The strange, sad case of the defrocked deacon, Lev Puhalo

[Tessa]

Unfortunately, I think that Mr. Puhalo is Serb. His name is Serbian anyway. What a joke.

In Serbian, the word "PUHATI" (ПУХАТИ) means, "to blow (air)". So Puhalo can literally mean, "air blower".

I just thought that was appropriately funny.

t

[Kollyvas]

AGAIN, WHEN IS A DEPOSITION NOT A DEPOSITION? mr. puhalo was deposed by ROCOR. Canonically, he cannot be elevated to the episcopacy UNLESS you hold that ROCOR didn't have the grace to ordain him. In which case, you contradict yourself. Either way, your argument has no force other than by stating that your jurisdiction recognizes him as a retired bishop. The carpatho russians recognize uniates as saints. I doubt the rest of Orthodoxy would concur with either wayward act when fully informed. I'm sure the MP, my jurisdiction, would find it very hard to recognize someone who concelebrated with the deposed mr. denisenko and had tea with him and his wife WHILE PROMOTING SCHISM AGAINST THE CANONICAL MOTHER CHURCH. Clearly, American jurisdictions have MANY embarassments to address. Moreover, you slight the legacy and status of ROCOR everytime you maintain its depositions have no force.
R
Perhaps you should READ the articles posted full length so that in future you appreciate such things as a deposed deacon's INABILITY OF BEING RAISED TO THE EPISCOPACY.

Tessa, I seem to rember a conversation I had in seminary with now +Bishop Peter of ROCOR, who knew puhalo, where he told me that both puhalo and novakshonoff were converts and that they both had taken what they perceived as "Russian names" to "more fit in." He told me their original names, but time has taken its toll on my memory. I wonder if this will ever fully surface. puhalo did indeed abandon ROCOR after his deposition, afterward being received by the Free Serbs who had a grudge against ROCOR, because ROCOR recognized the Patriarch of Belgrade and regarded the Free Serbs to be in schism. They did not recognize his deposition because ROCOR did not recognize them. And they then proceeded to elevate him to their priesthood, later making him an archimandrite. He left this group for the VERY OLD CALENDARISTS HE RAILS AGAINST, the MIlan Synod, without a CANONICAL RELEASE FROM THE FREE SERBS--that act itself grounds for deposition, WHERE HE WAS ELEVATED AS AN "Old Calendarist Bishop." He later left them WITHOUT CANONICAL release to join the deposed mr. denisenko and his wife and promote schism against the Moscow Patriarchate.

[Kollyvas]

https://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa ... &S=&P=1113

...Lazar Puhalo should know about guru'ism' -- after jumping among several
various archdioceses (he is on his 4th and was also defrocked by his
1st..., only to suddenly appear years later as a bishop). FYI, it was HIS
teachings that got him defrocked! And he still maintains those teachings!
So, better check your source. And he IS a well-known (and soon to be
proven) self-made enemy of the GOA monasteries, for reasonS that many are
rapidly finding out...

Look, there is enough data about obedience, especially to a spiritual
father, that you or anybody can find on the Net is seconds, but you select
the worldly writings of a questionable(at best) hierarch, whose own flock
is spreading rumors that would make hair curl... and they are much worse
than any Rick Ross garbage.

Sorry, but if you folks do not care to visit the monasteries, please, do
NOT! Just leave the monastics alone -- they have done NOTHING to you!
Unless of course, you are LazarITE?

Kostas M.

[CorpusChristi]

Orthodox6, Archbishop Lazar was probally welcomed into the OCa,because of the close friendship Archbishop Dmitri and him have, they were even working on some writings starting last year, Thus the reason why archbishop Lazar has spent so much time in dallas, away from his canadian monastery and Bishop Varlaam.....If Im correct archbishop Lazar was the one who was in conflict with Fr.Seraphim Rose of Blessed memory, and sent him several letters in a tone as very unOrthodox ,in fact that assult really bothered and hurt Father Seraphim Rose a great deal- ArchBishop Lazar is a very,very smart Theologion, and well sometimes people get a Bishop or Priest confused with a Theologion- and there of totally different spirits... The arguments with Blessed Seraphim was over the TOLL Houses...and there last jurisdiction before the Oca was with the Milan synod, of which Archbishop Lazar played a major role in putting it together, to only walk away to the OCA..................

[CorpusChristi]

I respect all people, Orthodox and non-Orthodox, it isnt me to judge them...at work I am around Hindu,Muslim,catholics,Buddhist, and those who are very anti-Christian in words, but i ask God to forgive me for enguageing in idle talk with them...I have always respected vladyka Dmitri, in fact i spent about a year around his cathedral and went to his classes often years ago, and for archbishop Lazar comeing to Vladyka Dmitri shows 2 things, he has decided to learn (what he thought he knew) from Vladyka Dmitri a True representative of Orthodox, plus archBishop Lazar is getting older and seeing that not many will forgive and embrace him back in... except Vladyka Dmitri, because he follows Christ`s teachings and will always strive to Love and forgive all that seek truth and repentance...
you are very Blessed to have him as your Vladyka, learn as much as you can from him...

[Kollyvas]

I personally find more edifying the deposed priest-monk podmoshensky than the deposed deacon puhalo--For podmoshensky made attempts to expand the Church, not plunge it into schisms and he was never prone to resurrecting bulgakovite heresies. BUT I REALIZE BOTH ARE DEPOSED AND ARE ONLY PLAYING CHURCH. I am mature enough to appreciate that. Just as guilt by association is a poor practice, likewise attempts at virtue by association: judas was one of the twelve.
R

[moschonisi]

AGAIN, WHEN IS A DEPOSITION NOT A DEPOSITION? mr. puhalo was deposed by ROCOR. Canonically, he cannot be elevated to the episcopacy UNLESS you hold that ROCOR didn't have the grace to ordain him...

R. is 1000%, absolutely correct! Let us not forget that (whether those of us who are GOA or OCA or...) ROCOR has been the front-line guardian of traditional Orthodoxy in America (and at times left alone at the task). Anybody who lays a claim that ROCOR was with no grace at the time of Deacon Lazar's depostion needs to have his values, Orthodoxy knowledge (and potentially head) examined.

Bottom line: Mr. Puhalo's elevation to episcopacy was (uncanonically) done by a schismatic church and he somehow managed to show up as an archbishop, to continue attacking Orthodox tradition and teachings with his western wordly theories. IMO, mr. Puhalo would make a great Episcopalian bishop, like Rev. Gene Robinson...

My main concern (beyond his ludicrous attacks on true monasticism) is also the rumors that involve some peculiar, at best, behavior and teachings on personal relationships that is being reported from his own area in Canada.

Can anybody provide any additional information or contacts?

Kostas M.