Moderator: Mark Templet
My appologies that this info was not on the previous post re: Father Elia. This was mentioned by the Metropolitan before this situation with Bp. Gregory, it just slipped my mind to post it because I did not figure people were that interested in it. Guess I was wrong!
Hopefully however, this clears up some of the fog surrounding this situation. If more needs be said please let me know and i will find out all i can for y'all.
Juvenaly
Well, given the slandering of Fr. Elia that was coming from Colorado, I can hardly blame him for being wary. It was strange that when I talked to Fr. Shishkoff (sic) on the phone, that he assured me that Fr. Elia was in ROAC, regardless of the fact that there was this denouncement from Metr. Valentine. Coupled with this was the attacks against him from Colorado. Now Fr. Elia is done with ROAC, and perhaps rightfully so after all the confusion and multiple sides of the story he was being given.
tizzi
Yes Tizzi in many respects I understand and agree with what you are saying.
The thing that is odd to me is the fact that you are getting two different answers as to the solution to the problem. This is where I figured that the issue lay.
The Metropolitan and the Synod of 12 bishops denied Fr. Elia's petition.
Then these stories of Fr. Shiskoff sayng that he thought that Father Elia was accepted. How could this be unless it was before the Met. mailed out the statement to Father Elia as well as to Fr. Vladimir saying that he was not accepted.
After all the chances that Fr Rlia had why not appear directly to the Synod if "the people in Colorado were being so bias.
(I agree, there was a lot of stuff going on between Father Elia amd Bp. Gregory and in private these things were known to those who were at the Skete.)
This whole situation is odd in the least and if I can get more info I will because I would like to know more about this as I know you all would. I will see what I can do for ya.
Juvenaly
Personally,
many of you here do not know the entire history of things and are only seeing events from the past year or 2. If you know the history and behaviors of the subject matter here, ie, the topic of the original post in this thread, you would not be surprised by any of this chaos and confusion.
Please do your homework and talk with clergy outside of AROC/ROAC to know the full picture. Talk to ROCOR clergy, Kiousite clergy, Lamian clergy as well as the laity from these jurisdictions who know. If you do this, then Vladyka Valentine's letter will make even more sense.
(sorry to be somewhat cryptic, but since this is a public forum, I chose not to go into details.)
My feeling is this...if I was in ROAC again, I would cling to Fr. Vladimir Shiskoff in New Jersey and shut the windows, put on the blinders and just live an Orthodox life. There is already way too much chaos and division in Orthodoxy, and more you can distance yourself from those who always have a tempest around them, the better off you'll be spiritually. (this includes cantankerous Orthodox lists, certain clergy and lay people)
In Christ,
Nectarios
dEar OrthodoxyOrDeath,
Yes, I'm know some do know more, but i can tell from several of the posts, that many on this forum dont' know all the history. At any rate, you are correct in that this is not an edifying topic. In fact any topic and thread about the problems of individuals is not. That is why I left all the other Lists...too much bickering.
On the other hand, I've been in 3 situations with certain clergymen, all from different jurisdictions, who have been spiritually destructive. At the time, in each circumstance there was a hush and keep quiet mentality...all the while, people were being hurt. I now feel that since most of us are converts with little real knowledge of how Orthodoxy is supposed to be, it is easy to fall under the sway of individuals because of either their charisma, their fundamentalism, or whatever. I literally have experienced the "cult" mentality of some of these Orthodox leaders and their followers, and this is not Orthodoxy.
so, it is a fine line to draw between being quiet and wanting not to slander or gossip, versus standing up and saying something. Is this forum the place to do this? I don't know.
BTW, I do not know who Iakovos Kapellas is. What would be the context. Our Mission is under the TOC of Greece/"Matthewite" flavor. Is he in this jurisdiction?
Nectarios
I would agree with that, hopefully someone will benefit something from all of this. It is such a shame these things happen. But Christ surely must be helping you to have survived what you say.
BTW, I do not know who Iakovos Kapellas is. What would be the context. Our Mission is under the TOC of Greece/"Matthewite" flavor. Is he in this jurisdiction?
No, he knew two monks at different times at Dormition Skete, one a male and one a female, who left there in the 90's under agonizing circumstances. I thought you might be the one he told me about.
