The full import of what happened recently to Kristine Patico Koumentakos in Maryland has finally sunk in. It is so blasphemous that it is horrifying. Fr Raymond Velencia of the OCA publicised intimate details of a woman’s life that he heard in confession and counselling. Fr Alexey Karlgut of the Syosset apparat said the following to the victim, “As to allegations of violation of ‘pastoral confidentiality’ it should be stated that in the teaching, Doctrine, and Canonical rules, regulations, and tribunal for internal discipline and government of the Orthodox Church no such concept exists”. Rev Velencia was a “goals-oriented priest”, according to Rev Karlgut, and he is still the rector of St Matthew parish in Maryland.
Herman Swaiko is the diocesan ordinary responsible in this situation. Did he remove Rev Velencia for breaking the inviolability of the confessional? Did he discipline Rev Karlgut for supporting him?
NO!
He used Rev Karlgut in an attempt to force the victim to sign a waiver stating that she would not sue the Church over a legitimate grievance where the priest involved overstepped his authority. As bad as that is, it is not the open scandal of Herman supporting a priest who contemptuously broke the seal of the confessional. This is the sin against the Holy Spirit naked and unashamed. I know what the late Archbishop Kyprian would have done. He would have jumped in his car and talked to a friendly judge in Maryland. Vladyki Kyprian and the Maryland state troopers would have come up to Rev Velencia’s door. Vladyki would have kicked the door in, and a royal rumble between Vladyki and Velencia would have ensued. The Maryland state troopers would be there only to do the light work and pick up the pieces after Vladyki was finished. Velencia would have been dog-meat, and rightly so.
In my time, I have heard of only four instances where a priest violated the confessional, including this one. In three cases, the bishop responsible swooped in like an avenging angel and planted his size-12 firmly into the backside of the priest involved. The priests in these cases were defrocked so quickly that it seemed instantaneous. In this case, Herman Swaiko SUPPORTS the priest involved. This is clear prima facie evidence, even for the obtuse, that the OCA central apparat is EVIL.
Tsar Ivan Grozny After Killing His Son on 15 November 1581 (Ilya Repin, 1873)
This is what Herman Swaiko has done to Christ’s Church. He supports a priest who broke the seal of the confessional.
A PRIEST VIOLATED THE SANCTITY OF THE CONFESSIONAL AND ABUSED ONE OF HIS PARISHIONERS.
I shall NOT be silent. I shall NOT be quiet. There is NO possible justification or explanation for the public airing of private confidences told to a priest in confession and counselling. I believe that this is grounds for a legal suit. I stand under correction in this, but I think that attorneys, physicians, and clergy are responsible before the law if they break such confidence. It is a violation of secular law as well as being an offence in the Church sense.
I stand mute in the face of such EVIL. It is beyond words. Herman Swaiko has the responsibility to remove Rev Velencia from the clergy as expeditiously as possible, and to issue an apology to the entire Church for his laggardliness in so doing. If he does not act, it means that he has deposed himself. I know of no bishop who has ever shirked his duty in such a circumstance. This is the only time that I have heard of a bishop, either now or in the distant past, supporting a priest who broke the seal of confidentiality that all clergy enjoy.
If anyone supports Herman Swaiko or Raymond Velencia in this, you share their guilt in their sin against the Holy Spirit. What shall it take for this crucifixion to end? If the OCA Holy Synod refuses to act, shall one of the other local Churches step in to restore a proper Orthodox order? I would say to His Holiness Aleksei, “It is time to act. The inviolability of the confessional has been raped”.
Is there anyone listening, dear God?
Vara Drezhlo
Thursday 8 May 2008
Editor’s Note:
The details on this sad situation have already been published on the internet on the website Orthodox Christians for Accountability. The URL for the posting involved is:
http://www.ocanews.org/news/Koumentakos5.3.08.html (in English)
I support Nicholas and Kristine Koumentakos completely and unreservedly in this. We all owe them our prayers, thoughts, and material aid (if needed). God bless you, dear, I stand by your side.
UPDATE:
There has been quite a bit of discussion of this case on the Orthodox Christians for Accountability site. Let’s keep this simple. A priest violated the confidentiality of the confessional. Full stop. His bishop did not remove him. Full stop. Two priests, Alexey Karlgut and George Washburn (in his posts on the Stokoe site), appear to justify this abuse by their public statements. Full stop.
In a well-run church, Metropolitan Herman Swaiko would be deposed by the Holy Synod without delay, and Frs Raymond Velencia, Alexey Karlgut, and George Washburn would be defrocked immediately. In Rev Washburn’s case, it can be explained by the fact that he lacks a proper Orthodox formation as a priest. The other two have no such defence.
A priest has violated the confidentiality of the confessional and of counselling. Why, the old Okhrana was not as invasive! Mr Washburn, what is so difficult in that to grasp? Your lawyerly parsing is offensive and noisome. Withdraw it immediately, or stand accused of complicity in this. I would like to hear from the last two solid hierarchs in the OCA, Vladyki Job of Chicago and Vladyki Seraphim of Canada. Speak, sirs, and don’t let Herman’s bullying stop you!
This is truly too much of a muchness. When I think of what I saw at St Nick’s last Saturday and compare it with this rubbish, I weep. Either condemn this monstrous act or stand complicit with it. It is that simple.
we need another Archbishop Kyprian!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
While it is correct and reasonable to be concerned about the church-related issues that have drawn the most comment on the blogs: confidentiality and the confessional seal, the qualifications (or lack thereof) of “investigator” Fr. Alexey Karlgut, and the ongoing troubles in Syosset (OCA headquarters), one can’t but wonder at the relative lack of attention paid to all the other grievances that Mrs. Koumentakos aired, each of which would have had their own devastating costs:
1. Loss of livelihood — she was, after all, fired; apparently without cause. For most of us, that would be a major life event.
2. The loss of reputation, having been discharged precipitously from her professional position. It’s hard enough getting a new job when one has voluntarily left a place of employment.
2. Stress of all that happened, coming as it did near the end of an already medically problematical pregnancy. Illness, fear and betrayal all at the same time??
3. The impact on her unborn (then new-born) baby. Stress is passed on to the foetus in utero, I’m told.
4. The loss of a long-time parish community (as attendance with the offending priest officiating became untenable) — in fact, loss of a whole faith tradition, since the OCA must now be unthinkable for her as a spiritual home.
5. The loss of reputation, as damaging information was spread to members of her parish, some of whom would have stood up, others of whom will have believed the priest in every jot and tittle, others of whom (I feel sure) merely cast their eyes in some other direction, not to disturbed or somehow implicated.
6. The loss of privacy (this has been discussed, but passed over, except as church policy is concerned).
7. The emotional and financial costs of pursuing justice for herself, and ultimately, a truly Christian outcome for the Church itself. (It is not overreaching to say that she suffered for OUR transgressions, to the extent that any of us failed to do our duty to straighten out OCA troubles earlier on.)
And, one must add, this is all not to mention the human costs closer to the priest who is being sued. What is the impact on his parishioners, his friends, his wife and children? How can others rely on his discretion after this episode? Where will they turn for pastoral guidance? How many others, hearing of the scandal, have turned away from Orthodoxy? The ramifications are wide and deep. It is disappointing that all the reactions seems to concern the very same, rather narrow, preoccupations that have filled the blogs for the past year or two, just refreshed and reenergized by the new tidbit Mrs. Koumenakos represents. Where is the human compassion for the blows that she and so many others have absorbed, or the scars they will carry?
The rest of us Orthodox must affirm that it is not “all about us.”
I was addressing only part of the question. Of course, I understand that there is more than just the issue of the breach of confidentiality. Nevertheless, in Church terms, it is the only thing the bishops can address. The other questions are more in the competence of a court of law.
I find the imputation that I am “using” this situation is absurd. I find the breach of the seal of the confessional blasphemous in the extreme. Again, I was only addressing the Church issue, the other ones are beyond my competence. If that angers you, I am sorry. I shall not address issues in which I am mot conversant.
I repeat, I stand behind NIcholas and Kristine Koumenakos unreservedly, as I stated in my post. Is that not good enough?
Vara
Vara,
Your blog is a beacon of truth and compassion. That you have addressed the issue of the lawsuit at all is extremely laudable, and your vigorous response speaks well of your humanity and your caring.
My comment was addressed, en masse, to the whole community, and I sincerely ask forgiveness if I inadvertently gave offense to you or any other genuinely concerned person. It was not my intention.
To stand behind those who have been wronged is, indeed, “good enough” — and much more than most have done.
No, forgive ME! I read something in it that was not there, being the sinner that I am.
Did you read the post preceding the one in question, “A Flame is lit at St Nick’s”? Please do, and you shall see my depth of feeling for the Church. I too have suffered at the hands of miscreant clergy and laity and I KNOW what it feels like. I do not know what Kristine is going through, of course. Nevertheless, I do know what pain is, and especially pain inflicted by those in Church who should know better.
KHRISTOS VOSKRESE!
KHRISTOS ANESTI!
I embrace you in all innocent Christian love,
Vara
I will read “A Flame is lit…” with great interest!
VOISTINU VOSKRESE!
ALITHOS ANESTI!
If Moscow needs any encouragement to rein in the OCA and revoke the Tomos, surely this provides it. Lord have mercy.
Christos Voskrese!
I am weekly among the choir of singers in a parish under the jurisdiction of his Holiness Aleksy Patriarch of Moscow. But I was chrismated and received into Communion with the Orthodox Church by Father Ray Velencia at St. Matthew’s parish OCA.
I fully understand people reacting to information as it is presented. But in my own personal experience, Fr. Ray is a faithful and decent man. My experiences of him and the vibrant life of the Orthodox community he has helped to foster at St. Matthew’s prompt me to reserve any judgement on matters about which I have no first-hand knowledge.
Let us extend charity to all parties in this tragedy and busy ourselves with prayer for them, because there is no denying that the situation is a pain within our Orthodox Church. May God bring healing and wholeness.
Keith!
It is quite simple. Do you approve of Raymond Velencia breaking the seal of the confessional? I do not. He deserves immediate defrocking, and no decent man would do such a thing.
No, I shall not “move on”. That is an evil term dreamt up by godless therapists. I say, if Raymond Velencia repeated anything he heard, out he goes, good riddance to bad rubbish.
Some things ARE simple. This is one of them. Mr Velencia knows that repeating things heard in the confessional or in counselling is reprehensible. Sorry, your argument holds no water. Velencia must go, and the sooner, the better.
Vara
St. Matthew is the closest church to me and I attend there on occasion. I have never heard Father Ray say anything overtly inappropriate however it is disconcerting in the manner he shares “information” about other individuals and families. As a result I have never been to him for confesson and use the parish priest where I grew up. I also am bothered by the information that I have read that states that Father Ray was forced by the courts to comply with Human Rights and provide information.
What an undeserved heartache for the couple!!! I left the Antiochian parish 10-ish years ago for this very reason. Priests continually being known for gossiping BEHIND THE AMBO during matins and being HEARD from at least five rows back about various parishioners and their ’sins.’ I searched and found a discreet confessor. Even AA demands anonymity for its members’ sharing in the meetings. The expectation to maintain privacy is a main reason people go to that secular group. And we have the SACRAMENT of confession. What was that ‘priest’ thinking (or not) when he blabbed? God Help Us.
in my rant previously, i forgot to write is it no wonder that seekers or outsiders wouldn’t even bother to come our way with this being known about and have their privacy violated. we all know there is not much a priest has not heard, but it still doesn’t make confession easier sometimes. these times are very evil. Vara, please keep up these words of chastisement - it’s refreshing to read, and to know that you stand up for this. for myself, i just ran (to another jurisdiction) when i heard it happened to others. repeat: God Help Us! thank you for this blogsite.