OCA Bishop Speaks Out Against Anti-Church “Attack”

Following remarks by Bishop Nikolai speaking against all those who have raised questions about their decisions or actions regarding sexual misconduct charges as “malefactors” and “enemies” who are “anti-Church” (see the related article), comes continuing news into sexual misconduct issues in Alaska by OCA clergy:

In a letter to Metropolitan Herman, Paul Sidebottom, Assistant Dean of St. Herman Seminary at the time, reported that, while Fr. Isidore was under the influence of alcohol, he said he didn’t want to be sent back to Anchorage to the bishop because ‘papa beats me’. Sidebottom also alleged that Brittain made sexual advances.

The office of the Metropolitan said an investigation into the allegations was forthcoming. Also he told Bishop Nikolai to stay out of the process.

Incidentally, after sending the letter to the Metropolitan, Sidebottom was informed, via email, that he no longer had a job. source

The article continues:

Preconceived notions of child abuse

Guess columnist Erin comments on Rod Dreher’s blog on the current state of the Catholic abuse crisis:

We Catholics have been facing up to the reality of clerical child abuse for the past several years now. Some of us were unafraid to confront it; others wanted to deny it or excuse it; but the fact remains that we know more about the problem than we ever did, and it will be increasingly difficult for situations to occur where the abuse of children by a priest can go on unnoticed and unchecked. We have a long way to go; but in order to get where we are now, we had to set aside our own presumptions and wishful thinking and look at the problem as it actually existed. To the extent that’s been done solutions are possible; to the extent it hasn’t, solutions will remain elusive, because unless we know what we’re dealing with and why, we won’t be able to take action honestly and completely against the underlying causes of the abuse of children by priests.

Erin also quotes from a very insightful article by David Crary of the Associated Press which presents an “uncompromising look at some aspects of child abuse in our time that often go without being discussed”:

Recent Review of Sexual Misconduct Reports

The National Herald recently ran a 10th anniversary special which included a recap of recent sexual misconduct scandals, for which “the Archdiocese has had to pay more than $10 million in legal settlements and fees” during the past five years alone.

The National Herald article begins by telling about the sexual misconduct issues in the late 1990s at the Holy Cross Seminary which led to a national scandal:

The larger crisis in the Archdiocese was precipitated by a smaller-scale crisis at Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, after Archbishop Spyridon’s controversial decision to dismiss then HC/HC President Rev. Dr. Alkiviades Calivas and several longtime professors from the School. An incident of alleged sexual misconduct involving a lay student and an ordained student (an archimandrite on leave from Mount Athos) at the School’s dormitory had fueled the climate of disarray.

The Herald lists some public examples of the sexual misconduct issues of the last two years:

It’s Always the Cover-up That Gets Them

The Orthodox of America are asking themselves many questions regarding the scandals of our day. What did the Orthodox Hierarchs know about the unethical practices of our clergy, and when did they know it? The National Herald today asked:

Did members of our Church’s ecclesiastical framework, at various levels of the Church’s administrative strata, have prior knowledge of priests with certain proclivities and records of abusing minors? After all, this is what the lawsuits are alleging to justify pursuing reparation from other than those who are allegedly directly responsible.

We hope the Church is simply acting in its own defense, but circumstances being what they are, and the spirit of the times being what it is (e.g., the Roman Catholic Church’s sex scandals), we are raising these questions in the hope of helping our community search for answers to effectively confront this grave challenge. Source

Below is a comment posted today by an OCA priest on the Orthodox Forum Yahoo Group. He said:

Archdiocese to Settle Misconduct Cases

Author: Theodore Kalmoukos

Date Published: 11/16/2007

Publication: The National Herald

BOSTON – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is about to agree to an out-of-court settlement concerning two old cases of sexual misconduct involving former priests – archimandrites from California – according to information obtained by the National Herald. The cost for the settlement is expected to exceed the sum of $2 million, plus legal fees of $300 thousand.

One case concerns the late Stanley Adamakis, who was murdered in 2003 by a person with whom he had a special relationship. Mr. Adamakis had pled guilty to charges in 1990 that he had sexually molested two teenagers.

The other case concerns Michael Rymer, who is said to be suffering from a serious illness, and who currently lives as monk in a monastery which belongs to the Orthodox Church in America (formerly the Russian Orthodox Metropolia). A Greek American alleged that Mr. Rymer, who has already been already defrocked, abused him when Mr. Rymer was an active priest.

Rev. Michael Pappas To Be Defrocked

Author: Theodore Kalmoukos

Date Published: 11/09/2007

Publication: The National Herald

Priest in San Francisco to be Defrocked

BOSTON, Mass. – Rev. Michael Pappas, former parish priest of Holy Trinity Church in San Francisco, is going to be defrocked and returned to the ranks of the laity, according to Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco.

Demonstrate True Kindness By Removing Abusers

Letter to the Editor of Orthodox Reform

Eph. 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Ever heard it suggested that “kindness” means never revealing the sins of another? While all of us hope to hide behind the cloak of anonymity with regard to our sins, we must draw the line when silence can result in harm to others.

In Texas, where I live, failure to report child abuse of any kind, is a criminal offense, as it should be. The state recognizes the right to sin anonymously is not greater than the right of protection for its children. Should the Church do less?

In theory, when a clergyman, or candidate for the clergy is found to be guilty of abuse, the man is removed from the position of authority which gives him access to other victims. In practice, in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, one who alleges abuse, even when that claim is substantiated by a confession from the abuser, is asked to promise not to take legal action and not to let others know. Meanwhile, nothing at all is done to remove the opportunity for more abuse. Clergy who abuse are often left in power to abuse another day. The working policy is, “The first one is free.” All the while the shepherds who have it within their power to protect the sheep, but do not, constantly tell the victimized flock, “forgive.”

May our priests and bishops demonstrate true kindness by removing abusers from churches and not recommending ordination of new ones.

Janine Shinn
Dallas, TX

Church In Dallas Asks $250K From Parishioners

Author: Theodore Kalmoukos

Date Published: 11/02/2007

Publication: The National Herald

Funds Needed To Finance Defense For The Katinas Lawsuit

BOSTON, Mass. – Holy Trinity Church in Dallas, Texas is soliciting special contributions from its parishioners, above and beyond their regular annual membership, in order to pay attorneys $250,000 to defend the parish against a lawsuit which has been filed against the parish because its former longtime pastor, Nicholas Katinas, allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with minors.

Mr. Katinas was accused earlier this year of sexually molesting underage boys while serving as a priest at the Holy Trinity Church. He was finally sent to spiritual court this past summer, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople defrocked him to the rank of the laity this past summer.

In a letter sent to members of the parish this past October 5, current Parish Priest Rev. Christopher Constantinides and Parish Council President George Michael ask the faithful to contribute $250-1,000 or more. They express concern that, in the event the people who filed the lawsuit win judgment, “the church’s assets (most notably its land and buildings) could be seized to satisfy the judgment.”

Neither Father Constantinides nor George Michael had returned the National Herald’s calls at press time.

We Ought to Agonize About What the Future Holds

Author: Theodore Kalmoukos

Date Published: 11/02/2007

Publication: The National Herald

From all indications, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has been treading on a similar path as Roman Catholic Church has been walking on for the last 4-5 years because of its clergy-pedophilia scandals.

The story published in this week’s edition about Holy Trinity Church in Dallas’ special solicitation of funds to cover an expected $250,000 in legal fees – to defend the parish from a lawsuit brought against the parish due to allegations of sexual misconduct with minors against its former pastor, Nicholas Katinas – should concern everyone in the Archdiocese, especially the laity. After all, it is the laity which is struggling to find the money to support and sustain our parishes.

All faithful who go to church on Sunday morning are volunteers, including parish council members, but not the clergy, starting from the Archbishop, the Metropolitans and the priests, all of whom are salaried – and some of whom enjoy extremely lofty salaries. How does the Archdiocese justify a base salary of $200,000 for a priest, plus benefits?

The most disturbing aspect of the letter sent to Dallas parishioners is the alarming concern that the very property of the parish, “most notably its land and buildings, could be seized to satisfy the judgment.”