22 April 2012. You Can’t Make Shit Like This Up Department: “Aiding and Abetting the Moscow Patriarchate” by “Bishop” Paul Peter Jesep

In case you forgot, most of the Galician schismatics and Uniates supported the Nazi occupiers and were their willing collaborators. That’s why they fled with the Nazi armies in 1944. That’s a fact. Do remember that Slipyj blessed SS troopers… that’s another fact. Puts a rather different face on things, no?

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Editor’s Foreword:

This is NOT a spoof… it’s “for real”. If you needed proof that the Galician schismatics are “off”, this is it. Sad, ain’t it? It does prove, once again, that it DOES take “all kinds”. Pass me the jug…

BMD

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Ukrainians don’t need someone else’s permission to have their own Church. I’ve said it. I’ve written it. And now I’m repeating it for the umpteenth time. Metropolitan Yurij of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada is aiding and abetting the Moscow Patriarchate. His inhospitable attitude toward the visit of Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate is misguided. Independent of the lack of Christian hospitality, it gives the Moscow Patriarchate legitimacy and greater leverage to interject itself in the social, political, and religious life of Ukraine.

In a letter released April 19, 2012, the Metropolitan advised his parishes that “His All-Holiness”, Patriarch Bartholomew I of Istanbul, Turkey informed him that Patriarch Filaret “cannot at this time be welcomed nor have banquets organised in his honour in the parishes, or their properties, of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.” He further wrote, “No clergyman or member of the consistory Board can be in the vicinity of ‘Patriarch Filaret’ as any picture or report may portray this presence as representing or offering support of the UOCC”.

The titular leader of world Orthodoxy has refused to extend “canonical” recognition to the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate, under the thumb of Patriarch Kirill of Russia, is accorded “canonical” recognition. The UOCC’s position implies that it must defer to the Moscow Patriarchate on matters of Orthodoxy in Ukraine since it is the only “canonically” recognized Orthodox Church.

Here are several things to consider:

• The Moscow Patriarchate continues to press the Ukrainian government to give it Church properties at the expense of the Autocephalous, Greek Catholic, and Kyiv Patriarchate Churches.
• The Moscow Patriarchate has consistently sided with Vladimir Putin and against protesters seeking democratic reform. It strongly advised reformers on several occasions not to participate in rallies.
• Patriarch Kirill (Vladimir Gundyaev) allegedly has made a fortune in tobacco, alcohol, and oil sales. It’s also been reported he owns a villa in Switzerland. And the world already knows he likes expensive watches.

In January 2012, a top US intelligence officer, James Clapper, warned of Ukraine’s move away from democracy toward authoritarian rule. This will mean much closer ties to Moscow. The Moscow Patriarchate is playing an important role in influencing social and foreign policy in Russia. A high official in the Moscow Patriarchate said, “The military class has always been in the centre of political life and on top of the social pyramid in Christian countries.” He has called for a strong military so that Russia can settle matters “on our territory or in the vicinity of our borders”. The Moscow Patriarchate has been supportive of Russia’s policies in Syria where innocent citizens wanting free elections have been butchered by the Moscow-backed regime.

Liudmyla Fylypovych, a religion and philosophy professor at the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, observed, “The centre of gravity is constantly shifting between the Ecumenical Patriarch and his supporters on one side, and the Moscow Patriarch and the churches that support him, on the other. In this situation, the Ukrainian church was simply used to strengthen one wing and weaken the other. I do not think the Ukrainian church can be an argument or a toy used in any geopolitical confrontations. It is completely self-sufficient and possesses good, ancient traditions of its own”. In short, Moscow and Istanbul should stop using Ukrainian spirituality as a political football.

Patriarch Kirill of Russia, as did his predecessor, Patriarch Aleksei II, made it clear to the Ecumenical Patriarch that no canonical recognition can be given to the Autocephalous or Kyiv Patriarchate churches. Only Ukrainian churches under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church can be accorded canonical status. Canonical status is about politics. It’s about power. It has nothing to do with God, faith, or loving more and judging less to make a better world. The Ecumenical Patriarch is afraid of losing Russia’s support. Hence, he’ll never extend canonical recognition to a Ukrainian based church out of fear that it’ll offend Moscow. It’s not very Christian, but then again, Church politics often isn’t.

A nation defines its soul in part by its writers, thinkers, artists, and its spirituality. In order for Ukraine’s national reawakening to continue then it must have a Ukrainian-based church that can be a protector of Ukrainian culture. The treatment of Patriarch Filaret is crude, inhospitable, contributes to the detriment of Ukraine, ignores the political reality that no canonical status will ever be extended to a Ukrainian based church, and most important it begs the question… does God really care about who gets the coveted political label of “canonical?” Is Christianity so deeply rooted in something this insignificant?

I have strongly, but respectfully, disagreed both with Patriarch Filaret and Metropolitan Myfodii for seeking canonical recognition. They’re given lip service and nothing more by Istanbul. They and their representatives repeatedly have been sent away empty handed. This is an opportunity for Patriarch Filaret to openly address the silliness of canonical recognition. Let me repeat… Ukrainians don’t need, have never needed the permission of Moscow or Istanbul to have their own church. Please stop asking. Ukrainians aren’t spiritual serfs. Ukrainians answer to God and conscience, not petty church power politics.

Paul Peter Jesep is a New York lawyer and Bishop in the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. He is the appointed US Spokesperson and Government Liaison for His Beatitude Metropolitan Myfodii. The views expressed here are personal and in no way reflect the official position of his church.

22 April 2012

Paul Peter Jesep

BRAMA

http://www.brama.com/news/press/2012/04/120422bishoppaulpeterjesep_moscowpatriarchate.html

Editor’s Afterword:

There one has it. In short, they’re Proddies with a liturgical itch. Christ’s Church means NOTHING to these sorts. Don’t argue with them… it’s pointless, and this particular Gordian Knot won’t be cut in our lifetimes. If you wanted proof of the sterility and lifelessness of the schismatical conventicles, here it is, in full living colour. They refuse to submit to the Church… so be it. Let them be. However, they’re NOT Orthodox, and we shouldn’t allow them to usurp the title. That’s clear, too.

THIS is what happens when politics (Langley) interferes with religion. It’s ugly… it’s regrettable… but there’s nothing to be done of it. Let them be, unless they try to infiltrate real Orthodox venues… in that case, show them no quarter. Reflect on this. Just as Langley runs this bunch, it’s trying to control the ROCOR and the OCA, too. Thankfully, most ROCOR people have Potapov’s “number”… he’s a known quantity, and people know who his bosses are (c’mon, he was a higher official for the BBG, a known Langley front). In the case of the OCA, the konvertsy fanatic claque around Paffhausen is just as Hard Right as he is. That’s where the fight’s going to be, and Langley’s going to bankroll its fair-haired boy. He does seem to have money to travel about, doesn’t he?

BMD

Schismatics in Sumy Oblast in the Ukraine Received into the Canonical Orthodox Church through Repentance

Bishop Iosif Maslennikov of Konotop and Glukhov (1978- ), of the canonical UOC/MP. The loudmouths in Stokoe’s comboxes are perpetually mewling about the “old and stuck in the mud” clergy in Russia… then, please, explain to me why the only clergy that I see in the MP are young men like this bishop and Archbishop Mark and Fr Vsevolod (and oldsters like Metropolitan Yuvenaly who’re “young at heart”)? Are we looking at the same Church?

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On 26 September 2011, the eve of the holyday of the Elevation of the Holy Cross, in Shostka in Sumy Oblast in the Ukraine, a parish of the schismatic “Patriarchate of Kiev”, led by their priest, returned to the fold of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church/MP. Earlier, Vladimir Skiba, known as “Hieromonk Siluan”, a former clergyman of the so-called UOC/KP’s Diocese of Konotop, petitioned Bishop Iosif Maslennikov of Konotop and Glukhov to forgive him, and to receive him, along with the members of the schismatic UOC/KP Holy Trinity parish, into ecclesiastical communion with the Diocese of Konotop of the canonical UOC/MP. Vladyki Iosif served the rite of accession to the Orthodox Church. Parishioners professed their loyalty to the Church of Christ, and they renounced all schismatic and heterodox activities and formally broke all ties with the schismatic Mikhail Antonovich Denisenko (formerly Metropolitan Philaret). At the end of the rite of accession and the reconsecration of Holy Trinity’s parish church, Bishop Iosif served Divine Liturgy. Vladyki Iosif expressed his sincere joy on the return of our brothers and sisters in the faith from the sin of schism. He said, “Schisms and divisions are wounds and sores on the Body of Christ, which is embodied by the Church. However, for Orthodox Christians, the Cross isn’t a symbol of death… it’s a symbol of life and resurrection. In ancient Jerusalem, touching the dead to the True Cross brought them back to life; when a parish returns to the salvific bosom of the Church, it breathes life into a newly-Orthodox community”. The newly-reconciled schismatics confessed and took Holy Communion together with other Orthodox Christians. Everyone received icons of the Saviour and the Most Holy Mother of God, along with an episcopal blessing.

28 September 2011

Pravoslavie.ru

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/news/48906.htm

Editor’s Note:

An MP priest sent me the link to this with the comment, “Is this the future for the OCA?” Now, it’s time to “speak the unthinkable”. With the nomination of John Jillions to be Chancellor, the OCA crossed a line. Mr Jillions is a known quasi-papist, Radical Renovationist, and indifferentist. His wife is even worse than he is. Together, they’re a force for evil… there’s no other way of putting it. I believe that portions of the OCA are going to descend into schism (that’s why Love BT must be prevented from attending the Sobor… he’ll light the match just out of spite). Interestingly enough, New Skete’s probably not going to spin off into vagante irrelevance. They need to sell their dogs and cheesecakes in order to survive, so, they have to stay “canonical”… they’ll either return to the Unia or go to the EP. SVS, too, won’t fly off into schism… they’ll go EP, just like the Paris cabal.

Here’s the saddest part… all of the loudmouth konvertsy truly think that they can “defy” world Orthodoxy. Trust me… they’d be disowned, and right smartly, too. They’d be nothing but another splinter that’s left the Church and spun into isolated and crackbrained rebellion. No one would miss them… NO ONE. Some of the saner parishes would be dragged into the whirlpool… the scenario illustrated by the above news item would play out in more than one community. As for the rest… the Church would take its traditional attitude… “If you wish to return, you know where the door is, and what the conditions are. They’re not going to change any time soon or any time later. It’s up to you”. We haven’t come to the darkest segment of the road yet. Are we at “June 1941″ (the nadir-point of the atheist persecution… only 100 churches were left in all the USSR) yet? Shall we have to drink the cup to the bitter dregs? One hopes not…

BMD