BishopAccountability.org
	Something Urgently Needs to Be Done By Theodore Kalmoukos Orthodox Reform September 29, 2007 http://orthodoxreform.org/cases/nicholas-graff/something-urgently-needs-to-be-done/ BOSTON, Mass. – Before we could finish saying, "Thank God the Katinas case is over" – ecclesiastically, at least (from a legal standpoint, we still have a long way to go) – we started praying, "Holy Theotokos, Most Blessed Mother of God, help us," because yet another case involving allegations of sexual misconduct with minors against another prominent clergyman of the Archdiocese, the Very Rev. Nicholas Graff, has surfaced. I will not elaborate on the fact that Archbishop Demetrios did not have the courtesy or strength to come to the phone and make a statement about this new case; nor about what Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta, who had appointed Father Graff to so many visible and prominent positions, stated (see related story, page 1), although at some point, Alexios should offer an explanation to the Church and to the Greek American community and answer a very simple question: Since when has he known that a well-known archimandrite serving in his jurisdiction was living with an underage boy? To state the obvious, celibate priests living under the same roof with underage children – boys, in most instances – is a very serious issue. In the canonical teaching and ecclesiastical tradition of our Church, it is abundantly clear that it is prohibited for a celibate priest to live with young men and women. Furthermore, it is not only a canonical matter. It is also a matter of common sense. The National Herald has learned that Father Graff may not be the only celibate priest who, under the pretense of "adoption" or "parental care," had an underage boy living with him. The accusations and allegations, as they are recorded in the lawsuit, are very revealing. The least the Archbishop should do – immediately, and without any delay – is dismiss all celibate priests who are currently using their capacity as a foster parent (often to cover up their living arrangements or cohabitation with young boys) from the Archdiocese. The Archbishop should act today, before it's too late – before a new scandalous case breaks which will eventually lead our Church to bankruptcy, as a very prominent member of the Archdiocesan Council told us recently. The Archbishop should stop pretending that he doesn't understand or doesn't know. I also think it's time to open up the discussion about, and rekindle the early tradition of, ordaining married clergy to the Episcopate. It's overdue. After all, it was a tradition of our early Church. If someone dares take a closer look at the list of Episcopal candidates in our Archdiocese, his hair will stand on end. Let's get serious. Our Church simply can not afford to be confronted with more sexual abuse scandals and lawsuits. In terms of numbers and assets, our Church is too small. We do not enjoy the financial resources of the Roman Catholic Church, which has a lot of real estate to sell. We will be forced to sell even our golden, silver and brass candles, as well as our censers and icons, to pay off the victims of pedophile priests. I'm not saying that all celibate priests are pedophiles or homosexuals. Thank God there are many who are very ethical, and who are true servants of God. In fact, if we accept the allegations as fact (as the Archdiocese has through its Spiritual Court), the Katinas case indicates that pedophilia is not a phenomenon which exclusively pervades the celibate clergy. Neither is homosexuality restricted to the ranks of our celibate clergy. But in terms of percentages, celibate priests do seem to have more pedophiles and/or homosexuals in their ranks. We are not homophobic. Far from it. Someone's sexual orientation is his or her business. Live and let live. But in ecclesiastical terms, and as far as the Church goes, there is a clear set of canonical rules: Homosexuals should not be seeking ordination, nor should they be permitted to be ordained, to a Greek Orthodox clergy. Finally, sexual preferences aside, child abuse of any kind is an abomination, whether you are an Orthodox Christian or not.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.