Saint John Maximovitch has to be grieving.
Chaos and Division in the OCA Diocese of the West - Orthodox Reflections
Below is an open letter written by Archpriest Andrew Moore and printed here by his permission. We highly recommend his article on Orthodox bloggers found here.
Archbishop Benjamin, Fr David Morrison, Archbishops, Bishops of the OCA, deans of the Diocese of the West, and my fellow Archpriests, priests and deacons, and all faithful of the Holy Church
Grace and Peace to you,
I am writing with great concern for the unity of the flock here in Montana. I will explain. Over two years ago a group of Christians in Helena, MT at our OCA mission expressed their desire to begin anew after a twenty-year history of failure for the growth of the mission there.
Having extensively discussed with the people why they left, it has become clear that this possibility was being discussed going back decades.
The people of Helena for several years had expressed their desire for more services and access to pastoral care and felt this was falling on deaf ears. Then came Covid. The OCA in the west was utterly shut down in our diocese by Archbishop Benjamin. Fr David Morrison was perfect in his obedience to Archbishop Benjamin. We in the OCA were told not to celebrate the mysteries and allow access to the Liturgy for the vast majority of our people. That’s what Fr David did. We were told not to visit the sick, anoint the dying in hospitals and nursing homes. That is what Fr David did. We in the Diocese of the West were not allowed by our Archbishop to have direct contact with any of our people for any pastoral reason. This went on for months.
The Serbian Church took a less drastic approach. The Serbian Church allowed for the norms of Orthodox pastoral care to remain for the care of the people as they faced the problem of death. Bp Maxim allowed for his churches to stay open. He allowed for priests like Fr Russell Radoicich in Butte, MT to continue in norms of pastoral care. This brought about a contrast that was easily seen by the faithful Orthodox Christians in this region. People from both Bozeman and Helena came to Fr Russell and Holy Trinity for liturgy, confession, counseling etc. Fr Russell was hospitable and received people as they came. He did not seek them out. They came to him of their own free will.
There was a time not that long ago that Montana was not considered to be the most desirable place to serve as a priest. At that time there were no other priests in all of vast Montana except Fr Russell. He went from Butte to OCA people in Billings and Bozeman. He served the Greeks in Missoula, Great Falls, and Havre. He went to the Orthodox gathered all the way up in Kalispell, Mt and did services all the way down south in Jackson Hole WY. Never did he try to bring these communities into his “Serbian control” even when the people asked. Fr Russell just provided ordinary Orthodox pastoral care for everyone. For this he must be destroyed. How dare this priest be so out of step with what was being ordered in the DOW!
It was decided by a group of laity in Helena that after Fr Michael Shepherd was dismissed in the summer before Covid, that they needed a new start for their struggling mission. The people met with Fr David Morrison and mission Dean Fr Matthew Tate exploring any options for increased care of their souls. Their suggestion to involve other Orthodox priests in Montana, including OCA priests nearby, in having services in Helena was rejected. They felt “blown off” and left the meeting being told that nothing would change in the next several years. Being completely cut off from the mysteries and pastoral care, these people began to look for a solution to the famine of the Word they were experiencing in the OCA. Many of them were already attending Holy Trinity in Butte. They had had a long relationship with Fr Russell as some had been brought into the church by him years ago. As Holy Trinity was the only Church offering the antidote to death, in the overwhelming fear of death, the people flocked to where Christ was being manifested. They were coming from Bozeman, Missoula, Helena for the simple reason Holy Trinity was open for business and the DOW of the OCA was not.
Fr Deacon Ananias was given the blessing by his Archbishop Nathaniel to serve in Bishop Benjamin’s parish in Helena. Fr Deacon lived in Helena as he had taken a professor position at Carol College there. Fr David began attempting to pressure the deacon to have his potential publications first submitted to Fr David for approval. Deacon Ananias could not agree to this process, since publishing papers is a tenant of obtaining tenure as a full professor. Additionally, Fr David lacks the requisite knowledge and expertise to evaluate or contribute to these papers, much less the authority to have final decision in allowing publication. Furthermore, it was made clear that Dn. Ananias would never become a priest in Helena. As time went on the deacon was not being used in Bozeman for any role. Moreover, he was made to feel that he would have no future in this part of the country unless he came under the Omophorion of Archbishop Benjamin. The hostility of the Archbishop made it clear that this was an offer that had to be refused. There was a very focused effort to have control over all aspects of his academic and professional life, especially his Patristic Faith website.
The deacon sought permission and blessing of his Archbishop Nathaniel and then Bp Maxim to help Fr Russell at Holy Trinity. This was blessed and granted by both bishops. With Archbishop Nathaniel’s blessing, the deacon was assigned to the altar at Holy Trinity in Butte under the direct authority of Fr Russell and Bp Maxim.
The people of the Helena mission were speaking openly to Fr Russell about their desire to start a Serbian mission. The OCA experience had been chaos and there was no hope of change in the fore-seen future. They wanted a new start.
This request was then passed to Bp Maxim who blessed the start of a new mission but not in Helena. The new mission was to be two towns away from Helena and in a different county. One of the laity was appointed by the “breakaway, rogue group” to tell Fr David of these actions and that they had started a new mission. Fr David was shocked and very angry at the news.
Fr David, according to the witness, exploded to his former parishioner with a shouted narrative of betrayal, unfaithful, rogue actions, and insurrection by me, Fr Andrew, Fr Russell, and Deacon Ananias. The young woman was shocked at his anger and confused with his narrative of clergy conspiracy to steal Helena from him. The young woman tried to explain that no priest or deacon had been involved in this decision and it was the people within the mission who had done this. Fr David would have none of it.
Fr. David demonstrated an inability to reflect on the result of occasional pastoral care and limited services provided to the people of Helena. He did not care to remember that he provided no direction or supervision to Fr Michael Shepherd just the summer before, which lead to chaos and an abrupt end to his Summer internship and hopes that he would be their permanent priest. He showed his incapacity to measure the effect of being cut off from the mysteries during Covid. In fact, the only reason for this fracturing of the mission had to be, Fr David surmised, not me at all. It had to be two priests and a deacon.
I got a call from this person in Helena that night in tears. This was the person who dared to tell Fr David that out of concern for their souls, they were starting a new mission. She asked me, as we did not know each other at all, “Who are you Fr Andrew and why was Fr David yelling about you?” Since I’m new to the diocese, I called Fr Matthew Tate (our mission Dean), and three days later he assured me of what I already knew, that I had not been “meddling” in the affairs of our OCA mission and that Fr David had retracted that accusation about me. I was glad to not be accused of “insurrection and rogue overthrow” of a mission. I learned then from Fr Matthew Tate that the Deacon and Fr Russell, “were facing serious charges and were in big trouble.” Fr David was intent on continuing this narritive against these two men.
In those first three days, I spoke to many members of the Helena mission. In those three days, they all said the same thing. The people of Helena were frustrated with the leadership of the Diocese of the West in regard to their pastoral care. They all claimed to have done this on their own and that neither the accused priest nor deacon had anything to do with their decision to leave the OCA.
Some weeks later several text messages surfaced from Fr Dcn. Ananias to a friend mentioning there was a meeting with all the people and priests to discuss moving forward with a new mission, and he expressed a hope that someday, Lord willing, he might be able to serve Helena as a priest. These texts now, according to Fr David and the Archbishop, were “the smoking gun” they had been looking for. These texts messages, they said, were concrete proof of Dn Ananias’ subversive actions splitting the Helena parish and trying to create a place to make himself a priest. Upon close examination, these texts from Deacon Ananias were weeks after the decision to go to the Serbians was requested by the laity and approved by Bp Maxim. These texts are still being touted as “proof,” but the timeline of events shows that Deacon Ananias merely mentioned the existence of a mission only after the new mission came to be, and only when he was a deacon serving in the Serbian Church in Butte. He was not involved in any meetings. He did not discuss leaving the OCA with anyone, nor did he talk to people about establishing a new mission. He stayed out of the process entirely.
No matter how this event has been spun, it is really about Episcopal abuse of power and the Archbishop’s pastoral failure. His desire to control others allowed for the creation of a false narrative needed to destroy the character of a priest and deacon.
The story of the Helena insurrection was now to take on a life of its own. Fr David, without any proof, shared his allegations with Archbishop Benjamin. Benjamin championed Fr David as a victim of these priests and deacon, and then amplified the allegations by sending them to both Bp. Maxim and Archbp. Nathaniel. Archbishop Benjamin went so far as to threaten a regional schism with the Serbian church if he did not get his way and if Fr Russell wasn’t disciplined. If true, these charges would be very serious and could lead to being defrocked. The only problem is that they were without foundation.
These charges to this date have not been investigated, as Archbishop Benjamin would not allow it. The truth proved unimportant. All that was needed is a narrative that could be repeated over and over for character assassination. Several of the people involved in the new mission provided proof that their discussion to have a new mission began long before Deacon Ananias had even arrived in Montana. However, the Archbishop had the narrative he wanted, and the truth would be inconvenient; therefore, it would be ignored. Obedience and loyalty of those around Archbishop Benjamin meant that the narrative had to be repeated without question. The Diocese of the West sent her mission Dean to Helena to assure the people that both Fr Russell and Deacon Ananias would soon “be dealt with.” Archbishop Benjamin came later. The people in Helena asked that we get everybody together and straighten this out. That was not part of the Archbishop’s agenda. The Archbishop squashed the suggestion telling the people that, “this matter is so serious, it is only between Bishops, and involves the discipline of these clergy.”
However, both the other Bishops had looked at the evidence themselves and knew the charges were baseless. Archbishop Benjamin knew also there was no discipline being contemplated by either of the Bishops who actually had episcopal oversite in this matter and actually taken the effort to do an investigation. The Archbishop then expands the lie to the laity suggesting that this could lead to the discipline of these two men. No truth, no investigation, no trial, no evidence, and no opportunity for a defense: “Let’s just use inuendo and have everybody believe that there is veracity in the Archbishop’s words.” Every word to these people was a lie. The Archbishop knew full well that Fr David’s original accusations lacked veracity, as he had by this time been provided all the letters, emails, and affidavits exonerating Deacon Ananias and Fr Russell. The Archbishop still would not allow an investigation into what led to the failure of the mission in Helena. The Deans of our diocese continue to defend Fr. David, saying that they had found him truthful in the past. Fr David is still portrayed as a victim in this matter.
I have, since this began, been treated as if I am the problem for not cooperating with the Archbishop’s narrative. Other priests have been told not to talk to me or have anything to do with me. I was strictly told to stay out of all the things having to do with Helena. Remember that I was initially accused by Fr David as “coconspirator.” I have had every right to speak with the people of Helena. I have come to know many of them, and we are poorer in the OCA having lost them.
Fr David’s unthoughtful, knee jerk reaction to the news of a new Mission for the people of Helena has since then, by innuendo, been disseminated to the clergy of the diocese, especially those of the Rocky Mountain deanery. This has served to divide the Orthodox people of Montana and the clergy of Montana. There are godparents and godchildren divided from each other over the acceptance or rejection of this false narrative.
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There has been especial attention given to the very personal attack that has been made against Deacon Ananias and his “Patristic Faith” website, which he relinquished all executive authority to the priests on the Clergy Advisory Board to run. They said: “He is an insurrectionist and he runs that website.” How are those connected? If there is something “unorthodox” appearing on this website, then Archbishop Benjamin or anybody else for that matter should point it out? What is the problem with the content of Patristic Faith? I have asked that question and found little substance in the answers I received. I’ve been told that DN Ananias has an edge. Today I read that he has a difficult personality. One of our deans told me that he is very young. Wow, those are serious charges? Let’s get that man out of the ranks of the clergy. But what on the website in terms of Orthodox content is the problem? Never an answer of substance offered with logic or reason.
Now the men who offer articles on this site are being labeled by priests in the DOW as extreme traditionalists and rigorists. Wow, that sounds awful. What exactly though have they written that is outside the norms of Orthodoxy? Let take that on and have that conversation. No, we would rather just label them and shut them down. This is nuts and is the OCA’s version of “extreme MAGA and rightwing extremists”. Our Archbishop has shown little interest in objective criteria or sound investigation, so why would his priests be any different? Objective facts or proof are no substitute for whispers and inuendo. It has come to my attention that our Archbishop, in his discernment, identified a list of canonical priests and deacons as “enemies of his diocese.” All of them serve in good standing without canonical charges against them. What is it, Archbishop, that makes you say these fellow priests are your enemy? What standard of discernment are you using? Apart from the canons and Holy Tradition of the Church, these measures of our Archbishop suggest a special knowledge within himself that everyone else is unaware of. Our job as under-servants is to just accept it. I won’t do that.
These “enemy men” are lumped into the same category as Satan. The Archbishop has decided that he can go past the content of a blog, website, preaching and teaching, and just destroy the character of a person he doesn’t like. The Deacon has suffered this false narrative of Fr David and the Archbishop for two years, and is now declared along with Satan to be an enemy of the diocese. He has done the same with at least two other brothers in the DOW. For our part no priest in Montana has aired the lies of Fr David and the abuse of Archbishop Benjamin in public until now. This is being done only after informing every possible Episcopal authority within the diocese and the national church of this disease of disunity. The damage being done to the Church in Montana, and our fellowship in Christ, is sad and far reaching. We have given fair warning to both the Metropolitan’s office and to the chancellor of the DOW that this was the only avenue left to deal with the divisions being caused. We have endured the Episcopal abuse long enough.
If there was a canonical complaint against the Deacon, the animosity expressed by our Archbishop for this man would have provided the Archbishop all the necessary ammo to bring an immediate case and force the other Bishops to act in a disciplinary manner. Archbishop Benjamin would not have stopped until the deacon was out of the clergy or under his direct control. Like he did with Met. Jonah. Archbishop Benjamin feels threatened when he is not in control of a person or the narrative. This is especially true as his Parkinson’s has clearly advanced into severe and rapid mental decline, but it was there before.
Fr. David delivered a fabrication of his passions to the Archbishop. The Archbishop then magnified those passions to two other bishops, other clergy, and shamefully even to the laity, creating divisions within the diocese and the region. It is still happening.
This last week we received a letter from OCA Bishop Grasim declining an invitation as a speaker to our Montanika conference this summer. His Grace stated that his reason for declining the invite was that a local OCA priest thought that his presence would be hurtful to his parish and pastoral ministry. The self-professed victim!
This conference is Bp. Maxim’s conference, blessed by His Grace and under Bp Maxim’s authority, who is this year’s keynote speaker. This conference is merely being advertised by the Patristic Faith website. Fr David reasons that because this conference has something to do with Deacon Ananias, it would hurt his ministry to have an OCA bishop speak and give the conference credence. Last year’s conference was amazing. We had over two hundred people, most of which were young men in their twenties and early thirties. We are at a place in this diocese, in which a self-proclaimed victim and priest, can’t handle having an OCA bishop speaking at a conference in his own back yard because it is being advertised by his imagined enemies. If that isn’t wrought with anxiety and paranoia, I not sure what qualifies. The one person trying to direct the traffic is the one impaired person who caused the wreak in the first place. There is really power in being a victim as you often get your way.
I have for two years now shared these facts with the Bishops involved. Then with Metropolitan Tikhon and Chancellor Rentel. I have included the deans and chancellors of the diocese to no avail. All of the affidavits of the people involved bear witness to the lies and deceptions of both Fr David and Archbishop Benjamin. I have heretofore tried to keep this within the confines of the clergy, but Father David, the Archbishop, and others in the clergy of this diocese have allowed this to be a scandal for the people and a cause for disunity between our Churches. They have encouraged God’s people to take sides. Now I’m telling it to the Church. Fr David has spun this destructive fantasy rooted in his insecurity, fear, and paranoia. Now he is wanting to influence the very person rumored to be our next Bishop in the DOW, hoping to continue this vile narrative to the next Bishop.
In these last three years in this diocese there is faith, hope, and love but the greatest of these is obedience. Our Episcopal authority has insisted on Obedience over all things over and over again. Nothing like using a crisis to expand ones own personal power. I will not be obedient to a lie. So, I am also counted by our Archbishop as an enemy of the diocese. I am one of the bad priests that he has called “protestant” for not “being obedient” to whatever narrative and novelty was being offered that day. The Archbishop chastised me saying “No one ever asked you to think, just obey”. That did not sound like the Holy Spirit or the voice I know as the true Shepherd of the Church…it just sounded crazy!
The Dean of the Rocky Mountain Deanery Fr Anthony Karbo advised me just yesterday:
“I suggest instead
of remaining a victim of the bishop, and others incessantly writing
blogs “against” episcopal mandates and such you lead the charge to
defend the integrity of the Church and seek the deposition of our
hierarch…
…quit you like men, be strong…
If you believe strongly, and evidently you do… that the hierarch, and
Fr. David, violate the integrity of the faith… then seek their canonical
deposition…
I could respect that!
Let’s be men! Let’s be strong! Or are we ‘afraid?’”
I care for Fr Anthony Karbo as he is in my every daily and every liturgy prayers. I thank him for his advice and direction. So here it is. Let’s actually solve this problem. I know we in the OCA don’t usually solve these disfunctions, especially in the Episcopacy, we just move on acting as if there is nothing to see.
I have for two years sought to work within the Episcopacy. I have informed our Archbishop, Deans, chancellors of this unfortunate situation and revealed what I believe to be abuse by our Archbishop of priests, priest wives and not a few of the faithful. I never asked for the Archbishop’s disposition nor did I ask that Fr David be defrocked. They did that, not me. I just wanted the lies to stop so that our people can begin to heal and have the joy of being Orthodox together. I am not sure about defending the integrity of the faith and the church. That sounds as if it is above my paygrade. I just want the lies and abuse to stop. So, I make these charges public as a defense of Deacon Ananias and Fr Russell who I count as good men. It is time to man up.
Fr Anthony Karbo knows that no charges can be brought by me, but have to go through the Archbishop when it involves a priest. Charges would go through other bishops when it involves the ruling hierarch. The synod has witnessed the Archbishop’s abuse of his office these last three years, and have stood by unwilling or unable to stop the unhinged actions of our out-of-control Hierarch. There is a two-inch-thick folder of complaint against Archbishop Benjamin in the Metropolitan office, but nothing is done? There is no one ready to replace him, and in his undiscerning condition, he might start talking about things best left unsaid. As I was told years ago by a well-known and esteemed Archpriest, this Archbishop knows “where all the bodies are buried”. His knowledge creates a type of paralysis in the whole Synod. In that paralysis people continue to be hurt and divided from one another. What can we do? When men of good will say nothing, we know what comes next.
Archbishop Benjamin – man up. Fr David – man up! You deans who are involved, let’s go…Karbo said so! Let’s stop the ad hominin defense of some priests like Fr David and the ad hominin destruction of others like Deacon Ananias, Fr Russell, the other “enemies of our diocese”. Surely, you men are more capable in argument than: “Father David good… Deacon Ananias bad… Archbishop say so, me obedient good priest.” It sounds truly Neanderthal.
If Fr David is telling the truth, let him prove it! I am publicly calling my Archbishop Benjamin and Fr David Morrison liars. They are guilty of false testimony against fellow clergy. The Archbishop is guilty of using his office for the abuse of clergy. Nothing took place here in Montana in the way they have reported it. Just because you have controlled the narrative does not evidence the truthfulness of your report. I’m calling for Archbishop Daniel to be in oversite of an actual investigation. Let’s talk to all the people in Helena. Let’s actually interview Fr Russell and Deacon Ananias. Right now, this investigation is the report of Fr David and those who are able to repeat what they heard from Fr David. Archbishop Daniel knows the lay of the land and all parties involved. Let him discern.
This priest will not be told to shut up and be quiet because I am speaking a truth that is inconvenient to the Archbishop. I am not afraid of the loss of my employment, being removed from the rectory, and having to apply for government cheese and peanut butter. That is the fear that priest wives have reported to me in these last three years. That is the abuse of the whole priest family. Fear the Archbishop. How sad!
No priest or deacon deserves his ministry ruined by a false narrative of an Archbishop gone insane with an irrational desire to control others. He is not bringing people up on canonical charges, just ruining their reputations. I have been told that our Archbishop believes he can suspend a priest for any reason. In fact, I am told that he needs no reason at all. Not even the Pope in Rome can do that. Send in the clergy union organizers (CLO)!
No priest in the Church should imagine that they are being pious in retelling the lies of an Archbishop, and that this is necessary to be loyal and obedient to said bishop. There are more important things than obedience and loyalty.
These canonical priests the Archbishop has labeled as enemies of the Church are brothers in Christ and are in good standing. Whatever measure the Archbishop is using to label them as an enemy is unknown to the Holy Church and therefore rejected. The list of names that are enemies of Archbishop Benjamin’s imagination is several, and I have not chosen to include them at this time. What Bishop of the Church has an enemies list that includes those under his omophorion and serving at the same Altar? I want to make clear that there is no priest or bishop in this Diocese, or any other, who I think of as my enemy. Although, I do struggle often against making the Ecumenical Patriarch my enemy. No, Satan is my worst enemy, and after him, I am my own worst enemy.
So, let’s be men!
Let’s be men Archbishop Benjamin. Defend your narrative about Fr Russell and Deacon Ananias or retract it. Let’s have an investigation! Either this archpriest will be put to shame with this report or the mouths of both you, Archbishop Benjamin and Fr David, will be shut. The mouth of liars should only open when there is a word of repentance on their lips. Man up!
“Having the Montanika conference sponsored by the Serbians will hurt my priesthood and parish.” Good God! Fr David, man up! In your quest for victim status, you claim that there are priests in Montana who have slandered you?! When? Who? Where? Are there any witnesses to this behavior and offense? Do you have emails, letters, faxes anything to back up your claim of being a victim of these hateful priests and their sidekick, the evil Web writing deacon? You claim that these priests have lied about you and are trying to get you kicked out of the priesthood. You should show us evidence of that. Ever heard of projection? You reveal what is in your own mind. You are only a victim of yourself and your report. You, Fr David, did not care about any other priest or parish when making your reckless claims. Fight like a man, poor Fr David, with reason and proofs, not fantasy, victimization, and insecurities. Karbo said so. So let’s man up! Let’s go!
Archbishop Benjamin if you are going to declare fellow priests to be “enemies of the diocese”, and say that to other priests to influence them thereby creating a subset of priests, then man up Bishop and say why. Bring them up on charges and discipline them. Stop dividing your priests from each other. That is of the devil.
High noon in the bright sunlight in the corral (or rather sheep-pen of our LORD). Let us have it out like men. You bring your evidence and shoot it out there and Ill bring mine. Like men of the West, settle it at the OK Karbo Korral. It might be funny if it were not so spiritually sick. If we can settle this matter like men, then like men, we go out for a beer afterward and act like brother priests in the forgiveness of our LORD. You, I think Fr David, will not have the courage to even show up with your accusations much less with any proofs, for there are none. You would rather stay a victim. I have twice talked to you about speaking to a brother priest directly, and not involving others or the laity in your suspicions but you persist. Archbishop Benjamin will rely on raw power and his ability to lord it over us. He will in his ordinary Episcopal practice, threaten, suspend, remove antimensions, and attempt to silence any who make him uncomfortable in his directives and pronouncements, and are therefore counted as an enemy. Yes, you are both the shoot em’ in the back kind of guys. (This paragraph was dedicated to Montana, Western, cowboy, and very manly stereotypes.)
I will not stand idly by and watch the continuing exercise of abusive episcopal power and the coverup of what really happened in Helena leading to many divisions in the Church. These are the facts of what happened to the mission community in Helena. Any narrative that speaks ill of the Priest Russell or the Deacon Ananias in this matter is a lie. Only those who persist in lies are an enemy of the diocese.
Archpriest Andrew Moore
St Mark the Evangelist
Great Falls
Do not trouble me with concern for my soul in the process crime of communicating with other Bishops and telling this to the church. Archbishop Benjamin has created a diocese in his image ruled by his monarchial, individual, and ever threatening self-likeness. He clearly covers his insecurities in a sick need to never be questioned or challenged. Do not trouble me that Archbishop Benjamin is now also a victim because of this letter. I am saying out loud what every priest has thought one time or another for these last three years. Almost every communication of our Archbishop in the last three years has revealed his unhinged and unbalanced actions, and harmful behaviors. He has shown no ability to answer questions, defend his positions, or respect any priest who disagrees with him. When he demands obedience, his focus is on self. When Obedience is given in an Orthodox manner, the focus is always a soul other than oneself and it’s need for healing. It is received with a fully-functional freewill.
That is not what has been going on in this diocese. He has treated his priests as hirelings and has made no attempt at conciliarity within the clergy. He long ago lost any ability and discernment to be a measured and healing person. I’ve not been disrespectful to my Archbishop by reporting what he himself has done. For how many are the complaints of his abuse received in the Metropolitan’s office in New York? How thick is that file? I know that you love the person of our Archbishop, but with reason and hard thought examine his actions and ask if he can still be in oversite of our souls and accomplish the chief duty of a bishop to maintain the Unity of the Faith? The Archbishop is counting on the fact that there will never be an investigation into this matter. I was asked, while preparing this, why don’t I just leave the OCA and the DOW? I have asked the Archbishop to seek another jurisdiction three times, only to be mocked twice and ignored once. Knowing that I will not back down, the Archbishop has insisted that I stay. Man up!
“Being in the OCA and having autocephaly means that we make our own rules; we answer to no one. We are accountable to no one,” Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky. How glorious an unrestrained and unaccountable Episcopacy.
Tags: Archbishop Benjamin, Archbishops, authentic Orthodoxy, Bishop Benjamin, Bishops of the OCA, Burning Bush Brotherhood, church closings, clergy / laity rift, communication, communion, corona conflict, Covid, deans of the Diocese of the West, Diocese of the West, encyclicals, Fr David Morrison, lock downs, lockdowns, martyrs, mask mandate, masks, missions, Montana, obedience, OCA clergy, Orthodox Bishops, Orthodox fundamentalism, Orthodox jurisdictions, parish directives, parish life, Patristic Faith, power Orthodox bishop, repentance, revolution within the form, Serbia
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