Canada--Archbishop is “deceiving flock” group says

 For immediate release: Thursday, March 19, 2015

For more information: Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175 cell, [email protected]), Cappy Larson (415-637-2006 cell, [email protected]), David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected])

Archbishop is “deceiving flock” group says

He’s been ousted and convicted of child sex crimes

Yet he’s started deceptive new website hiding those facts

SNAP: “Church officials should denounce him and warn congregants”

A support group for clergy sex abuse victims is urging Canadian Orthodox Church officials to order an archbishop who was convicted of child sex crimes to take down a deceptive new website. They are also begging them to publicly denounce the predator and warn their flocks about him.   

 

Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, are writing to the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) ruling body, the OCA’s synod of bishops, prodding them to inform church-goers that Archbishop Seraphim Storheim is “basically pretending he’s still head of the Canadian church.”

Last year, Storheim was convicted of sexually assaulting a boy who had come to visit him in Winnipeg in 1985. In October, his lawyer Jeff Gindin, said he’d appeal that verdict.

“According to Archbishop Seraphim’s new website, he is the ‘retired Archbishop of Ottawa,’” fumed Melanie Jula Sakoda of SNAP. “There is no mention of the fact that his retirement was the decision of the OCA’s synod and followed on the heels of his child sexual abuse conviction.”

“The site also omits telling its readers that in 2010 he was banned from administering the sacraments by that same synod,” added Cappy Larson, also of SNAP. “The archbishop even ignores the fact that the OCA has selected a new bishop for Ottawa!” 

“When child predators are exposed, they do and say almost anything to maintain their power, prestige and access to kids,” said David Clohessy, the executive director of SNAP. “And when this happens, it’s crucial that other responsible adults share the truth and do everything possible to warn parents and the public about these dangerous and deceptive predators.”

SNAP wants the OCA to force Storheim to take down his website. They also want the bishops to publicly denounce the deception, and warn their members about the archbishop.

“Quite simply, Archbishop Seraphim’s site tries to legitimize him by listing him among the Orthodox bishops of Canada. He even positions himself at top of the list! The synod needs to put a quick end to this farce,” concluded Sakoda.

The URL for Storheim’s new website is http://archbishop-of-ottawa.org/

His list of Orthodox bishops in Canada can be found here: http://archbishop-of-ottawa.org/node/89

The text of SNAP’s letter, previously sent to the synod by email, is below, as is the list of hierarchs to whom it was sent.

Storheim was suspended from the priesthood in November of 2010.  He was forced into retirement in March of 2014, following his January, 2014 conviction for child sexual abuse. Bishop Irenee Rochon was elected as the new bishop of Ottawa in October of 2014, and he was enthroned in November.

Dear Sirs:

It was recently brought to our attention that Archbishop Seraphim Storheim has published a new website,  http://archbishop-of-ottawa.org/. See also http://archbishop-of-ottawa.org/node/89.

The website is extremely deceptive. In it there is no mention of the following facts:

1.      The archbishop was suspended from the priesthood on November 30, 2010 and remains suspended;

2.      The archbishop was convicted of child sexual abuse on January 24, 2014;

3.      The archbishop was forcibly retired in March of 2014;

4.      Bishop Irenee Rochon was elected as the new bishop of Ottawa on October 21, 2014, and enthroned on November 29, 2014.

Please, gentlemen, you need to put a quick end to this farce and order Archbishop Seraphim to take down this misleading site. You also need to publicly denounce the archbishop’s deception and use every resource at your disposal to dispel the misinformation and to warn the Faithful about him.

When child predators are exposed, they do and say almost anything to maintain their power, prestige and access to kids. As leaders, it is up to you to do the responsible thing and proclaim the truth.  

Sincerely,

David Clohessy of St. Louis, MO, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected])

Cappy Larson of San Francisco, CA, SNAP Orthodox Director (415-637-2006 cell, [email protected])

Melanie Jula Sakoda of Moraga, CA, SNAP Orthodox Director (925-708-6175 cell, [email protected])

____________________________________

Metropolitan Tikhon Mollard, Tel: 516-922-0550

Orthodox Church in America

P.O. Box 675

Syosset, NY 11791

Fax: 516-922-0954

Email: [email protected]

 

Archbishop Nathaniel Popp, Tel: 517-522-4800

PO Box 309

Grass Lake, MI 49240-0309

Fax: 517-522-5907

Email: [email protected]

 

Archbishop Nikon Liolin, Tel: 508-764-3222

PO Box 149

Southbridge, MA 01550

Email: [email protected]

 

Archbishop Benjamin Peterson, Tel: 415-567- 9378

1520 Green St

San Francisco, CA 94123

Email: [email protected]

 

Archbishop Alejo Pacheco-Vera, Tel: 5784-5198

Av Rio Consulado E Iruapato #53

Col Penon De Los Banos

Mexico, DF 15520

Fax: 5784-5198

Email: [email protected]

 

Archbishop Melchisedek Pleska, Tel: 724-776-5555

PO Box 1769

Cranberry Township, PA 16066-1769

Fax: 724-776-5555

Email: [email protected]

 

Bishop Mark Maymon, Tel: 570-937-9331

144 St Tikhon's Road

Waymart, PA 18472

Email: [email protected]

 

Bishop Paul Gassios, Tel: 312-202-0420, 202-0424

933 N. La Salle Dr.

Chicago, IL 60610-3204

Email: [email protected]

Bishop Irenee Rochon, Tel: 613-223-7780

15 LeBreton St. N.

Ottawa, ON K1R 7H1

Canada

Fax: 613-223-1931

Email: [email protected]

 

Bishop Michael Dahulich, Tel: 914-779-6580

33 Hewitt Ave
Bronxville, NY 10708

Fax: 914-779-6581
Email: [email protected]

 

Bishop Alexander Golitzin, Tel: 419-693-9540

519 Brynhaven Dr.
Oregon, OH 43616

Fax: 419-693-9541
Email: [email protected]

 

Bishop David Mahaffey, Tel: 907-538-9318

7031 Howard Ave
Anchorage, AK 99504-1899

Fax: 907-677-0646
Email: [email protected]      

    


Showing 1 comment

SNAP Network is a GuideStar Gold Participant