The Allegations Were True

I love and have the deepest respect for my archpastor, who is properly titled The Most Reverend JOB. As I recently wrote to him, I was appalled and livid when I heard of the bishop of Alaska speaking against him and seeking his deposition. In Archbishop JOB's concern for the good of the Church, he called a meeting to discuss very serious allegations (which are still being swept under what seems to be a very dirty rug). This is proper and right and good in God's sight. After all, we ARE our brother's keeper. (It was the first murderer who disavowed responsibility for his brother.) In humility, we are supposed to be accountable to each other. Archbishop JOB acted for the good of Alaska (including its bishop, if Bp NIKOLAI would only see it), and he was rewarded with yet another small martyrdom. May Vladika JOB's memory be eternal for what he has suffered at the hands of his own brothers, like Joseph! He has upheld the integrity of the Church for us all many times now.

With fear and trembling, I wish only to offer one counterpoint, which I think is both significant and necessary. I respectfully disagree with His Eminence's conclusion that his question, "Are the allegations true, or false?," has now been answered. His letter showed obvious pastoral concern and compassion, but such a conclusion --although well-intentioned--, is incomplete and premature.

Such a conclusion is premature because no investigative final Report has been released, and even the Preliminary Report (already edited for legal purposes) has still not been released, but only a generalized and completely unsatisfactorily brief "summary." "Summarized" by whom? This is not the report we were promised, by Metropolitan Council, by the Holy Synod, and by Metropolitan HERMAN.

Such a conclusion is incomplete in that the allegations were not just about Bob Kondratick's embezzlement. A year-and-a-half ago, on behalf of Metropolitan HERMAN, Protodeacon Peter Danilchik asked folks to list the questions we wanted answered, and assuring us that His Beatitude promised to provide complete and honest answers. In response, I started with the allegations of Protodeacon Eric Wheeler. Keep in mind, the questions below are not all the questions which demand an answer, but are just the initial allegations of October +2005. These are the allegations Archbishop JOB originally asked if true, and I believe none of them has been answered completely or honestly:

1) Who knew about funds which existed outside of the financial reports provided the administrative bodies of the church?

2) Upon trips to Russia and elsewhere, would large caches of liturgical items be offered for sale to OCA clergy and parishes at a high markup and the profits be unreported? Who knew this? Who did this?

3) Was the prevailing financial climate at the chancery was always one of concealment? Who knew this? Who did this?

4) Were there embarrassing credit card debts incurred by the Metropolitan? Who knew this? Who covered this up?

5) Were family members and/or relatives of Syosset and/or friends of Syosset given secret gifts or assistance? What was given? Who knew this? Who did this? Who received benefit?

6) Was blackmail ever paid by Church funds? What for? Who paid it? To whom was it paid? Who knew about it?

7) Were OCA funds used to squash scandal? Who knew this? Who did this?

What are the endowments which the OCA has received, and their total value? Where are the records?

9) Was cash ever given to visiting foreign dignitaries and "friends of Syosset"? By whom? Who knew about this?

10) Were numerous bequests not provided to the auditors for review? Who was responsible to provide them?

11) Were these "numerous bequests" never reported to any church administrative body? Who was responsible to report them? What was the monies used for? Who knew of this going on?

12) Were OCA funds deposited into accounts which either Metropolitan THEODOSIUS or Metropolitan HERMAN or Bob Kondratick personally controlled? Who knew this?

13) How much cash was taken out of the Mission, Seminary and Charity Appeals? When? By whom? Who knew? Where are the bank account records so as to verify amounts?

14) Were the funds given by the U.S. Department of Chaplains for bibles for Russia ($67,000.00) ever purchased and sent? Who was responsible to see that this was done?

15) Was $100,000.00 in donations for Russian assistance ever given to its designated recipients? Who was responsible for its diversion? Who knew?

16) How much did the ADM and AF donations total? Where did these millions go? Who took this money? Who knew about it?

17) Was our "External Affairs" line item in the budget misused for regular payments to cover Father Kondraticks personal Platinum AMEX card? By what treasurer? Who all knew of this deception and lying?

18) What exactly was the salaries of Metropolitan THEODOSIUS, Metropolitan HERMAN, Bob Kondratick, Frs. Joe Fester and David Brum, and the other chancery staff?

19) Was a plan put into place by Metropolitan THEODOSIUS to present the offices of the law firm renting property within St. Catherine’s complex as the Andreas Conference Center? Who planned this? Who knew about it?

20) Was Protodeacon Eric Wheeler, as the Treasurer of the OCA, forbidden to include in his reports to the Holy Synod and Metropolitan Council any mention of the managerial comments made by the auditors from 1997-1999? By whom? Who knew about this command to deceive?

21) Was the "Discretionary Account" of Metropolitan THEODOSIUS and then later Metropolitan HERMAN created and sustained in order to cover up financial impropriety? Who knew of this?

22) Was the resolution signed by the Holy Synod during the All American Council in 1999 calling for Metropolitan THEODOSIUS to deny any type of audit of the “Discretionary Account” actually prepared by legal counsel for the Metropolitan?

23) Did Metropolitan THEODOSIUS falsely accuse Protodeacon Eric Wheeler in front of the Holy Synod of wanting control over the “so called” private accounts? What will be the discipline for this outright lie to the Holy Synod?

24) Did lawyer Richard Rock run a “coverup” and work with Bob Kondratick to construct a paper trail for the “so-called” discretionary account from 1996 to 1999? Who else knew of this bearing false witness in order to cover up embezzlement of charity?

25) Did the discretionary account foot the bill for the personal attorneys for Metropolitan THEODOSIUS and Bob Kondratick and the accounting fees for Heinz and Associates for their review of the paperwork created “after the fact” by Richard Rock?

26) Did Metropolitan THEODOSIUS tell the Holy Synod of Bishops at the 2000 Spring Session that an external audit is not a canonical requirement and is an expensive and unnecessary exercise which causes internal turmoil rather than good order? Why did the bishops of the Holy Synod let him get away which such obvious diversionary lies?

27) How much money in total was deposited into the St Sergius Chapel account? Where was the money spent?

28) Metropolitan HERMAN cited "legal and privacy concerns" for not answering questions, after promising to answer them. What legal concerns would require a lack of financial disclosure to the member contributors of a non-profit? What privacy concerns would require withholding financial information from the very bodies (Metropolitan Council, the Holy Synod, etc.) which are by Statute entrusted with all financial decision making?

Today we have many more questions needing to be answered, but these are just the ones which Archbishop JOB demanded an answer to, and which I maintain have not been answered.

The lie we were being stalled with then by Syossetites was, "We don't know if the allegations are true (so don't speak up)." Later, the lie we were handed was, "Okay, the allegations are probably true, but there's nothing we can do about it (so don't speak up)." Now, Syosset's lie is "We know that in the case of one person, some of the allegations were true (so let's leave it at that, forget anyone else was involved, ignore the myriad of other serious allegations, pretend all is well and above all, don't speak up)."

This is not the way forward. We cannot say His Eminence Archbishop JOB's question is answered, if so much of his question is left unanswered, covered up, and still His Beatitude continues to thwart investigation through suspending and disbanding the Special Commission (which, in my view, was the very last glimmer of hope in the possibility of restoring trust in this administration; I have no confidence in His Beatitude's reconstituted, hand-picked "committee").

Finally, our rightly-beloved Archbishop's answer is unmeet, because it was not his to answer. The question he raised was properly addressed to Metropolitan HERMAN, our primate. Our Metropolitan has not answered the question directly or specifically or completely, but rather actively derails any attempt to find answers beyond his fall guy, Bob Kondratick.

One conclusion His Eminence Archbishop JOB makes is clearly correct: this "cannot be the end." Even if our good Archbishop's answer is enough --which he himself admits it isn't--, then his own original letter gives us the next step: "If the allegations are true, then much work must be done -- not only regarding facts, figures, and finances, but the restoration of credibility, honesty, truth, righteousness, integrity, and honor." I submit that the first order of business to restore credibility, honesty, truth, righteousness, integrity and honor, be the resignation of Metropolitan HERMAN and the reestablishment of our Special Commission for a full and complete investigation of all allegations and all involved, not just one person in one area.

I would like to end where I started out: recognizing His Eminence Archbishop JOB for his valor, and thanking him for the ever-needed reminder that our greatest responsibility is to repent ourselves. His courageous stand has brought him to the lowest points of his life. His suffering for the truth will not go unrewarded. He has emulated, in his small way, the Confessors of our Faith. But now, with so much of his question left unanswered, incomplete, and uninvestigated, is not the time to quit asking. His Eminence's heartfelt cry for all of us to enter into the "peace that passes understanding" includes asking for answers. (After all, our Prince of Peace Himself threw the moneychangers out of the Temple --and they hadn't even stolen anything, as our leaders have! Ananias and Sapphira simply underreported their own freewill donations, and received the death penalty for lying "not to men, but to God." Their discipline directly resulted in the blessed fear of the Lord throughout the whole church, the people holding their bishops in high honor, and "more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.") Peace and Truth are synonymous.

In the midst of this turmoil, while simultaneously calling for answers and resignations, His Eminence is quite right that we are only saved through our own repentance and confession. As essential as Metropolitan HERMAN's resignation is to the future of the OCA, and as essential as the cleaning up of Syosset is to the reestablishment of trust, it is all for naught if we ourselves are not seeking to aquire the Spirit of Peace.

Father Mark Hodges
fr.mark.hodges@juno.com
(419) 224-8600
Saint Stephen the First Martyr Orthodox Mission
Lima, Ohio
www.orthodoxlima.org
+