Where were the OCA and the ROCOR? Our stricken brothers and sisters called out for our aid… and we did NOTHING. This happened to our blood kin… that’s showing a total lack of common human decency and love.
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The lack of response from the OCA is particularly insensitive, reprehensible, and despicable. Many of our people and parishes trace their ancestral roots to Byelorussia. The OCA had close fraternal relations with the BOC/MP and Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk, going back to Soviet times when “Belarus” was the Byelorussian SSR. Metropolitan Philaret and delegations accompanying him visited the USA; Metropolitan Theodosius and the OCA hosted them officially over the years. What happened?
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Of course, you remember when a BOC/MP priest visited a Protestant gathering and “laid out the case” for Orthodoxy without mincing his words? You ran the story. That same priest met with JP, and extended an invitation to him on behalf of Metropolitan Philaret for the former to visit Byelorussia and the BOC/MP. How many Orthodox bishops, let alone a Metropolitan heading a major MP Exarchate, wanted JP around? Answer… not many. This is how JP treats Metropolitan Philaret, the BOC/MP, the victims, and our brothers and sisters by faith and blood? It’s shameful.
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Paffhausen, on behalf of himself, the Holy Synod, and the OCA at large, should have sent a letter of condolences to Metropolitan Philaret IMMEDIATELY and posted it on oca.org. This type of terrorism is the number one security problem confronting the Russian world (Russia, the Ukraine, Byelorussia, and the Near Abroad) today. He should have asked the OCA faithful, and all parishes and institutions to offer aid to Metropolitan Philaret to alleviate the suffering of the injured and the grieving. As far as the candle “ad” on the ROCOR site is concerned, that speaks for itself. ROCOR is desperate and broke. I’m surprised and disappointed in Metropolitan Hilarion on this…
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Maybe, JP is listening to Fr Victor Potapov on this matter. After all, he has extensive ties to the US government circles and they have it “in” for Byelorussia and its beloved President… remember, Lyonyo Kishkovsky is a Council on Foreign Relations member. He has many ties to the US State Department, most of the Foggy Bottom crowd detest Byelorussia and its President for daring to defy the new global world order…
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At this point, I am so fed up all I can do is quote the American civil and voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer… “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired”. This horrid nightmare of a tragedy in Byelorussia displays the true colours of both the OCA and ROCOR. Your Holiness, please disband these self-absorbed obsolete institutions and re-constitute a united Russian Orthodox Church in North America! Congratulations JP and Syosset! You hung one of the best friends of the OCA out to dry. Nice going! Great job! You embarrassed the OCA and its members! Keep up the good work!
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This touched a nerve out there… there was one good result of it all. It showed us that the present OCA and ROCOR are Tweedledee and Tweedledum. I’m touched that others feel as I do. This is too much of a muchness. When one doesn’t offer succour and aid to one’s own… that’s a sign of advanced decay, and I’m not the only one to see that. God DO help us all.
BMD
