Devil or angel? Just because someone plants an insincere smile on their face, moons about “forgiveness”, and talks about “love” doesn’t make them an angel… who does that remind you of?
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Archdeacon Andrei Kuraev, Professor at the Moscow Theological Academy, thinks that the Diocese of Vladimir should take a more active role in the investigation of the situation at the St Andrei Bogolyubsky Convent. “If the Church were to use the fullness of its episcopal authority, there wouldn’t be any obstacles in the way of the commission of the Public Chamber pursuing this case, nor for the Prokuratura, especially in terms of looking into these ‘semi-underground sketes’”, Fr Andrei said on air on the TV programme Со своей колокольни (From the Bell Tower) on T/K Столица (Capital). When Deacon Andrei spoke of “semi-underground sketes”, he was referring to private homes near the monastery owned by partisans of the convent’s confessor, Archimandrite Pyotr Kuchera. “He’s a guy who’s not wrapped very tightly, but as strange as this priest is, who’s as flaky as any UFO nutter out there, you should see those who flock about him, they’re even loopier than he is”, Fr Andrei noted.
In his view, if state authorities, during their investigation of the incidents at the former convent orphanage, “can’t enter private homes, but they’re just private homes, not sketes or monastic property, then, this is exactly the sort of situation where the ecclesiastical authorities should show some resolution”. Last month, two minor wards of the convent orphanage escaped, and the girls involved accused some of their teachers of abuse. Based on their testimony, the authorities opened a criminal case. A year ago, there was a similar incident at the convent. Then, Valentina Perova fled the orphanage, also speaking of abuse at the facility. This story sparked much resonance amongst the public. An audit by state agencies, the Public Chamber, and the Moscow Patriarchate identified several irregularities at the orphanage and ordered it closed. Some of its residents went to a boarding school in Suzdal, parents claimed others, and the rest are living in private homes near the convent, mostly with followers of Archimandrite Pyotr Kuchera. Recently, on two occasions, the Synod disciplined him; as a result, he went over to a schismatic body for a short time. In March 2010, the Publications Board of the MP included one of his books on the list of publications forbidden distribution in parishes and monasteries.
8 November 2010
Interfax-Religion
http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=38103
Editor’s Note:
Isn’t Deacon Andrei the bomb? There’s no one quite like him; yet, SVS refuses to translate him! He’s only the most popular preacher in Russia today… he speaks to thousands at a time.
Compare the MP’s openness with the OCA’s secrecy. Again, it’s not because the MP is “better”… no way! There’s just as many sinful-ginfuls in the MP as there are in the OCA, trust me! Simply put, the MP must operate under the glare of the media spotlight and over the watchful eye of the state. The OCA is a minor sect on the American scene, therefore, it escapes media attention and state supervision (the RCs have come under both press and judicial attention because they are the single-largest religious body in the USA… no more, no less).
I believe that there are those who welcome this situation. Fathausen is one of them. You do recall his recent threat to pull all Orthodox chaplains out of the forces if gay troops were allowed to serve openly? Well… most Orthodox chaplains aren’t under the OCA… and Fathausen doesn’t speak for the other Orthodox archdioceses in the USA, in any case. If he were to do that, OCA chaplains would simply go under another bishop (and don’t forget how JP served with Feodosy Lazor at St Tikhon’s this year… and he complains about homosexuals… what a farce!). I wonder what Chaplain Chuck Baxter thinks of that… he serves in the Canadian Forces, where gays serve openly… thank you, JP, for making his life harder.
As for the OCA’s response to the sexual abuse charges in Canada, it didn’t empanel an internal investigation until the court in Winnipeg did so, even though outside parties requested such a probe over a year ago. Deacon Andrei wants openness… JP wants secrecy. Which do you prefer? There’s really no choice, is there?
BMD
Voices from Russia 
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