Response to "Money & Misconduct"

Submitted March 25, 2005

This letter is in response to an article written by, Mr. Paul Cromidas, and published on your web site on, 17 March 2005. Mr. Cromidas speaks to a number of issues in his article; and while I appreciate his efforts to inform the Church as a whole, of what he feels are important issues, his conclusions are somewhat misguided. My comments here cover only a portion of Mr. Cromidas’ article.

To begin with Mr. Cromidas speaks to a letter Metropolitan Isaiah wrote on 5 February 2005, praising an article written by, Mr. Kalmoukos on 11 December 2004. Mr. Cromidas then begins to attack Metropolitan Isaiah for his stance on the sexual misconduct of clergy: “Now, it would be a good thing if the Metropolitan would also recognize other crucial issues of the day, such as the sexual misconduct brought up in Mr. Kalmoukos’ Feb. 5^th piece.” Mr. Cromidas then mentions various cases from the Denver Metropolis, that of Father Gabriel Barrow, Father Mathias, and Father Elias Greer.

Father Gabriel was suspended by the Metropolitan last year for allegations of misconduct. This was a case which made news in both Texas, as well as, in other papers and media outlets through out the region and nation. Basic details were given in those media articles/stories and I will not repeat them here for sake of time and space. Mr. Cromidas however now wants further explanation and disclosure surrounding these events. Mr. Cromidas also is asking for similar disclosure concerning the case of Father Mathias, who apparently (I am not familiar with this case at all and I do not know for sure if he was in fact convicted) was convicted and sent to prison in the state of Texas for 10 years. In both of these cases, the tragedies of the facts are obvious. Clergy who are accused of misconduct, sexual or otherwise, always deliver a crushing blow to the members of the Church, clergy and laity alike. Mr. Cromidas however is claiming that because acts of misconduct have taken place, the Episcopal authority of the Church, is somehow void and needs to be set aside.

I have read articles and essays written by Mr. Cromidas before but this most recent one, solidifies (for me personally) the fact that Mr. Cromidas really does not understand how the Church governs herself. The following quote Mr. Cromidas used in this article shows his lack of understanding. “The Metropolitan apparently feels that he does not have to account to any laypeople, let alone “outsiders”. In a letter he wrote to Houston parishioners in 2003, after he had been taken to court in a parish dispute, he said he is only accountable to the “…Holy Synod of Constantinople” (at the Patriarchal headquarters in Istanbul).” First of all, this quote is taken totally out of context. In the entire text of the quote Metropolitan Isaiah, was explaining the concept of the hierarchal government within the Church, to a secular court. The Metropolitan was not trying to suggest that he was some sort of dictator in his own ‘little fiefdom’. Furthermore, the full disclosure of events such as the suspension of clergy, excommunication of individuals, or other decisions of spiritual courts in the Church will serve only to further scandalize the faithful and cause additional harm to any and all victims.

This article Mr. Cromidas has written, and the ideas proposed therein, is no better than a call for a ‘witch-hunt’. The early Church faced the same types of problems which is one of the reasons that public confessions (the way in which confession was originally carried out in the Church) were stopped in the Church. The scandals these public confessions in the early Church caused were doing more damage than the sins being confessed by the penitent. These situations of clergy misconduct are no different. I do not pretend to claim knowledge of all of the facts surrounding these cases mentioned by Mr. Cromidas; and furthermore, I do not need to know the facts! My salvation is not contingent on knowing this sort of information; and the last time I checked, my business as a member of the Church, should be that of my salvation. The Church through its publications has informed me that these clergy have been suspended, and brought before spiritual courts, where necessary. Again my salvation is not contingent on knowing the intimate details, of the lives of others who have committed sinful acts in the Church, be they clergy or laity. This information which was provided however, allows me a member of the Church, to do the following: 1.) Recognize that there is a problem, and 2.) it affords me the opportunity to pray for those involved. The idea that somehow if everybody knows everything, about everyone, all will be made better is simply a fallacy.

Mr. Cromidas also speaks about the suspension of Fr. Elias Greer of San Angelo, Texas. He then goes on to claim that, “I am not suggesting that misconduct was involved.” Then why did you list this man’s name, in an article bashing a respected hierarch of the Church, an article which was focused on sexual misconduct of clergy? You most certainly painted a poor picture, at best, for readers of your article. In civilian courts they define this as, circumstantial evidence, and people cannot be convicted solely on this type of evidence. Would it not have been better to simply leave the man’s name out of the article and pray for him? Again why do you demand the disclosure of all of the facts about this man and others? If in the hypothetical situation, the facts are disclosed, and are not what you wanted, or what you thought they should be then what? Bring on the ‘witch-hunt’, eh?

We as members of the Church need to stop degrading are hierarchs, other clergy, and our brothers and sisters at every turn of the corner. Our Metropolitans and Archbishop, as well as, other clergy in this country have an enormously difficult job; and it is sad that a portion of the Church seeks not to help them, but to provide only a stumbling block to their leadership. The canonical tradition of the Church is clear in matters of leadership within the Church. It does not say that if a situation is difficult, painful, and/or sensitive in nature that we are allowed to simply push our bishops or clergy aside and run with the ball anyway we see fit. All of these situations which were mentioned in Mr. Cromidas’ article I am sure were brought before the attention of the Eparchial synod. If there are problems or misconduct to be dealt with in these cases or in other cases perhaps our prayers, rather then our rhetoric would assist in our clergy determining a solution.

I would never propose that those who have done wrong or acted in opposition to their office go unpunished. But we have a system in place that was given to us by Christ and is now preserved by the Holy Spirit; let us trust in them before we trust in ourselves. Have we gone so far down into the pit of sin, death, and despair that we can no longer trust in those whom God has ordained? I truly hope not! Those who have committed sinful acts cannot escape punishment. For the Holy Scripture tells us, “…but I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment. For by words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matt 12 35-36) Yet when we must speak out in the Church, and our voices must be heard, it would be wise that we made ourselves aware of the way in which our Church is governed. So that as Holy Scripture tells us we might be justified by our words rather then condemned by them. A dear friend once warned me of the following: never pray for justice but rather pray for mercy and leave justice to God!



Volume 7 Number 13 - Tuesday, March 29th, 2005	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY