IL and NY—Suspension of Orthodox bishop retired for sexual misconduct lifted, SNAP responds
For immediate release: Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Statement by Melanie Jula Sakoda, volunteer member of the Board of Directors of SNAP, the Survivors Network (925-708-6175, [email protected])
A former Orthodox bishop from Chicago, who voluntarily retired in April of 2013 after he was found to have engaged in sexual misconduct with a young woman parishioner, had his suspension lifted effective March 1, 2017.
https://oca.org/PDF/NEWS/2017/2017-0601-STAT5978-may2017.pdf
SNAP, the Survivors Network, is concerned that this means the bishop may again be returning to active ministry. The bishop was briefly brought out of retirement in 2015.
Bishop Matthias Moriak, who at one time headed the Chicago Diocese of the New York based Orthodox Church in America (OCA), was suspended in his retirement on October 11, 2016.
https://oca.org/PDF/NEWS/2016/2016-1118-STAT591-oct2016.pdf
Although no reason was given for this suspension, Moriak sued the OCA in October of 2015. His lawsuit alleged that his removal from a parish assignment in Pennsylvania in response to complaints from SNAP violated contractual arrangements. The lawsuit was settled in March of 2017.
https://oca.org/cdn/PDFs/metropolitancouncil/2017/spring/spring17departments.pdf (Page 14)
Now that the suit is over and Bishop Matthias is no longer suspended, we are afraid that he will again be given a parish assignment. While there was no allegation of physical contact in this case and the young woman reported the behavior, another parishioner might not be so clearheaded. The consequences of the sexual abuse of an adult by a trusted clergyman can be absolutely devastating, even deadly.
The OCA has made great strides in addressing the issue of clergy sexual misconduct, and we hope it will continue to progress. We urge church officials to have zero tolerance for clergy sexual misconduct and to keep Bishop Matthias out of active ministry.
The OCA is headed by Metropolitan Tikhon Mollard (516-922-0550, [email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact – Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175, [email protected]), (Joelle Casteix (949-322-7434, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003, [email protected])
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Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director