A new article from The National Herald interviews several priests about the Fr. Katinas crisis.
Several clergymen in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America said that their retired and subsequently suspended colleague, Rev. Nicholas Katinas, former longtime pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Dallas, should be tried by a spiritual court and defrocked.
Read the candid opinion of various Orthodox priests speaking out on the issue of following canon law, reaching out to victims of sexual abuse, and the impending issue of the recently filed lawsuit over the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese handing of sexual misconduct issues. Theodore Kalmoukos, the author of the National Herald article, summarizes the situation:
Father Katinas retired from active ministry in June 2006, after serving as a priest for more than 40 years, 28 of which he served in Dallas. Just days after he retired, the Archdiocese suspended him – without explanation. Rumors began to circulate that Father Katinas, heretofore considered one of the most prominent Greek Orthodox priests in the country, had engaged in sexual improprieties. This past February, the Archdiocese confirmed that he was suspended because of allegations of sexual misconduct with minors. A potentially damaging lawsuit has since been filed by two of Father Katinas’ alleged victims against the Archdiocese, the Metropolis of Denver, Holy Trinity Church in Dallas and Father Katinas personally.
Kalmoukos then lists the highlights of his interviews with several priests.
Rev. Emmanuel Metaxas:
Rev. Emmanuel Metaxas, pastor emeritus of the Taxiarcahe-Archangels Church in Watertown, who has been one of Archbishop Demetrios’ closest friends for decades, said he believes Demetrios is not in actuality the Archbishop of America, but functionally a locum tenens (caretaker) and mere figurehead, and that Rev. Alexander Karloutsos, director of the Archdiocese’s Faith Endowment and executive advisor of the Order of Saint Andrew – Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, is the man who is really in charge of the Archdiocese, since Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople “does whatever Father Karloutsos tells him.”
“We have a double standard. (Emmanuel) Koveos, who did nothing compared to what Katinas did, was defrocked,” said Father Metaxas, who has served the Watertown parish for 55 years. “Shouldn’t Katinas, who did so much for so many years, also be punished?”
When asked whether Father Katinas should be defrocked, Father Metaxas said, “Yes, I think he should. Repentance is one thing; it’s spiritual. But this has to do with administration.” Commenting on the lawsuit, Father Metaxas said, “Our Church has to be protected, because we are not like the Catholic Church. We are a small Church. What do we have to sell? It’s a terrible thing for our Church to have to pay for these crimes. Why should the Church pay? The priest should be punished individually, unless the Archdiocese knew and covered it up.”
Asked to comment on why he thinks the Archbishop is refusing to return Father Katinas to lay status because the latter wants to be buried as a priest, Father Metaxas said, “Like I have told you before, Demetrios is not the Archbishop of America, he is the locum tenens. The Patriarch does whatever Father Karloutos orders. Demetrios doesn’t have complete authority.”
Rev. Michael Varvarelis:
Rev. Michael Varvarelis, pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, expressed dismay about the Archbishop’s decision to refrain from sending Father Katinas to spiritual court.
“How can he justify himself before the Church Canons? I’m very distressed over what has occurred and what the Church is going through as a result. The Church has its way of dealing with these occurrences, but he (Father Katinas) should leave the priesthood immediately. This is what the Church canons stipulate.”
Asked whether he was surprised that the Archbishop has so far refused to send Father Katinas before a spiritual court to be defrocked, Rev. Varvarelis said, “Very much, because he this decision is unjustified according to Canon Law,” adding that letting someone off the hook too easy sends the wrong message.
“Each one of us, including the Archbishop and the Synod, have a great responsibility. Any indication to the contrary would equate with encouraging such clergymen – if there are any – to rest easy,” he said.
“The Holy Eparchial Synod needs to set up procedures so that the Church never has to go through this trouble again, and the theological school also needs to take the issue a little more seriously, with the knowledge that people who show any tendencies towards this sort of behavior should not be allowed into the priesthood,” Father Varvarelis added.
Rev. Christopher Metropoulos:
Rev. Christopher Metropoulos, pastor of the Saint Demetrios Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, noted the tragedy of human weaknesses involved.
“It’s essentially sad because the man was a devoted priest, with an accomplished record of service to the Church. At the same time, however, we now find ourselves faced with a disaster arising out of human weakness, which we know to be wrong and unacceptable, not only for priests, but for lay people as well. We live in a fallen world. We pray for him, but especially for his victims, and we also pray for this matter to come to a peaceful conclusion,” he said, adding that he was concerned about the lawsuit.
“I’m very uneasy about the lawsuit,” he said.
When he was asked whether he thought Father Katinas should be defrocked, Father Metropoulos said, “The bishops are familiar with canon law, and will decide accordingly. I pray for them, because this is a difficult situation for them, too, since they worked together with this man for so many years. All the good that he did all these years has now been undone. This is a terrible thing.”
Rev. George Kaloudis:
Father Kaloudis pointed out that the Church is a spiritual hospital, which succors and comforts those in distress, noting that Father Katinas has a son who is a priest, and is also a grandfather.
“The Church must act like a mother. It is now up to the bishops; the members of the Holy Eparchial Synod. The Church should be merciful because his son is a priest, and he has grandchildren,” he said.
When asked how he thought Father Katinas’ alleged crimes have affected the plaintiffs, he said, “It’s difficult for me to speak about the victims. Has anyone seen the victims? Does anyone have accurate testimony?”
When he was reminded that the Archdiocese has officially conceded that the allegations against Father Katinas have been corroborated, Father Kaloudis replied, “Then the Archdiocese knows what it has to do.”
Should Father Katinas be defrocked, Father Kaloudis was asked? “The Church should act like a mother, lest he go and commit suicide, and then things will get even worse,” he said.
Rev. Nicholas Kastanas:
Rev. Nicholas Kastanas, pastor of Saint Athanasios Church in Arlington, said prayer is necessary for both perpetrators and victims and that, above all, victims and the Church need to be protected from such circumstances.
“We certainly need to pray for all those involved in the matter, especially the victims. The victims and our Church need to be protected.”
Father Kastanas also said, “Father Katinas needs to appear before a spiritual court, which will decide accordingly (whether he should be defrocked).”
Rev. Andrew George:
Rev. Andrew George, pastor of the Annunciation Church in Cranston, Rhode Island, said he was shocked when he first learned about the case.
“I was left feeling speechless when I first read about the incident in the National Herald, because he was a very respectable priest, and I was very sorry to hear about what happened,” he said.
“It’s strange to hear that he wants to be buried as priest after having led this sort of a life. First and foremost, I feel sorry for his victims,” Father George added.
Rev. Stephen Callos:
Rev. Stephen Callos, pastor of Saints Constantine & Helen Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, has known Father Katinas for many years. “My first parish was in Merrillville, Indiana and he was serving at the Assumption Church in Olympia Fields, Illinois. He was someone I had great respect for, and it’s very sad,” he said.
When asked whether the Archdiocese should compensate Father Katinas’ alleged victims from its treasury, Father Callos said. “Do we have a choice?”
Father Callos, a faithful reader of the National Herald, also said he believes the Church “needs to be open and honorable with people who exhibit these type of problems,” and that Father Katinas needs to be defrocked. “He has to be punished. Yes, he should be defrocked to ensure the good name of the Church,” he stressed.
Rev. Dean Paleologos:
“I always had a personal relationship with Father Nicholas, characterized by love and friendship, and what took place is very sad. My prayers are with him and his family,” said Father Dean Paleologos, pastor of Saint Spyridon Church in Worcester. “I am fervently praying for the children, of course, the victims,” he said.
When asked whether he thought Father Katinas should be defrocked, Father Paleologos said, “The Synod will have to discuss the matter and come to a decision. Any decision they arrive at should be respected. With regard to his desire to be buried as a priest, the Church will have to decide about that.”
Rev. Soterios Demetriou:
Rev. Soterios Demetriou, Pastor of the Assumption Church in Olympia Fields, where Father Katinas served before being transferred to the Dallas parish, and where it is alleged he molested a third child, said he does not know Father Katinas very well.
“I met him once at the theological school, and then again when he came here for an anniversary celebration, but aside from that, I never had anything to do with him. We don’t have any problems here in our community, thank God. But this is a sad situation.”
Asked whether Father Katinas should be defrocked, he replied that he would agree with “whatever the bishops of the Holy Eparchial Synod will decide.”
Rev. Dr. Robert Stephanopoulos:
Father Stephanopoulos said, “Father Katinas was one of our most prominent priests. He was very good, and I knew him back from our days at the theological school. I’m very sorry for what happened. It’s very unfortunate. But I think that the Church acted correctly. From that point on, let the bishops come to terms with their conscience and the responsibility that they bear.”
Asked whether Father Katinas should be removed from the priesthood, Father Stephanopoulos said, “What do the Canons say? Based on what I’ve read in the National Herald, the Archbishop made a decision. I don’t think he should be defrocked, since they have already suspended him, and he no longer serves. He is seeing a psychiatrist. No, I don’t think he should be defrocked.”
When asked why other priests found guilty of the same behavior were defrocked, Father Stephanopoulos said, “When we look at each person’s case history individually, we see that others were defrocked, and others were never tried under Archbishop Iakovos. He would not make a decision, and the matter would go directly to the Ecumenical Patriarchate.”
Rev. Angelo Pappas:
Rev. Angelo Pappas, pastor of Saint Nicholas Church in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, said such trying circumstances in the life of the Church generally produce no winners, noting that pedophilia is both an illness and a crime.
“We’re all losers in this instance: the priests, the victims, the Church, the priesthood, the family – everyone – even if he is defrocked, which is not up to me, but the Synod,” he said. “This is a sickness. The man is sick. There is no doubt that what he did is criminal. There are victims here. The man is sick, and he needs help.”
The full text of this National Herald article is available to online subscribers here.
Orthodox Reform 