Mysterious OCA Metropolitan Enthroned

[Catherine5]

So this commission, given little billling and less explanation as to its PURPOSE, is about welding Iron [former ROCOR up to 2000 or so] to aluminum cans easily squeezed and bent into any shape desired [OCA's dutiful actions beneath the heel of Moscow]?
Why does the ROCOR-MP coverage of the commision's meeting -- with little achieved for all the splash -- make its purpose look so tame, as though the two sides will reducing a few administrative minor friction points?
If so little was accomplished, why to report the apparent sparsity of major work to the next meeting of the ROCOR MP Synod?
What does this report not say, in other words/

[mtcarmel]

And you as the elder brother refusing to enter the feast given for his prodigal younger brother? Or perhaps like St Thomas who may be late to the Dormition of Theotokos? If indeed you ever arrive at all.

Looking logically at the ROCOR (Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia) and now ROCiE (Russian Orthodox Church in Exile) one wonders if after nearly 90 years on the outside & in exile how much of Russia remains with you or in you? You are in a radically Western culture. Your children have learned Western ways and do not (most likely) see what all your fuss is about. They may have learned liberality and acceptance. Now what remains is to simply pray God that they will not lose themselves as they are drawn into the increasing insidious world culture which closes in on us all like a deep darkness.

This is the news. We shall each and all be put through the fire. Each of us according to his or her intention builds on the foundation according to the gifts of God and personal abilities. We each give our share of wood, hay, and stubble to the building. while often fooling ourselves into believing that we build with are gold, silver, and precious stones. Which of our works will survive? Don't be like the mockers who made light of Noah and so were left out of the ark when the floods come upon them in full force.

elias

true glorifier wrote:

Hmmmm... Lebedev? Moser? Paffhausen? Sounds like the various comrades of the Moscow Patriarchate Abroad are binding all of the scattered American Orthodox branches of Stalin's church into one highly combustible bundle...

[Catherine5]

Just to refresh this topic which has faded from the general mindset. No announcements have been made of meetings of that commission, but who knows behind the scenes...
I don't have any solid answers about the 'Mysterious Met of OCA" .
But I did gather a few fragmentary clues about his earlier days, which I will relate whenever I have the time.
Perhaps OCA Met will be back in the news fairly soon. Hence our readers here will be all the better prepared!

[Pravoslavnik]

Well, Catherine, I'm all ears. Most of my old ROCOR friends have been attending the local OCA parish since May of 2007. I have long wondered about my difficult decision to live life without a parish. Was I wrong to think that the OCA would ultimately show its true colors-- red and yellow, without the hammer and sickle?

[Kybihetz21]

To live without a Church life is very difficult, almost impossible to attain, especially when surrounded by relatives and/or friends/coworkers who to do belong to the Orthodox Faith. I have been without a local parish myself (there were about 5 a few years ago, now there is none within 300 miles, at least, and those are not even the “best” to attend – I would not go into details), I can attest to the difficulty and enormous spiritual and physical struggle one is subjected to by the forces of the evil one.

On another note, it is quite surprising how some smaller, older OCA parishes, “resemble” what ROCOR used to be many years ago. Just a comment, not an endorsement to anyone, anything, etc …

[Catherine5]

Yes, I completely sympathize and agree with both of you.
Sure, now that I know there is interest, I will check back through my notes and put together a post as soon as I can.

The most important part that I was able to learn, truly only from the revelation of a monastic before he started to cover up with platitudes, is unforgettable; no need to look at notes for that. It's the key to Met Jonah's entire character and motives. I hoped to gather more, but what happened was that across the board, people clammed right up after his enthronement. Before then, I did access a few sources ....
You may judge what YOU think for yourselves.

[Catherine5]

Apologize for the delay: there's actually more material than I had remembered which i had with immense effort, time and expense collected awhile back when we were all talking about this topic.
I thought I would keep getting more so I held off on forming any conclusions.
Neither do I want to be unfairly negative in the way I write up what I had gotten so far. There are some delicate points maybe which I want to present without sounding like a slanderous attack.
In view of all these New Directions
in various church policies,
I think you both are right to maintain a principled independence.
That is one conclusion that can be drawn when one views such new skippers coming aboard ship....