VERTOGRAD'S ERRONEOUS REPORT
Rev. Fr. Elias Greer
hierarchs or clergy of our Synod, VERTOGRAD has succeeded only in
solidifying its reputation for having "news" stories that are so
outrageous (and unsubstantiated), that it's now widely read by those
in ROAC for entertainment purposes and not for truthful information.
This past week, VERTOGRAD published yet another inaccurate report
according to which 3 of our American clergy left our Synod here in the
America because of the "unfortunate 'personnel policy' of the First
Hierarch of ROAC, Metropolitan Valentine".
Here are the facts -
· Michael Fresco of St Maximos the Confessor Church in California was
deposed 4 years ago by Bishop Gregory, who at the time was still in
good standing with our Synod of Bishops.
· Archimandrite Ephraem Bertolette of St. Barbara's Monastery in New
Jersey did in fact depart from our Synod recently in order to become a
"Metropolitan" accepting a consecration offer in Athens by some
obscure, schismatic Greek old calendar group on Clean Monday of this
year. Apparently Archimandrite Ephraem planned his deceitful departure
last fall when he, in advance, placed his order for 2007 calendars
with Mr. Jiffy Printing Center in his hometown in order to publicize
his new "elevation". So, one can readily see that the reason that
Archimandrite Ephraem left ROAC was due to his own unfortunate
"personnel policy" of promoting himself.
· Deacon Nicholas Stanoschek has not left our Synod, but was recently
reassigned to our Texas parish. The listing of the St. Basil of
Kineshma Mission in Colorado was simply removed from our national web
page after being declared non-viable by His Grace, Bishop ANDREI.
These 3 clergyman had nothing more than a house chapel.
Unfortunately, VERTOGRAD stands in the forefront as the shinning
example of a journal which disseminates inaccurate information and
gossip as it continues to be wholly unconstrained by the traditional
assumption, which is de rigueur in traditional publishing, that one
should ascertain the facts and educate themselves before offering a
report.
And with imprudence rapidly spreading as a spiritual and intellectual
disease in our age as well as with the advent of the Internet, any
fool or panjandrum holding an opinion looks for any available forum to
spread their gossip and silly chitchat. Regrettably VERTOGRAD through
its "investigative efforts" can only expect to extrapolate half-truths
from web page deletions which is not comme il faut for ascertaining
all the facts.
Finally, those of us of us here in America know all too well the
untiring efforts of His Grace, Bishop ANDREI who could hardly be
characterized as "inanimate". As the Administrator of the Russian
Orthodox (Autonomous) Church of America, Bishop ANDREI's boundless
energies and contagious enthusiasm continues to be an inspiration to
those of us who have "ears to hear" on our journey to salvation.