This they did not do. Nor has any explanation been forthcoming. In essence, we were lied to.
“In essence, we were lied to” . . . AGAIN!
George M
Mr. Kinsey is clinically psycho. A cursory search across the Internet quickly yields his millenial rants and ravings to anyone so inclined. He reminds me of the demise of Bobby Fischer, the chess master.
Why do you publish his stuff?
It’s a pity the monks at Platina ever took pity on this character and allowed him into their lives in the first place. When they couldn’t take another minute of his madness, he was asked to leave. He didn’t mention that in his diatribe, did he?
He needs to be back on his meds in a mental institution; not on Monomakhos posting religious commentaries.
I have a sound mind, I speak honestly and truthfully and appeal to logic, common sense and intelligence. I quote the Holy Fathers accutately and in context, and the Holy Scriptures in context, accurately. Goolge my name and you will see hundreds of comments on different subjects all from the Judeo-Christian value system. Clinically psycho is how I might describe the US Government cabal that attacked us on 911, or the doctors and legislators them enabled the murder of 50 million children in the massive infanticide of abortion. Or slaughtered 3-5 million Vietnamese. I have no blood on my hands, this is the truth, everytime they get to seriously killing millions of people, they throw me in jail. How, pray tell, does this equate with psychosis. I have a God given right to freedom of speech, as do you. But, speaking against Fr. Gerasim makes me a psycho. Balderdash! And especially all those who make, beleive, and love a lie, like calling me a psycho. Psychos are Orthodox cleric’s who send Christians to fight for the He-goat and the beast. DUH
Michael James Kinsey has evaluated his own mind, and he pronounces it “sound.”
The things people say….the days are just too short!!!!
His servants( sheep) know His voice and another they will not follow.. Squashing people , Abbot Herman’s words and Fr. Gerasim’s actions might have been apprioate directed at Blanco rejects, and Met Pangratious, but I was the guy they gave the business to, while they didn’t have a problem with either one of them. By their works and their fruits ye shall know them. I don’t run your church, but I would never vette him, until he at least “washes his mouth” I stood up to him. No apology.offered here.
Michael Kingsley! Go wash your hands, and then go sit down before a pail of nice warm water, bend forward until your head is immersed and hold your breath until your head is good and soaked. By the way, you said that Father Gerasim came “raging” out of the “sanctuary.” What were the signs of his rage? Was his beard quivering? Did he stamp his feet and pull on his hair? And what in the world is the “sanctuary” he came forth from. You know we call the area behind the main Iconostasis in the East end of the temple, the Altar, not the “sanctuary.’ Just what Priest chrismated you, and on what basis? Was the Chrismation preceded by a Confession of Faith and Penance?
Why did you leave the Priest that chrismated you? And, finally, what does “vette” mean? Are you under a doctor’s care? Have you sought medical help?
Sir, I know right from wrong, I was raised right. ask Gerasim of his account , which is what you should have done before opening you ugly mouth.. As for you, your not worth knowing and you or your church are no friend of mine. Let us become better strangers , as I have also told,Tate, Morris and the rest of professional clerics your are enamored. are lovers of the high seats, This is proven by the fact, they accepted Met Pangratious and rejected the rest of canonical Orthodoxy so they could keep the high seats in the HOOM church. Ordained by a defrocked child molester. is a real feather in anyone’s cap, which is what a psycho would say. I say it was playing fast and loose with the truth, which I feel is also your forte.. You are a puke!
Michael James Kinsey–I am greatly ashamed on your behalf. Such language directed at a hierarch of the Church is utterly inexcusable. I pray that you will come to your senses and apologize. In Christ, Carl
You just gave me what I sought, proof I was genuinely Chrismated, something I was refused by Platina, De facto excummication from slithery litte men who didn’t have the authority to do it. Nor do you. I am in the Serbian Church.
I was Christmated in Platina by FR. Gerasim with the authority of Bishop Maxim. Unless, he was faking the ceremony. I had a man tell me I wasn’t married to my 2nd wife, who is a granddaughter of Allen Dulles, CIA chief. I gave him the name of the Order priest who married us. He was not there, I was and so was the priest, We know the marriage was performed, the other was not there, how could he know I was lying, but he was just refusing to believe me.. He was wrong and so are you.
Dear George,
I posted this two days ago. I’ll post the link again. I was hoping that folks would get the reason for posting it. Evidently, you did:
http://dosoca.org/files/esc/Gerasim.BiorevisedMarch14_27_2009.pdf
I will note again that Metropolitan Jonah features strongly in his biography. It is a sort of gift to see such faithful purpose in young lives that persist unto today and that no one is immune to spiritual struggle.
How is it that Archbishop Dmitri reposed in the Lord over a year ago and a replacement has not been a priority even when the archdiocese has chosen a good replacement candidate? Instead of focusing on this need, why has a special, additional, costly, singular purpose agenda AAC has been called by the Synod to replace our perfectly wonderful Metropolitan ASAP? It seems that when a few members of the Synod want to act quickly, they will.
You mention the costs involved in electing an archbishop. Could some of the more financially savvy members of the OCA take a small, free look at the costs associated with the Metropolitan Council? Was not the Metropolitan Council formed to serve the Metropolitan, or is there some other purpose? What are the actual jobs of each member of the Metropolitan Council and the Chancellor? It’s really hard for me to see why there is such a staff as there is. Could such a staff be streamlined? Could it move to Washington, D.C.? Chicago? Somewhere else central? Detroit real estate is cheap right now.
Secondly, what jobs exist at Syosset? Is there a cook or cleaning staff? Office staff? Grounds-keeping cost? I really don’t know. What is the cost of maintaining the archives of the OCA and its librarian? Is it a safe, humidity controlled environment? Are proper archival and cataloging methods utilized at present to maximize use of the materials? What guest quarters are possible adjacent or near Syosset? Are any of the positions at Syosset considered life-long positions? Is everyone at Syosset willing to move from that location to maintain their job? Would the same number of jobs need to be maintained.
Could clergy with or without positions, and especially trained women graduates of our seminaries be given priority for positions at Syosset? Is there any reason not to have a female chancellor?
All told, what is the cost of maintaining a headquarters at Syosset? In terms of the location, additional cost of time and transportation from major trnasportation hubs should be factored into the calculation.
It seems a no brainer for me to associated the offices of the OCA adjacent to or near or in the same major city as a cathedral. Where does it make best econonic sense to locate this chancery so that it would be central to US, Mexican and Canadian parishes and relatively economical to get to by various forms of transportation to minimize travel costs, and yet be a relatively inexpensive area in terms of building and upkeep/renovations costs? Need I also suggest that wherever our headquarters, it also ought be accessible to the laity? I am lately getting the feeling that the church belongs only to a fortunate few
In terms of the survival of the OCA, we need to take a look at the financial survival of all parishioners. We need to have the best financial accountability in times of negative job growth and especially look for ways to create more than part-time no benefits jobs for our people. Without caring for our people, they cannot marry, they cannot contribute and remain permanently stressed in survival mode.It is because i know so many people unemployed or marginally employed or having health issues without health care that I continually think in terms of economies.
Mankind has 3 major relationships, God to man, man to man, and the relationship between the spiritual and physical nature of all men. These relationships are addressed by the Christ precisely, in His responses to the temptations of the devil in the desert. The Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church affirm this as the 3 enemies of mankind are named the world, the flesh and the devil, also derived from this temptations scripture. The Revelation of St John also names these 3 as the great whore, beast, and the dragon.
The Vision. The people perish without a Vision, and the Holy Church has been given a Vision by the Christ, or are we to consider the Christ incompetent in our salvation? The 3 responses of the Christ correspond precisely to the 3 major relationships of mankind. Do not tempt God, is God to man, Love the Lord thy God and Him alone thou shalt serve is man to man. Live by the Word of God and by bread, is the relationship between our spiritual nature and our physical nature. The Orthodox Holy Fathers teach that prayer, fasting and alms giving are mandatory exercises of authentic Christian faith. Each of these obedience’s addresses a major relationship. I leave it to discover which relationship concerns which obedience, so your own right thinking and common sense teaches you.
The great whore is the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, this is because , here the pattern of the Vision is first departed from. Man begins to serve himself first, This begins a process which creates the great whore, and allows the building of the beast, by ignoring the Word of God and living for bread alone. The dragon’s power is accepted by the social and economic system, which lastly jumps off the tower in false pride. The Christ remained in perfect obedience to His Father’ Will on the tower. These 3 make desolate the 3 major relationships. The 3 major relationships encompass the totality of mankind existence. There is no way to experience anything outside of these 3 relationships. If all 3 relationships are made desolate, there is nothing left to destroy. This is the utter most worst thing that a man, or all mankind can experience. When I first wrote this , I challenged all to describe something worse than what I describe..This therefore, has to be the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by the Christ and the Holy Prophet Daniel. You cannot kill a dead horse. If you understand why you cannot kill a dead horse , you will understand this definition of the abomination of desolation. It is divine simplicity and is most certainly meant for us to understand, not mystify or confuse us. Carnal physicality is all that remains of a people bereft of a reason for being. The bowls of God’s wrath are poured out upon the desolate who have received the mark of the beast. In crystal clarity, the Lord has given perfect guidance for attaining His Salvation.
The most profound miracle in Christendom is the Holy Fire received in Jerusalem. Rev 13 vs 13, he will be able to bring down fire from heaven in the presence of men. This scripture concerns foreign fire, received, where it ought not to be, in the Holy Place. The Pillar of Fire was Transfigured at the Transfiguration at the Mount and reappears in Christianity as the Holy Fire, which protect in the night. I believe will will be able to discern the Holy Fire from the foreign fire. I await any challenge. God will give them a wisdom no one will match., match me..
Match me the wisdom first, until you do, (which I know you won’t be able to do), your claim that this is all about self agrandizing rings hollow. Explain what the abomination of desolation is, first, then you will prove I am a fool, until you do the definition STANDS. It’s your move . hot shot.
Ah yes… it seems orthodoxy has its own version of the protestant Ashley Nivens.
The 3 major relationships all contain spiritual life, mere physical existance is common in all animals, and is not sin for them. It is a desolate state for a man to live with no spiritual life, with only carnal passions and emotions and have a lust for power fulfilled by the demonic, devoid of fruits of the Holy Spirit.. These all will perish, as it is thier choice.Recieving the mark of the beast is the point of no return from this carnal desolation. Most, as the scripture says will follow after the beast. May the Victorious Lord, Jesus Christ grant you the Grace and strength to gain the victory over the beast. I am perfectly wiling to share the kingdom of heaven with everybody who is faithful as there is more than enough to go around, ( which is the epiteme of understatement, if is infinite.)
Clear reasoning involved: Disqualified by reason of association.
(For those who don’t understand, Fr. Gerasim went to school with His Beatitude Jonah in Santa Cruz, CA, and was HB’s first convert to Orthodoxy.) How very sad this situation is – stacking the decks in Parma, and on the Synod…it’s all the same behavior. I know Fr. Gerasim personally, and he is an excellent candidate for the episcopacy. His previous nomination was suddenly and abruptly disqualified on the day before Jillions demanded the resignation of His Beatitude – coincidence? I don’t think so.
Sometimes, evil does evil to evil as it is a house divided. Jillions does no one any favor, but still, Gerasim has no business being a bishop. He is a dominator, not a servant. Unless, he talking to one of his *sic) equals.
You ask the question: “How is it that Archbishop Dmitri reposed in the Lord over a year ago and a replacement has not been a priority even when the archdiocese has chosen a good replacement candidate?” I think the answer stems from an outgrowth of the openess that we so richly cherish. The bottom line is that leadership is scared to death to make a choice, because of the consequences of what will happen if they are wrong.
There is something to be said for this fear. Let’s face it, we are asking the leadership of the church to choose a person for a job that most of the candidates are not trained for (administrator & leader), have never held (bishop), for people in whose jobs they also have never held (parish priests) and … that job is a life-long position. Oh, and to make matters even more problematic, the pool of candidates is ridiculously tiny. If this were a secular position, such a series of events would be unthinkable and would almost certainly guarantee calamity. That we have found many bishops who have done so well is a testiment to their hard work, vision and the effectual operation of the Holy Spirit. But, let’s face it, things have not always worked out so well.
In my humble estimation, a candidate for bishop should be required to have at least five, or better yet ten, years of experience as the pastor of a church. They should not just be a graduate of a theological school but have some leadership and administrative training, and perhaps experience, as well. And even then, the idea of giving them a life-long position is just scary.
Yes, I know this is the tradition of the church, but it is also one that has led to too many problems in recent years. I think we also have to admit that the make-up of the church in past centuries and in other cultural environments, especially with many and sometimes very large monasteries, made things in the past different than today’s church.
We need a better model.
I would think that it would be extremely difficult for any man to follow a popular Bishop like Archbishop Demetri. No matter how hard he tries, he will never be the same. Even if he does not mean to make changes, he will without even knowing it because he is a different person. One thing that Orthodox do not like is change.
George,
As one who resides in the DOM, what info do you have about +MARK being assigned to the Midwest?
My first post was censored, so I’ll try again. My report is truthful, so what part of the Royal Law do I trangress? Fr. Gerasim accepted as his spiritual fathers, both Met Pangratious, and Abbot Herman, both defrocked by the Canonical Church for near 20 years. Both of these cleric’s were scantioned for serious moral charges, and one convicted in a court of law. Met Jonah and Fr. Gerasim were nearby abbots in Northern Calfornia and knew each other as students. Fr. Gerasim cannot return to Platina as abbot as he is no longer in the Serbian Church. He has nowhere to go. By thier works and fruits ye shall know them. My experience of the Platina monastics is that they do not have the fruits of the Holy Spirit, but they do have plenty of fruit. This is an honest report, with no exaggeration.
I agree that any candidate for the episcopate should be well known by the clergy and laity. One of the articles in our Archdiocesan constitution requires that before a man can be considered for election to the episcopate he has to have been a Priest in our Archdiocese for at least 5 years. That way he has a record that is known. He also has to have a degree from an Orthodox seminary and naturally must be celibate. The only time that we have nominated a Bishop who I did not know was the case of Bishop Mark. In every other case, I have known everyone chosen for years. I would not want a Bishop who had not had experience in our Archdiocese because he would not know how we do things and the ethos of our parishes especially since we have such a mix. We have Arabic speaking parishes, but most of our parishes are not Arab. A Bishop in our Archdiocese would have to be able to minister to both Arabic speaking parishes and parishes made up mostly of American born Orthodox and converts.
over the years i have developed a lack of confidence in nikon, from his lack of leadership in the frankie and joey debacle to his shabby treatment of three saints church and not supporting their desire to take a higher road and the fact thyat one day he showed up at vespers reaking of cigarette smoke so badly that i still kick myself that instead of greeting him i did not ask him to leave – so personally i cannot endorse his decision making – but alas this is only one persons opinion and others have more positive perspectives.
however i lament the fact that poor job did not have his nor nathaenel’s, nor dimitri’s active support
three saint voted to withhold their assessment and put them in escrow until joey was out , they met the wrath of nikon – i am eveen told that he held the peirest in great disdain, in my opionion he should have admired their courage but did not at all – why is taking the higher road so difficult?
i just could not understand how the holy space of the altar could be so disgraced by the cloud of smoke odor – when clergy were quieried about it they said that it was a known fact that he was a chain smoker – yet no one would ask whether this was the proper decorum for a bishop to exemplify
therefore my heart is heavy and i am concerned that contoversy still follows his foot steps – we all are mortal but we do need to strive to achieve a higher moral ethic – and as a leader the office of bishop demands such leadership
Dear RJK,
Could you tell us the story of All Saints and their withholding? How did the parish do it and what was the result?
I have friends in the New England Diocese. They all speak highly of Archbishop Nikon as a dedicated pastor to his priests and parishes–in spite of having been very ill. If smoking cigarettes is his greatest personal vice, I’m greatly comforted–especially in the face of all the other vices that seem to have found a home among the OCA episcopacy. I’m assuming that a cloud of incense (our prayers arising) soon dispersed the petty cloud of cigarette smoke on the bishop’s clothes.
If you are a pious layman, how could it ever even occur to you to ask your bishop to leave one of his own churches? And if you are a priest, how can you judge your father in God so harshly for such a relatively small thing?
Ivan,
I agree with you that Archbishop Nikon has been a stand up guy in his NE Diocese and for the Albanian Diocese. Because of that I wonder why he refuses to take the proper action to codify (by action of the Holy Synod) the self-deposition of Archdeacon Gregory (Burke) by his actions in marrying another man. This is a no-brainer and +Nikon’s excuse that it should be done by the next DOS bishop is not much of an answer. Archbishop Nikon has assigned clergy, transferred clergy and suspended clergy (Fr David Morretti) while being the DOS Locum Tenens. Why is he passing the buck on this one?
Such inaction is a black mark on his record. He should man up, put personal feelings aside and end this scandal in the DOS. That is his role and responsibility as a bishop.
What happened to Fr. David Moretti?
Well, the suspension probably was not a result of the Fr. Fester email theft at this late date!
Last I heard, he is now serving in an OCA perish in the Houston area. He was at the South Central deanery meeting that we hosted here at St. Paul’s. he didn’t interact much with anyone during the public meals, preferring instead to sit in a far corner and text/surf on his phone.
Did anyone ever get the story on his suspension? It was listed on the clergy changes just posted on OCA.org
Amos,
He refuses to take action, I suspect, because he’s “strongly advised” not to. Remember, the synod now runs on “group-think” and 2 bishops control it — the loudest and the oldest. This is why it’s troubling to me that they very much keep pushing the notion that the next metropolitan must “work with” the synod, and the like. An honest translation of that is “he must do what we tell him to do”.
If I were Abbot Gerasim, I’d be running and screaming back to Platina.
Helga, I understand your remark. However, Father Gerasim is not the sort to run or scream, and he’s certainly not at all the demon that poor Michael Kinsley imagines he is.
George’s remarks at the top were quite all right, but the report I read said that Father Gerasim not only graduated number on in class standing from SVS, but that he graduated SUMMA cum laude, not magna cum laude, or just cum laude.
Father Gerasim, whom I met years ago when I was a new bishop, is nothing like the person Michael Kinsley, in his delusions, tells us. He’s been here at the Holy Virgin Mary (Rescue of the Perishing) Cathedral in Los Angeles for while now, and is universally well-liked and respected already. (Of course, he replaced an absolute disaster of a man, which is an additional plus for anyone). Last Sunday a physics professor from Pepperdine and a young lawyer were at coffee and one of them expressed the idea that Father Gerasin is possessed of “electric intelligence!” I thought that was a wonderful expression, and right on. Last Sunday, he served the late Liturgy, which is all in Church Slavonic, and he read, in Russian, a sermon by Ever-memorable Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom), after the final psalm, “I will bless the Lord at all times.” His Slavonic is one hundred times better than that of the Archpriest and PhD he replaced. Many parishioners have commented on how kind he is. Indeed. I am thankful to God for myself and this parish that we have been given as share of Father Gerasim’s ministry, and the main worry expressed is, “Do you think they’ll really take him away from us and make him a Bishop?”
I’m not sure why people like Michael blame Gerasim and many others who are former spiritual children of the sainted FAther Seraphim Rose for having been obedient to former Abbot Herman, the disgraced Gleb Podmoshchensky. While the monastics of Platina did, indeed, decide to go under the omophorion of the local Serbian Bishop at the time, most of the other clergy and people of the CSB who had been led under Pangratios by Podmoshchensky, came into the OCA, particularly the Diocese of the West. They are all very oood people. For example, I would stand FAther Daniel Jones of Delta Colorado next to any presbyter of any jurisdiction in the U.S. and Canada as exactly fulfilling the exhortation of St. Paul to Timothy. The long-time Subdeacon, Johann Morse, of Holy Trinity Cathedral, San Francisco, is likewise a paragon and model for the Subdiaconate (he’s also employed by TSA). Father Matthew Tate, the perennial Dean of our Missionary District Deanery, and the long-time Rector of the Annunciation Church of Milwaukie, Oregon, is well-known throughout the OCA as a person of honesty and integrity. Every former CSB person was received individually by either Baptism or by Penance, plus Confession of Faith and Chrismation. Additionally, every former member of the CSB clergy was tonsured a Reader and Subdeacon and ordained a Deacon, and, on another day, ordained a Priest, all here at the Los Angeles Cathedral, where the assigned Priests here first heard their life’s confessions. This was NOTHING like the process we observed that the AA used in receiving the EOC Protestants. It was especially moving for me on the days when so many of the Laity were received. I had a whole crew of diocesan clergy, mainly deans, on hand one day, when some souls were baptized in a lake nearby the oregon Church, and where so many men and women scattered all around the place made their life confessions to the clergy, and then every person was individually absolved by a Priest and individually chrismated. You’d have to have been there to realize what a manifestation of the Divine Grace that was.
Michael and some others have been blind to the Grace of those conversions and are lost in remembrance of past wrongs in the days before Grace came. Too bad for them!! There are still veterans of those days around, like me, who thank God for the addition of the CSB people to Christ’s Holy Church.
Oh, in case anyone asks, the reason I insisted on Chrismation was that it was impossible to sort out who had been chrismated with the ROCOR Chrism during the days of Father Seraphim, and who by the problematic and only ‘so-called’ Chrism of the heresiarch, Pancratius. (Paggratios in modern demotic Greek).
Even I, at my age, feel a new spring in my step since Father Gerasim came here.
I pray that Michael James Kingsley may soon get a resl life, a life with our Lord, God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, so he can be reunited IN Christ to Father Gerasim!
By the way, can not anyone imagine what a real podvig and sign of stupendous and confident humility it was for a former ROCOR monk, a disciple of Father Seraphim Rose, then an obedient servant to the unfortunate former Abbot Herman, then an Abbot of Monastery of the Church of Serbia, to go off to, of ALL places, Saint Vladimir’s Seminary and sit at the feet of OCA and Antiochian teachers and pray and serve and graduate summa cum laude! I’m sorry to say that the jealousy, especially the spiritual jealousy of some is one of the most tragic facets of life in the OCA today that I can imagine. I can’t help but sense this jealousy in SOME of the hierarchs in today’s OCA Holy Synod. It will be miraculous, indeed, if they will allow the Divine Grace Which always heals the infirm to elevate Father Gerasim to the episcopate. Even now, i am tempted to destroy this message less it motivate some to act improperly.
I do not exaggerate, it took place in the very unseemly manner I describe. As a man who knows there is no condemnation in Jesus Christ, I knows full well, his comdemnation of me was his judgement.. I would be lying if I say it was other than what I first reported accurately. Believe what you will, the Lord Jesus Christ will require it of you at the Judgement.. My Mystical experiences at the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokus at the kleros in Platina were daily. Someone will soon verify my report, She is there. Actually feeling the Heavenly Presense assures me that Heaven is indeed worth the pain.Nor am I at present lacking a place in the wilderness ,safe from the presense of the dragon. If God is with me, you can be assured I do not fear any of you.
Take my claim to Fr. Gerasim, himself. If he is willing to be honest, he will affirm my claim. He was so angry with me for telling him ” Wisdom is justified of all her children”, he forbid me to speak to him a week. If, he lies, it will only prove to me further he has no business being a bishop. Nuff said!!
Just to clarify a bit about Fr. Gerasim’s stance on SVS prior to his matriculation there. I never heard any negative words from Fr. Gerasim about SVS during my years at the monastery. On the contrary, he was an avid reader of SVOTS quarterly and of books published by SVS Press. In the summer of ’93, he suggested to Abbott Herman that I, being still a novice and then in my final year at STOTS, be sent to a summer conference at SVS: Fr. Gerasim was instead himself sent to that conference. Finally, when I did matriculate at SVS, being still a novice with St. Herman Brotherhood at that time, it was with Fr. Gerasim’s full support. He gave me a review of faculty he’d met there, and the most negative description I recall hearing from him was of Fr. Tarazi, who was said to be “full of himself”–a description I consider, after having studied with Tarazi for 3.5 years, to be pretty accurate. Fr. Herman Podmoshensky, on the other hand, had plenty of criticism for SVS and especially for Fr. Schmemann. That said, he blessed me to matriculate and offered me both material and spiritual support during my studies there.
Dear Michael and James,
Michael, I pray for you as I can see that your transition in monastery life has been difficult. Thank you for sharing your story. Michael, in what jurisdiction are you now?
James, I wish to thank you for sharing your path as well, and may I also thank you for pointing out that we must thank the young woman brave enough to confront a bishop. James, in what jurisdiction are you now?
Is there still a HOCNA or a HOOM? HOw many souls were put through years of struggle because of their teaching! May the Lord have mercy on us all!
loh: I did not join a jursdiction; I joined the Orthodox Church. That’s one of Fr. Herman’s “delusions” to which I stubbornly cling. That point made, I’ve moved mostly in OCA circles since leaving the monastery, though we do maintain close relations with the local ROCOR parish and worship there regularly.
I do not consider my associations with HOOM to have been at all unfortunate, btw. Rather, I thank God for having allowed me to find my way to the Church through that avenue. I bumped into them quite late in their existence–already after they had discovered Orthodoxy and were intending to join. I count many CSB members as close friends and some are, in my view, leading exemplary Christian lives. I’m afraid your sentiments are wasted if you feel that I have in any way been hurt or hampered by my associations with HOOM/CSB: on the contrary, I feel blessed and joyful that God allowed me to tread that path.
I don’t know anything about HOCNA so I can’t comment on that. There are apparently people still calling themselves by the HOOM moniker and who are still practicing the sort of eccelctic new-age blend of spirituality adopted in the early days of its existence.
I once told you, that you really ate a lot. Your reply was quite harsh, but accurate, you worked hard and did not have a bit of fat on you. If you find a brother in a fault restore him gently is what is needful and the Christ’s command. The rich man and his brothers employed a double standard in dealing with all mankind.The command was obeyed by the rich man when dealing with his brother, but blithely ignored when considering Lazarus. What you do unto the least of these My little ones, ye do unto Me. As one writer here swallows the camel of HOOM people accepting ordination by a convicted defrocked child molester, and strains out the gnat of me calling a bishop who is accusing me of lying a puke. It was rude, and I am capable of civil discourse. I condemn the false accusation that I am lying, it was not needful to insult the bishop. I remained with the order because there was a genuine spiritual transmission in the sacraments. This puzzled me for many years. I experienced the duplicity in word and deed in their elitism. Where 2 or more are gathered in My name there am I also. The genuine love of Jesus Christ and the desire to serve God was in the hearts of some Order people. The Christ Honored His Word and He was there. The tares and wheat grew together for a time. A part of me loved the Order, they were by no means devoid of virtue. Those who had the desire to serve God may well still have it, in Orthodoxy. Your report causes me no confusion. Nevertheless, the double standard was not exclusive to HOOM, but obviously is also in Orthodox Churches. The arbitrariness of Jacob, not the Will of God directs many in the Church. He favored Esua, and this is what he acted upon, desiring to give the Blessing to the flesh, not the spirit. Rebecca’s wisdom, employed deceit, a devil’s device to trick Jacob into obeying God’s Will. It was sin and a violation of the Royal Law, to fool Jacob. Rejoice,Daughter of Zion, the Victorious Lord Jesus Christ has covered your sin. He fulfilled the Royal Law in perfection, and wisdom is justified of all Her children, One of whom is Jesus Christ.
That is Issac who served his own arbitrariness, not Jacob.
Platina refuses to communicate with me. I have asked for intersession ffom an Arizona monastery to receive proof of my Chrismation , so I can receive Communion at my local, and hometown Orthodox church. My old catholic school is still here, but I am Orthodox theologically, utterly and will not attend there. The new HOOM master teachers number 13, they are all old like me, and atleast one of them is homosexual, a common site at the HOOM. They still teach the lies of the caballa, reincarnation, and are enamored of the ancient mystery religions.The elitism of the Order was spiritual, as all member of this great white brotherhood were either B or A type reincarnated super evolved souls. I was always considered a C type.The spiritual caste system came with the prerequisite double standard, and they were above the Royal Law. The only law there is, is Love. What a mess!! The elitism was the worst aspect of the HOOM, Elitism is the refined essence of the antichrist and it is a justification for any abuse. The HOOM monks brought their elitism with them to Platina. Those new teachers are just as superior as the old ones. Leave them alone, they are blind leaders of the blind.
How long did they put up with all that logorrhea (for which there can be no room in a monastery) before they commanded the man incontinent with his tongue to watch his mouth and be silent, i wonder? Those who abuse their freedom in the Lord, may lose it and be left to grumble out their remaining days on the internet.
Does the last sentence explain what Bishop Tikhon does or what he supposes Michael is doing?
I THOUGHT George Washburn, an Orthodox presbyter, would eventually find something worthy of his notice and a little moralizing “nudge-nudge,” ala Monty Python! Is his “nudge-nudge!” question about what I am doing or what Michael Kingsley, the backbiter and slanderer, is doing a sincere one? I really don’t think I’ve abused my freedom here on the Internet, but I’ll be glad to hear from George Washburn, a priest, any support for the idea I have done so.
Bottom line, is divine justice , which none will escape, I will wait upon the Lord. Your not really getting away with anything, it is only a matter of time. My faith is this is abslolute. The Only Holy One has yet to type His judgement on these matters., and I know you don’t outrank him, fool.
I don’t know who it is that Michael James Kinsey is addressing as ‘fool,” but I don’t recommend such conduct. It’s definitely contra-indicated in Scripture. And it came out almost immediately after Fr Washburn dipped his toe in the waters here, most propitiously!
Dear James,
The only time I met a number of former HOOM people and monastticsl was in Indianapolis accidentally, who are currently in the Serbian (some of the sisters) Archdiocese, and Bulgarian(some other sisters, a priest, Father Steven Bauman and his popadija and their congregation. Father Bauman at the time I met him stated that he was still on paper in the HOOM because of some church property issue and his matushka has written a lovely article on early German Orthodox saints. They had moved to the Bulgarian Patriarchal Archdiocese under Bishop Joseph who had reportedly been a good spiritual leader to them. They really disliked their previous association with Pangratios. They had had some interesting ministries under their vagrante jurisdiction, a sandwich sop for example.
They were happy and hard working with a lot of present day ministry to the indigent and the poor in spirit in their old and present work. One of the sisters who works at the St. Seraphim bookstore adjacent to that parish had been in Alaska in some sort of charitable recovery home for alcoholic youth. I do not remember whether she was in the Serbian or Bulgrian archdiocese. Many recent converts were members of the congregation.
http://orthodoxindy.org/churches/joy-of-all-who-sorrow-orthodox-church.html
I met them all quite by accident, just looking for a local church to attend while touiristing.
Dear Michael,
I pray that you will find a good, solid spiritual home.
Once, when I needed a baptismal certificate, I couldn’t find it but got a copy from the successor jurisdiction in which I was chrismated. So, sometimes these certificates are in jurisdictional, rather than individual church records. Only a couple years ago I discovered my original certificate. It had gotten stuck to the back of a school record. Might your parent or sponsor have yours? If you belonged to a vagrante jurisdiction , it might not even exist? As you are already Orthodox, if someone is unsure, cannot they receive you by acclamation?
I do not know the rules for what happens when someone is received by an Orthodox jurisdiction after being involved in a disobedient Orthodox group. For the whole group. there are negotiations and these negotiations take years. You are in the difficult period of transitioning to a new spiritual home with your brothers in several jurisdictions today..Accept my anonymous lowly prayers to God for you.
I wonder what Fr. Gerasim’s take on Tarazi is now that he studied under him for an M.Div.
I believe Fr. Tarazi’s tenure was over by the time Fr. Gerasim matriculated. When I visited Fr. Gerasim during his first year at SVS I saw no sign of Tarazi. I did not ask, though, whether Fr. Paul was still doing any teaching, so I don’t know whether Fr. Gerasim had him for any courses during his M.Div. program.
I seem to recall asking Father Alexander Goliltzin, just before he finished teaching at SVS and returned to Marquette, about his experience. He said the most difficult aspect of his stay was teaching his classes, only to learn that Tarazi’s teaching contradicted it all. It seemed futile
Your Grace, I’m very happy to hear your report that Fr. Gerasim is doing well. My thought was not that he ought to be running and screaming, nor that he is in any way less than worthy of the episcopacy. I’m just saying that if I were him, in the present circumstances, I would want to leave the OCA altogether, rather than be considered for the episcopacy in it. For me personally, that desire would manifest itself in me running and screaming back to Platina!
This is why I am not too upset that he did not get to go to the Synod meeting. I think the only reason they let Met. Jonah bring Fr. Gerasim for consideration in the DOS was to let him appear to be a viable alternative candidate to Bishop Mark (Maymon), so that the latter’s selection and election for the DOS by the Synod could proceed with a veneer of fairness and respectability. Now that the tables have turned, who knows what will happen?
I know Helga, and I agree with you. On an amusing note, in my study of Persian, I’ve learned that the Persian word for monkey is ‘maymon.”
Some very well-meaning friends, clergy and lay, jokingly told me before I retired that I might want to cancel retirement lest I i would find myself on the same list as Puhalo/Haler/Buehler– Now, though, the main thing I must be thankful for is not being made an Archbishop—imagine, Helga, waking up and finding oneself turned into “one of those OCA Archbishops”!!!!!! I mean, did you see by chance the photo of both Metropolitans Hilarion, plus Metropolitan Jonah, Archbishops Justinian and Cyril at the ROCOR Cathedral in San Francisco, with Archbishop Benjamin holding up the south end in his singularly fabulous vestments? He was most outstanding.
By the way, has anyone checked the LasVegas odds on the OCA retiring its next, fourth Metropolitan? I mean, three’s enough, after all, but I understand Metropolitan Herman’s health is really problematic, and Metropolitan Theodosius is the same, though less so.
Your Grace, that’s very funny about Bishop Mark’s surname!
I must admit I thought it was very cold that you have not been elevated to Archbishop, even as an honorary title in retirement, since you served far longer than these active Archbishops. Well, it would just be one more thing to give to Jesus, anyway.
I wouldn’t know about Archbishop Benjamin’s vestments. His set looked kind of plain to me, honestly. I thought the little ROCOR bishop on the other end in the deep blue was in a beautiful set of vestments, though.
I am not going to visit this web site for a MONTH. i SPEAK TRUTHFULLY AND AM CALLED A LIAR AND CRAZY. cRAZY LIKE THE JEWS WHO WENT TO CONCENTRATION CAMPS, THE DENYERS GOT IT RIGHT, RIGHT. you peep’s are not worth knowing.
Just a month? Is that all you can do? Surely you could at least hold out for a full year. Staying away that long would show us how serious you REALLY are!
have mercy, even as your Father has mercy