A Caution on Quickie Ordinations
++
8.8.07
Allegations of Sexual Harassment, Assault, Domestic Violence, Neglect
& Malpractice Hit Alaskan Diocese
At the request of the Metropolitan, Mr. Paul Sidebottom, a missionary
from the Orthodox Christian Mission Center serving until recently as
Assistant Dean for Academics at St. Herman's Seminary in Kodiak
Alaska, wrote the following letter to Metropolitan Herman on May 25th,
2007, confirming their telephone conversation a day earlier, about a
series of events that took place in Kodiak during the Feast of the
Ascension (May 16-17, 2007). The letter concerns the drunken actions
of Archimandrite Isidore (Brittain), the Chancellor of the Diocese of
Alaska and newly-appointed Rector of the Seminary, but more ominously,
contains serious allegations against Bishop Nikolai of Alaska made by
Fr. Isidore himself, allegations, Sidebottom writes, that were
subsequently confirmed and expanded upon by Fr. Innocent Dresdow, Dean
of the Kodiak cathedral.
Sidebottom's Letter
Sidebottom's letter reads:
"Master Bless,
The following is an account of the events I related to Your Eminence,
introduced by a summary of our phone conversation.
Mitred-Archimandrite Isidore was scheduled to visit Kodiak on Tuesday,
May 15, and serve liturgy in Karluk for the village's feast day on May
17, returning to Anchorage on Friday, May 18. In an e-mail to Fr. Chad
Hatfield on Monday, Bishop Nikolai appointed Fr. Isidore Rector of the
Seminary, effective June 1. Due to weather, Fr. Isidore was not able
to travel to Karluk. Preparing to leave, seminarians and an instructor
smelled alcohol on Fr. Isidore. At Vigil, served at Holy Resurrection
Cathedral at 6:00 pm Fr. Isidore presided while intoxicated. He heard
confessions, leaning heavily on the analogian for support. He stumbled
and his speech was slurred at litya and the Gospel reading.
Seminarians and parishioners informed me of the smell of alcohol on
Fr. Isidore, at the anointing. After the anointing, Fr. Isidore left
the vigil service to meet two Russian reporters.
After speaking with the co-celebrants, I asked the seminarians and
parishioners who witnessed Fr. Isidore's drunkenness to contact Bishop
Nikolai that evening. Fr. Innocent Dresdow as the Dean of the
Cathedral called the bishop. His Grace asked that Fr. Isidore be found
and asked to contact the Chancery. Fr. Isidore had gone out with the
reporters, so Fr. Innocent and I drove around Kodiak's downtown in
search for him. We found Fr. Isidore stumbling down the hall way at
the Kodiak Inn. Fr. Isidore spoke briefly with Bishop Nikolai by
mobile phone. Fr. Innocent and I were asked to prepare Fr. Isidore for
the night's last flight back to Anchorage. At the episcopal apartment
Fr. Isidore was told to pack. He expressed his feeling of betrayal by
us. Yet while making final scheduling with the airlines, Fr. Isidore
continued to drink vodka which he had hidden in the apartment. He also
took some unidentified pills. We were able to get Fr. Isidore to the
airport but the staff would not take him because of his drunken state.
He was drooling and mumbling. An Anchorage flight was scheduled for
the following afternoon.
In the car ride over and back, Fr. Isidore was in tears. He asked how
he had come to his current condition. He said he had once been normal.
He loved God. He loved his neighbor. All the while, he was reaching
back to touch my leg in an inappropriate way and trying to hug me.
Back at the apartment, the drama increased. Fr. Isidore said if Fr.
Innocent and I thought the answer was to send him back to Anchorage,
we were wrong. Sending him back to "papa" was "hell" and "his death".
It was at this point in the night that Fr. Isidore admitted "Vladyka
beats me." I did not pursue this issue because my priority was to calm
Fr. Isidore, though Fr. Innocent confirmed this revelation later,
adding another clergyman had been abused. Fr. Isidore said he was
"better off dead." Rather than go back to Vladyka, he should just kill
himself. Because of the pills Fr. Isidore had taken and the threats he
made, I called Bishop Nickolai to ask if Fr. Isidore had ever
threatened suicide before. His Grace denied, saying Fr. Isidore was
too much a Christian. I wanted to know if I should stay up with Fr.
Isidore or take him to the emergency room or call poison control. His
Grace said this was not necessary. Fr. Isidore could be left to pass-
out and sleep-it-off. I was to return in the morning to check on him.
Fr. Isidore refused to be calm though he could not stand or walk. I
was in his bedroom alone with him. He threatened to "bloody my face"
if I did not leave. Then he tried to touch me inappropriately, wanting
"someone to cry with". Several times Fr. Isidore tried to stand and
grab me inappropriately. Finally, he collapsed on his bed. He passed-
out, fondling himself.
Ascension morning, Fr. Isidore did attend liturgy at the order of
Bishop Nikolai. He did not stay long. A deacon had to take communion
wine away from him and send him to the episcopal apartment. I followed
Fr. Isidore to the apartment, staying in my office. He later admitted
he had tried to find the bottles which Fr. Innocent had confiscated
the night before along with several cans of chewing tobacco. Not
finding them he went for the vanilla extract in the kitchen to "get
rid of the shakes". After liturgy, Matushka Thekla and I spoke more
with Fr. Isidore about the fact of his alcoholism. He said he began
drinking in Alaska as Bishop Nikolai's deacon. His Grace had insisted
on being driven but berated Fr. Isidore's driving. Fr. Isidore decided
to "get rid of those feelings with a big bottle of wine". His problem
progressed from wine to sake to hard liquor. Fr. Isidore eventually
chose vodka because it is the "cleanest". Fr. Isidore has had a
drinking problem for five years since his arrival in Alaska with
Bishop Nikolai.
Through the morning, Fr. Innocent, Matushka Thekla, and myself tried
to encourage Fr. Isidore to enter treatment. Through the day, he
agreed to enter Guest House where he was scheduled to enter about a
year ago. On the afternoon of May 17, Fr. Isidore was accompanied by
Fr. Innocent to Anchorage and then to Minnesota.
I welcome any further questions Your Beatitude might have.
Kissing Your Right Hand.."
The "Climate of Command" in Alaska
Sidebottom's shocking letter raises serious questions not only about
the actions of the individuals named, but the general tenor of Church
life in the Alaskan Diocese, specifically the "climate of command", as
the military would term it, among those ostensibly guiding it. Among
the most immediate questions are:
• How is it that a young man, recently graduated from St. Tikhon's,
goes to Alaska as a member of the personal staff of Bishop Nikolai, is
elevated from deacon to priest to archimandrite to dean of the
Anchorage deanery to chancellor of the Diocese to mitred archimandrite
to episcopal candidate in just five short years, and no one ever
noticed he was becoming such an alcoholic that he is reduced to
drinking vanilla extract to "get rid of the shakes"? He is the
Chancellor of the Diocese and shares a residence with the Bishop, for
heaven's sake. And no one noticed?
• How is it that this young priest was known to have been "scheduled
to enter (rehab) about a year ago" but no one intervened when he
failed to do so? Rather than sending him to treatment, the Bishop
continued to reward him with appointments - in the past year these
included becoming a mitred-archimandrite and Rector of St. Herman's -
despite having refused treatment. How was this possible? Madness.
• How is it that a young priest drinks himself into a stupor, after
swallowing unidentified pills and shouting that he "would be better
off dead", and another priest, as well as an officer of one of our
seminaries, do not immediately seek medical attention for him?
Madness.
• How is it that the priest and officer, after the young priest has
confessed to being abused, call the alleged abuser to ask him what to
do? Madness.
• How is it that the Bishop (regardless of the veracity of the
allegations made against him) when made aware of a potentially fatal
combination of unknown pills and alcohol then recommends "let him
sleep it off" rather than seeking immediate medical attention?
Madness.
• How is it that the two men then obey the Bishop, in defiance of
common sense? In short, what kind of "climate of command" exists in
the Diocese of Alaska where life-threatening situations are allowed to
develop; and once developed, everyone is so afraid they must await the
instructions of the Bishop before proceeding; and then obey commands
that could be life-threatening? Madness. Madness, Madness.
• How is it that the Dean of the Kodiak Cathedral, knowing of
additional allegations of physical abuse made against the Bishop of
the Diocese has never informed anyone of these allegations? More
Madness.
Church Policy
It is not known what Metropolitan Herman did upon receiving the
letter. What is known is that neither Fr. Isidore nor Bishop Nikolai
was suspended as would seem to be prudent following the guidelines of
"The Policies, Standards, and Procedures of the Orthodox Church in
America on Sexual Misconduct". (Read that policy here.)
The Policy states:
"The Church will take all allegations of sexual misconduct seriously,
and will promptly respond to all allegations. It will report
allegations in accordance with the civil laws of any jurisdiction
where an act of sexual misconduct is alleged to have occurred, and
will cooperate in accordance with civil and canon law in any
investigation by civil authorities. The Church will reach out to the
victims of sexual misconduct and their families to provide for their
spiritual well-being and healing. The diocesan hierarch, in exercising
his duties, has both pastoral and disciplinary responsibilities."
Of course, the policy never foresaw that the accused would be the
Bishop himself, nor the abused his Chancellor.
Certainly the Church has reached out in some ways to Fr. Isidore,
sending him to treatment (the cost of which is $30-$40,000 for the
usual stay, a sum which is covered, at least in part, by OCA
insurance). Bishop Nikolai reached out to Paul Sidebottom as well, but
in quite a different way.
The Sidebottom Story Continues
In early July Bishop Nikolai conducted a telephone conference with the
"Executive Committee" of St. Herman's Seminary Board of Trustees to
discuss the situation. (Although the bylaws of St. Herman's still
state that the President of the Seminary, as with all OCA-affiliated
seminaries, is Metropolitan Herman, he was not included in the call.
The Metropolitan has made it known for some time that he would not be
active in the affairs of the school.) The Executive Committee,
therefore, included: Bishop Nikolai, Ms. Mina Jacobs (the Bishop's
Assistant), Mr. Cliff Argue, a businessman from Seattle, and Fr.
Isidore, from the treatment center in Minnesota. During this
conference call Bishop Nikolai recommended Paul Sidebottom be
dismissed from the Seminary "due to budget cuts". Sidebottom was
subsequently informed by email of the Executive Committee's decision.
This decision, but none of the circumstances surrounding it, (that is,
Fr. Isidore's allegations against the Bishop contained in Sidebottom's
letter to the Metropolitan), were then communicated to the rest of the
Board of Trustees on July 25th. The dismissal provoked at least two
letters from Board members protesting the decision. (Read those
letters here)
The OCA Hierarchy Becomes Involved
Sometime in early June Archbishop Job received a multi-page report on
the situation in Alaska written by a professional in the field of
domestic violence and counseling familiar with the situation in
Alaska. He insisted a few days later that a special Synod meeting be
called, no later than the end of July. He later shared this report
with three other Bishops
(Metropolitan Herman, +Seraphim and +Nikon) in a special meeting held
at St. Tikhon's the week before the Synod meeting. It was this meeting
(to review the situation in Alaska) that so outraged Bishop Nikolai
that he left the Synod meeting early the following week. But in the
end, the Bishops did nothing. Fr. Isidore was not suspended pending an
investigation; Bp. Nikolai was not suspended pending an investigation;
Paul Sidebottom's dismissal was not reversed; and St. Herman's allowed
to continue its downward spiral.
Questions
The OCA policy states:
"The Church will strive to see that justice is done. The innocent must
be protected while those responsible for sexual misconduct must be
held accountable. Just as the rights of victims must be respected and
secured by the Church, the work and ministries of clergy and
laypersons must not be impaired by unfounded accusations. Fundamental
principles of fairness must not be compromised either way. The
Church's pastoral concern in this respect shall be directed to both
complainants and respondents."
Was justice done here?
• Did Paul Sidebottom receive justice from the Church? How? By being
fired by the alleged Abuser -and his Abused - for blowing the whistle
on both? Sidebottom has since left Alaska for an undisclosed location
in the lower 48.
Are the innocent being protected?
• Was Fr. Isidore protected? If so, how could the man acccused of
abusing him be allowed to speak with him regularly on the telephone,
even while he is in treatment? Did anyone tell the treatment center of
the circumstances of the disease? If not, why not?
• Is the other unnamed abuse victim being protected? For that matter
how are any of the clergy and laity of the Alaskan Diocese being
protected from a Bishop accused of physical violence, who at this
moment is in Kodiak leading an annual OCA pilgrimage, as if nothing
had happened?
Consequences
If "protection" and "justice" are the Church's goals, how is it that
everyone walks away from this as if nothing happened? That is,
everyone except Paul Sidebottom, who lost his job?
• How is it that the Bishop, after hearing the credible allegations of
sexual harassment made by Paul Sidebottom, does not suspend Fr.
Isidore as would be prudent according to the recommendations of the
OCA Policy on Sexual Abuse?
• How is that Metropolitan Herman, on hearing and reading of the
credible allegations of assault, domestic violence, and neglect Fr.
Isidore made against Bishop Nikolai, and confirmed together with an
additional allegation by Fr. Innocent, did not suspend both Fr.
Isidore and Bishop Nikolai pending a full investigation by a qualified
investigator?
• And in the face of the Metropolitan failure to act, how is that the
Synod of Bishops, having heard and read these credible allegations,
refused themselves to take action by demanding Fr. Isidore and Bishop
Nikolai both be suspended pending an investigation?
Credibility
The Church's policy states "...the work and ministries of the clergy
must not be impaired by unfounded accusations." The policy continues:
"(1) The complainant has the burden of proof to establish that the
Respondent engaged in acts of sexual misconduct;
(2) As a first step, there must be enough evidence from the
complainant to cause the Response Team or investigators to believe
that one or more of the allegations are substantiated at that point.
This generally must be more than the complainant's uncorroborated
testimony standing alone. If the complainant meets this test, the so-
called scales of justice temporarily would tip in favor of the
complainant;...."
Does Paul Sidebottom's complaint meet this preliminary test? Paul
Sidebottom is not delusional: he is, was, the former Assistant Dean
for Academics at St. Herman's; a graduate of both the OCA's other
seminaries, and a figure well-known in Kodiak and throughout the
Church for his years of missionary work. Numerous witnesses saw Fr.
Isidore drunk on the day in question. Sidebottom claims Fr. Innocent
Drewdow was present when these events occured, heard the allegations,
and confirmed them. Certainly Sidebottom's history, the claim of other
witnesses being present, and the fact that Fr. Isidore did indeed
enter treatment, lends enough credence to the story to "tip the scales
of justice temporarily" in favor of the complainant.
And yet, nothing was done.
A Moment of Decision
Once again the same old OCA story repeats itself: evil is alledged to
occur, a whistle-blower is fired for revealing it, the evidence is
suppressed and no action is taken against the alleged malefactor, who
is allowed to continue in office.
It took the Church 10 years, millions of dollars in lost and diverted
funds, bad publicity, broken spirits and lives, and years of struggle
to finally admit the former Chancellor committed malfeasance in office
worthy of his deposition. If our clergy are not just being robbed, but
beaten this time; drinking themselves comatose to avoid a Bishop's
wrath; while that same Bishop fires whistle-blowing faculty -
destroying one of our Seminaries so many have labored so long to build
- do we need 10 more years to deal with this issue? Do we have 10
years to deal with this? New computer systems, "Best Practices" and
the like are no help here.
Father, Brothers, Sisters - when is enough, enough? Why is it that
OCANews.org has to break this story and not OCA.org? Why is it that
national newspapers will have to seize on this scandal before the
Metropolitan acts? Why are we most likely going to hear the excuses
and justifications of the alleged abusers before we hear the voice of
the true shepherd who protects his flock? Are we so far gone that even
serious allegations of sexual impropiety, domestic violence, assault,
abuse and neglect will not motivate us, as long as our little world,
our little parish, our little monastery, our little seminary, our
little diocese, are all "safe"? Are we so bereft of Christian decency
that they can count on the fact that lay people will not rise up and
protest because we are scared of what our priest and fellow
parishioners might think; that no priests will rise up and protest
because they are too scared of what their Bishops and fellow priests
might think; that no Bishops will protest because they are too scared
of what the Metropolitan and their fellow Bishops might think? What,
fathers, brothers and sisters, do you think God thinks?
According to Paul Sidebottom, Fr. Isidore, in his despair, lamented
that "...he used to be normal. He loved God. He loved his neighbor."
Are we any different if we let these allegations pass in silence?
-Mark Stokoe
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