Fr Joachim Parr & the MP Mercy House Debacle

DIscussion and News concerning Orthodox Churches in communion with those who have fallen into the heresies of Ecumenism, Renovationism, Sergianism, and Modernism, or those Traditional Orthodox Churches who are now involved with Name-Worshiping, or vagante jurisdictions. All Forum Rules apply. No polemics. No heated discussions. No name-calling.


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Barbara
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Re: Fr Joachim Parr & the MP Mercy House Debacle

Post by Barbara »

Compare photos of Fr Parr

Image

with a TRUE Elder, Hilarion of Optina, also looking off a little to the same side. I could not find the closeup of this image which shows amazing kindliness and caring of the great Optina Elder, all of whom were commemorated yesterday :

Image

or Elder Amvrosy, whose direct, frank gaze goes right to the core of the soul of the viewer :

Image

In contrast, Fr Parr looks shifty and not in control of himself. Notice how majestic the Optina Elders are as ascetics who labored for decades as disciples of previous Elders in the Optina lineage.

Where did Fr Parr labor in a true monastery - besides the apparently unsuccessful sojourn at Jordanville - and who was his Elder ? This latter has not been disclosed to the public yet.

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Barbara
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Re: Fr Joachim Parr & the MP Mercy House Debacle

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Returning to the question of why the Russian publishing houses as well as various Moscow Patriarchate clergy were so readily deceived by Fr Parr, a possible reason occurred to me. From my own travels in Asia and elsewhere, I found that almost invariably, Americans were perceived as impeccably honest. This assessment particularly pertains to US businessmen dealing overseas. The reputation spread over the decades to include all Americans. Locals from Morocco on the Atlantic to India and beyond to the Far East would always tell me that they would trust an American over their own people because Americans were known to put all their cards on the table immediately without guile and could be counted upon to follow through with the terms once a deal was concluded. This style is in contrast with many cultures in the East where indirect speech is prized : stating frankly what one wants without disguising it by circuitous, flowery politenesses is looked down on as almost vulgar. Too, extracting a kickback on deals is the age-old method of conducting business.

However, this reputation of the perceived "Honest American" applied more to the 1970s and 80s. I can't say how much this image has endured since then. Probably it has faded significantly....!

Regarding Russia, the MP was for many decades of the Cold War cut off from most American Orthodox except for OCA people - and its own hastily added members such as Fr Parr himself. Perhaps the resulting lack of familiarity with Americans made it easier for Fr Parr to take them in.
We see in the video's clips from Russian TV footage that Fr Parr is interviewed over in the RF with apparent respect. In every case, the audience seems to believe everything he says. One never sees doubt or questioning on the faces of the Russian listeners or translators. All apparently accept Fr Parr's statements at face value.

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Barbara
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Re: Fr Joachim Parr & the MP Mercy House Debacle

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One area which was not mentioned in the Mercy House Abuse video is whether Fr Parr was ever divorced from his wife, the former Carole Farey. If she was Catholic like he was, it is possible but not likely that they obtained an annulment ; still less likely that the pair underwent official divorce proceedings. We assume that the researchers must have checked the California public records and not found any documents showing a divorce. Could there have been a divorce in another state ? If not, how did the marriage end ??

Or did it ever end ?? - !

Second intriguing question into which to delve : were there children ? Since no date is presented in the video as to what year the marriage ceased, it is difficult to guess how many children there might have been.
Surely there must have been 2 children. Or at least 1 child.

Where is/are that child/children today ?? Surely Fr Parr would have found the existence of offspring highly inconvenient for his tale of half a life spent struggling in monasticism. I suspect he must have sworn his wife Carole to secrecy. The only information is that the video says Fr Parr passed her off to his Mercy House clan as his cousin a few years ago.
Evidently, Carole assented to being introduced this way.

This could be a tip that Fr Parr would introduce to his circle any biological child of his as some innocuous relationship. Speculatively, however, perhaps the child or children might not have visited their father in all these years. Or even be aware of his identity as a Russian Orthodox Schema-Archimandrite and [ self-created ] elder > ?

This angle needs to be followed up.

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Re: Fr Joachim Parr & the MP Mercy House Debacle

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What exactly was the mission of Mercy House? I only understood it to be a place that helped the homeless like a shelter.

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Barbara
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Re: Fr Joachim Parr & the MP Mercy House Debacle

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I am not altogether sure, IXOYE ! Good question. I'll do a little research, but if anyone else knows, please inform us.

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Re: Fr Joachim Parr & the MP Mercy House Debacle

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Returning to the question of how authentic Russian Elders actively intervened in the question of whom their disciples should best marry, here is a section from the life of St Feofil of the Kiev Caves to peruse :

"Starets Feofil was so famous in the Kiev region that hardly a single simple, pious, and God-loving person in the area would begin his own affairs without first seeking the advice and direction of the Starets. Rarely would a wedding begin without his blessing. Each person would accept, without question, the word of the Starets, even if it was stern and uncomfortable for the hearer, and they would carry out his advice in exactness, as a prophetic voice from heaven.

There lived in Kiev a broker, Ivan N. In his youth, when he was serving as a salesman in some store, he had decided to marry. For a long time he searched for the girl of his dreams, and then, at a merchants' convention, his gaze lighted on Liubochka Z. The broker's fate was decided. He would propose to Liubochka. He got dressed in his finest clothing, went to her parents' home and declared his intentions. He received this answer from the girl's mother:

"Our Liubochka is already engaged. Her fiance is the young man Hendrick M. Although he is of the Lutheran faith, we cannot go back on our given word..."

"Oh, my God! But I love your daughter madly!"

"Well, what can be done? It's a pity that you did not speak of this earlier."

The broker was a very intelligent, business-like person, while the German was flighty but rich. Liubochka's parents, hearing the proposal of the broker, gathered their relatives to their home and held a consultation but the majority of them spoke in favour of the German. But before arranging the wedding, they decided to visit Starets Feofil. They brought some rolls, bread, incense, and candles and set out for the cell of the Blessed One. When they arrived, the Starets opened the door for them and welcomed everyone, but, not allowing the visitors to utter a word, he said:

"Ivan, Ivan. Don't dare to give her away to that blockhead Hendrick!"

The parents heeded, Liubochka married the broker and was happy all her life.

Another blessed Marriage

And there was another occasion. The widowed landowner, Fekla Tarasova, had a beautiful young daughter, Anna. Two suitors sought her in marriage. One was handsome, stately, good-natured, and prone to drink and carouse. The other had a small pox scarred face and was sullen, but of gentle and reliable nature. The first lived in Dimievka, a suburb of Kiev, the second, in the little town of Myshelovka. Anna was madly in love with the handsome one but totally indifferent towards the second one and refused point-blank to marry him. Her mother, on the other hand, insisted that she marry the one from Myshelovka.

They set out to Kitayev for the Starets' advice. The Blessed One, saying not a word, gave Anna a yoke with pails and ordered her to bring some water from Dimievka. The maiden fulfilled the order. The Blessed One poured the water into a barrel standing under the drain-pipe and again gave Anna the pails with an order to go to Myshelovka for water this time. The water was brought in half an hour.

"Where was it more difficult to bring it from?" the Starets asked the maiden.

"From Dimievka," Anna answered. "It is far from here, but it is closer to Myshelovka."

"Well remember then. The pails on the shoulder represent your life. If you listen to your mother and marry the one from Myshelovka, then your life will be light. But if you marry the one from Dimievka, you will curse your entire life from woe and needs."

Convinced by these words, Anna heeded her mother's advice and, having married the man from Myshelovka, she never repented this in her entire life.

Disobedience ends in failure

But once it was just the opposite. The Starets advised a youth to marry a certain young widow, but the young man married a maiden whom he himself had chosen.

"Why bother listening to such an old man?" he said to his comrades. "The old monk won't find out anyway."

When, in a week's time the young couple came to Kitayev, they went to see the Starets for his blessing. Feofil met them on the threshold of his cell and instead of his blessing, the newly-weds received an old, worn out basket, on the bottom of which was a pile of rubbish and on top lay two apples. Not being able to understand this, the young people went to the Kitayev spiritual father for an explanation. The spiritual father listened to them and said:

"Two fresh apples — that is you. The pile of rubbish under them — that is the unfortunate life under you."

And, in fact, not even a year passed before the young couple began to quarrel and finally separated.

http://livingorthodoxfaith.blogspot.com ... art-9.html

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Barbara
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Re: Fr Joachim Parr & the MP Mercy House Debacle

Post by Barbara »

Returning to the question of how authentic Russian Elders actively intervened in the question of whom their disciples should best marry, as well as in all spheres of life, here is a section from the life of St Feofil of the Kiev Caves to peruse :

"Starets Feofil was so famous in the Kiev region that hardly a single simple, pious, and God-loving person in the area would begin his own affairs without first seeking the advice and direction of the Starets. Rarely would a wedding begin without his blessing. Each person would accept, without question, the word of the Starets, even if it was stern and uncomfortable for the hearer, and they would carry out his advice in exactness, as a prophetic voice from heaven.

A Blessed Marriage

There lived in Kiev a broker, Ivan N. In his youth, when he was serving as a salesman in some store, he had decided to marry. For a long time he searched for the girl of his dreams, and then, at a merchants' convention, his gaze lighted on Liubochka Z. The broker's fate was decided. He would propose to Liubochka. He got dressed in his finest clothing, went to her parents' home and declared his intentions. He received this answer from the girl's mother:

"Our Liubochka is already engaged. Her fiance is the young man Hendrick M. Although he is of the Lutheran faith, we cannot go back on our given word..."

"Oh, my God! But I love your daughter madly!"

"Well, what can be done? It's a pity that you did not speak of this earlier."

The broker was a very intelligent, business-like person, while the German was flighty but rich. Liubochka's parents, hearing the proposal of the broker, gathered their relatives to their home and held a consultation but the majority of them spoke in favour of the German. But before arranging the wedding, they decided to visit Starets Feofil. They brought some rolls, bread, incense, and candles and set out for the cell of the Blessed One. When they arrived, the Starets opened the door for them and welcomed everyone, but, not allowing the visitors to utter a word, he said:

"Ivan, Ivan. Don't dare to give her away to that blockhead Hendrick!"

The parents heeded, Liubochka married the broker and was happy all her life.

Another blessed Marriage

And there was another occasion. The widowed landowner, Fekla Tarasova, had a beautiful young daughter, Anna. Two suitors sought her in marriage. One was handsome, stately, good-natured, and prone to drink and carouse. The other had a small pox scarred face and was sullen, but of gentle and reliable nature. The first lived in Dimievka, a suburb of Kiev, the second, in the little town of Myshelovka. Anna was madly in love with the handsome one but totally indifferent towards the second one and refused point-blank to marry him. Her mother, on the other hand, insisted that she marry the one from Myshelovka.

They set out to Kitayev for the Starets' advice. The Blessed One, saying not a word, gave Anna a yoke with pails and ordered her to bring some water from Dimievka. The maiden fulfilled the order. The Blessed One poured the water into a barrel standing under the drain-pipe and again gave Anna the pails with an order to go to Myshelovka for water this time. The water was brought in half an hour.

"Where was it more difficult to bring it from?" the Starets asked the maiden.

"From Dimievka," Anna answered. "It is far from here, but it is closer to Myshelovka."

"Well remember then. The pails on the shoulder represent your life. If you listen to your mother and marry the one from Myshelovka, then your life will be light. But if you marry the one from Dimievka, you will curse your entire life from woe and needs."

Convinced by these words, Anna heeded her mother's advice and, having married the man from Myshelovka, she never repented this in her entire life.

Disobedience ends in failure

But once it was just the opposite. The Starets advised a youth to marry a certain young widow, but the young man married a maiden whom he himself had chosen.

"Why bother listening to such an old man?" he said to his comrades. "The old monk won't find out anyway."

When, in a week's time the young couple came to Kitayev, they went to see the Starets for his blessing. Feofil met them on the threshold of his cell and instead of his blessing, the newlyweds received an old, worn out basket, on the bottom of which was a pile of rubbish and on top lay two apples. Not being able to understand this, the young people went to the Kitayev spiritual father for an explanation. The spiritual father listened to them and said:

"Two fresh apples — that is you. The pile of rubbish under them — that is the unfortunate life under you."

And, in fact, not even a year passed before the young couple began to quarrel and finally separated.


Notice the difference how when a person made his own choice, it failed miserably. But the true Elder could see each soul with perfect clarity and tell the party what would be wisest for him or her. Those with good sense would obey unquestioningly, while those with arrogance or pride [ "I can make my own decision" ] would revolt only to feel pain boomerang back to them for their lack of respect for the man of God.

http://livingorthodoxfaith.blogspot.com ... art-9.html

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