Since the priests and the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) previously refused to obey the biblical example of removing an unrepentant sinner from their midst, or even follow their own rules, Regarding Sexual Misconduct by Clergy.docx, perhaps we will allow Shakespeare to pronounce the judgement of God:
"And I for winking at your discords too
Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished."
Six years ago, JTO posted the article Rape and the Holy Man, exposing through documentation the alleged sexual misconduct of Father Matthew Williams and the sin of the ROCOR church clergy who hid, squelched, and otherwise silenced the topic from public discourse. In the intervening years, Metropolitan Hilarion even publicly awarded the accused priest for his "long years of faithful service."
This week, after another alleged victim's frantic appeal to Moscow to intervene, Father Matthew Williams was reportedly suspended. New allegations have come to light. One accusation of sexual abuse at the hands of Father Matthew has reportedly come from his own daughter, now a married adult. Father Williams' name has been removed from the parish website and an interim priest has been installed. Father Matthew Williams is reportedly being cloistered at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY.
JTO has received numerous emails and blog comments concerning recent and past events, and none of the correspondence removes Father Matthew's wife from culpability. In fact, there are renewed accusations that she has enabled her husband to continue his "ministry" unabated. These accusations extend back 10 years or more when the mother of the subject of Rape and the Holy Man sent a scathing letter to Matthew and Elizabeth Williams chiding them for their self-preservation and spiritual hypocrisy.
"[I] thought you were different[.] [I] thought you were the makings of one with a beautiful wife at your side..an officer of the orthodox church. [W]hat about you.? You have confirmed in your own God children that God doesn[']t matter in the face of temptation. I would like an explanation from your wife and from you. You can ignore me, but that [won't] make the reality disappear that you have done this to us."
All are punished! Top to bottom and bottom to top, numerous clergy need to be reproved, suspended, defrocked. Based on the investigation as shown in Rape and the Holy Man, these are the men/clergy who knew of the specific accusations, who were part of the failure to do nothing, who attempted to threaten and cajole people (including this JTO Editor) to silence and now are fully culpable for the crimes and sins of their priest perpetrated on women and children. ROCOR! Antioch! OCA! Censure these men:
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| Metropolitan Hilarion |
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| Father John Oliver Brother-in-law of Matthew Williams |
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| Father Christopher Stanton Brother-in-law of Matthew Williams |
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| Archpriest Andrei Sommer |
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| Father Mark Rowe |
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| Father Anastasy P. Yatrelis |
Oh, men of holy orders! Will you, now that your backs are against the wall and the hidden has come to light, ask these previously recommended questions of the accused cloistered priest who, according to you, has served "long and faithfully":
The list might start out with these 15, asked in a face-to-face meeting with Father Williams:
- Did you have any type of inappropriate sexual contact with [name withheld]?
- Why do you think the Mother is insistent that her daughter has admitted to her and to her siblings that you had inappropriate sexual contact?
- What was your relationship with the girl?
- Did she stay in your home from time to time?
- Was she staying in your home when the mother, Carole Stephens, alleges that the inappropriate sexual contact occurred?
- When and how did you first hear of the allegation toward you?
- Were you aware of this allegation prior to being ordained a priest in ROCOR and did you make the ordaining entities aware of it? If not, why not?
- Since hearing of the allegation toward you, have you and/or your wife had contact either personally or by phone or letter with (daughter's name withheld]? If so, what was the purpose and content of that or those correspondences and how many have there been?
- Carole Stephens has claimed that you and your wife had a lengthy, two-hour, phone conversation with her and that she went "round and round" with both of you. Did this phone conversation occur? If so, what was the purpose and content of the call? Did you admit to the mother that you were guilty of raping her daughter or acting in a sexually inappropriate manner and did you ask for her forgiveness as she has asserted?
- Have you or your wife at any time offered to give money or financial assistance to Carole Stephens?
- Did Father John Oliver attempt to set up a meeting with you and Carole Stephens? If so, what did you think was the nature of the meeting? Did you agree to the meeting?
- Are you willing to meet with us, Carole Stephens and several of her other children who claim that [daughter's name withheld] confessed to them that you were sexually inappropriate with her?
- Would you have any objections to us contacting [Daughter] to corroborate your answers?
- Have you read Carole Stephen's account of the event and her public e-mails she has sent out over the last few years? If so, is her account accurate? If not, what specifically is not accurate?
- Have you been truthful in your answers regarding this matter to us and others?
...and don't forget to ask: "What did Fr. Anastasy P. Yatrelis of ROCOR and Father John Oliver of Antioch know and when did they know it?" This same question might be asked of other clergy named in this event.
Orthodox Clergy! After you determine the truth of the past issues then the truth of the present issues may be addressed with less oppression on those who dared to threaten your established order. After this, a public repentance and admission of the utter failure on your behalf to shepherd the people of God, and an apology accompanied with action. People are falling away from the faith because of you. If you do not do this, you will diminish as a church both here and abroad. Repent now or forever lose your peace and God will not hold you guiltless. All are punished.
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| Father Matthew Williams |
Stumbling Blocks and Judgment
And he said to his disciples, “It is impossible for stumbling blocks not to come, but how terrible it will be for the one through whom they come!
It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the lake rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to fall away.
Watch yourselves."
Hold these entities accountable.
The time is long past trusting them to show righteousness in this matter.
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| ROCOR |
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| Orthodox Church in America (OCA) |
You do realize his wife reported it right? Doesn't really lend credibility to the idea that his wife is perpetrating this.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Met. Hilarion already reposed.
I was not aware that Hilarion was reposed. HIs name will be tainted by his destructive decision regarding this matter.
DeleteExcept if you bothered to read the previous article, she took part in silencing other accusers. Meaning she knew about Matthew’s criminal and deviant behavior. She only reported it because after years of letting other people kids be put in danger, hers are now touched.
DeleteReported what? To who? Why weren’t the police involved? Oh the church will handle it? My God, a child was harmed, A CHILD. How dare you defend a woman who does not even the bare minimum to protect the innocent.
DeleteI've read and mentioned the previous article in another comment. As for your claim that after years of letting others kids be abused, hers now are abused - this doesn't line up exactly considering the accusations against Matthew from his family date farther back, with a large gap in between the thing happening and Elizabeth knowing.
Delete"Reported what?" - sexual abuse
"To whom?" - the ROCOR synod of bishops
"Why weren't the police involved?" - they were
Yes, it's quite horrific that a child was harmed, that's why we reported the abuser to the Synod.
"How dare you defend a woman who does not even the bare minimum to protect the innocent"
Again, this is another thing that's alleged. Currently, she did much more than the bare minimum, in telling on her own husband, effectively getting him fired and leaving her family without a provider. If you say my previous comment, I've already contested the idea that Elizabeth definitively believed that Matthew did something horrendous and then definitively aided it/acted complicitly. Likely, she actually thought her husband was innocent. Quite stupid, but quite normal given how wives are supposed to submit to their husbands and this can easily bleed out into many other areas of life. I really don't see how that isn't an understandable scenario, in any capacity.
lol ok
DeleteHow can people contact you
ReplyDeletejourneytoorthodoxy@gmail.com
DeleteElizibeth did not report the rape as indicated in Rape and the Holy Man. In fact, she reportedly begged the mother of the victim not to report it. If true, she was complicit for years. That she recently reportedly kicked Matthew out of the house and asked the bishop to remove him shows she has come to the end. Pray that she will clearly confess what she has previously obfuscated.
ReplyDelete"She did not do X because 10 years ago she did not do X"
DeletePossible outcomes:
1. She never was complicit to begin with, because the actual event that happened was not substantiated, only that "something happened"
2. The call never happened or it's nature was distorted
3. She might have wanted to report or even tried to but got denied because rape accusations generally need the victim to identify the perpetrator, as you already outlined in the first article (something we have in this case)
4. She personally didn't believe that any rape occurred then and now does
A lot of the allegations against her are possible to interpret in several ways... Such as her telling the girl "you must never tell anyone about the rape" (allegedly). Perhaps she thought it didn't happen and was begging the girl not to tarnish her husband's identity for no reason.
There's really way too many variables to definitively say that Elizabeth was complicit/aiding in crime. The fact that she can came forward now in this instance is also really indicative of the opposite. The idea that she just had a sudden change of heart seems somewhat difficult to substantiate. Why now? If she knew all along, that is.
What would really only explain the shift in behavior is that she trusted her husband that nothing had occurred out of the ordinary according to his word and then discovered information later. That's the most reasonable explanation by default.
At the very least, it seems disingenuous to default to saying that she is complicit in the sexual crime against minors that her husband committed, considering you also said that one of her daughters is a victim!
And yet no crime was ever reported to the police. Everyone within her inner circle has tried to silence anyone that tried to speak out. Y’all are shameful and it shakes my faith to see people like you within the church defending predators
DeleteElizabeth is complicit. It's very easy to see if you know the order of events and that it was a mere accident that brought it to light, not an admission from her.
DeleteHer young daughter over heard an incriminating conversation between her and matthew. This child repeated that to another girl and a parishioner was nearby. The parishioner overheard and brought it to the attention of everyone.
They were living separately for months before this because she kicked him out. At the most charitable interpretation, she knew about it for months, wouldn't let the man around her own children, but didn't say anything to anyone while he made house calls and took confessions and carried on his role as a priest interacting with children potentially in private on a daily basis.
So she covered up her husbands pedophilia for at least months if not a decade or longer, and who knows how long it would have been allowed to continue if an innocent young child didn't accidentally bring it to light?
We need to pray for this family. But if you know the facts, her actions are indefensible.
Lmao why now? Because now her daughter is a victim. She was perfectly fine with having other kids be touched so long as her husbands appetite was sated and her kids untouched.
DeleteIf I’m right on who wrote this. I know that you’re in on this. Your non answers and circular reasoning are not enough to confuse the masses.
You're not a victim, and you're not a martyr. Her family is absolutely all victims and in this one *certain* instance, Elizabeth acted martyrically.
DeleteAll I want to make clear is that I'm very hesitant to wave the gavel over a mother that just reported her own husband to his boss for sexual abuse when her entire family is now in shambles. Accusations of sexual abuse are just as crippling as actual sexual abuse. This is good, because it means perpetrators are prevented from having easy access to further criminal activities, but it also means such judgments need to be doled out very carefully.
I am INCREDIBLY uncomfortable with the swiftness with which you have delivered such an accusation when an investigation is still underway and there are likely fifty billion details we are completely unaware of that will come to light, especially considering some of the only actually confirmed evidence with full/complete substantiation goes in favor of her case. You say that it "shakes your faith" to see people defend a predator - I say that I am literally disgusted by your willingness to send a mother who we know has sacrificed everything to a life of jail, leaving tons of kids (some of which who have been abused, most likely) both without a father AND a mother over what is basically very little substantiated in the opposite direction.
Maybe more will come to light and we will realize that Elizabeth has culpability in this situation as well and I'm open to that, but for now, it seems hasty at best (like a mob with pitchforks) and heinous at worst (like a fetish for accusation) to swing the hammer now.
https://journeytoorthodoxy.blogspot.com/2018/06/rape-and-holy-man-part-two-appeal-of.html
DeleteThe time of action was years ago. Her guilt and part in this did not start when her family was harmed this year. This is not swift and fetishized accusation. This is absolutely that even without the past accusations she, for months, KNOWINGLY LET THE PEDOPHILE AROUND OTHER PEOPLES KIDS. If you had kids of your own the fact that you are over looking this is not only ignorant but stupid. If you want to be disgusted fine but look into a mirror because you are not only excluding the inactions of someone who knew of the crime but also hid it for an extended amount of time, to what? Save face? Until there was proof? Let your emotions cloud your judgment, Elizabeth is at best guilty of inaction and knowingly putting other children in harm’s way and at worst is an enabler.
DeleteElizabeth is complicit. It's very easy to see if you know the order of events and that it was a mere accident that brought it to light, not an admission from her.
ReplyDeleteHer young daughter over heard an incriminating conversation between her and matthew. This child repeated that to another girl and a parishioner was nearby. The parishioner overheard and brought it to the attention of everyone.
They were living separately for months before this because she kicked him out. At the most charitable interpretation, she knew about it for months, wouldn't let the man around her own children, but didn't say anything to anyone while he made house calls and took confessions and carried on his role as a priest interacting with children potentially in private on a daily basis.
So she covered up her husbands pedophilia for at least months if not a decade or longer, and who knows how long it would have been allowed to continue if an innocent young child didn't accidentally bring it to light?
We need to pray for this family. But if you know the facts, her actions are indefensible.
Your account of events are inaccurate. If it is not your story, please don't say it. When those of us are able we will tell our own stories we don't need the waters muddied.
DeleteYour information is just not accurate. Please do not speculate. Let not muddie the waters. When we are comfortable we will tell our own story.
DeleteShe reported it before they separated...
ReplyDeleteWhich renders this entire message completely irrelevant
This is false. And people who’ve done the work know she didn’t report anything.
DeleteIf that is the case then why were they living separately for at least months but the parish just found out this week?
DeleteThe parish found out not from her reporting, but from the innocent childs accidentally repeating of a conversation. Are you saying she reported this to the bishops and then neither the bishops nor her told the rest of the parish for months?
This is even worse than just her keeping it a secret. When was the parish going to find out, if ever?
I’ll just leave this here. https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2024/04/six-reasons-why-enablers-must-be-held-accountable-for-sexual-abuse/
ReplyDeleteNo priest is above the Law, the Law of God or men.
ReplyDeleteWe talked to the cops and they said yesterday that nobody from the clergy reported it to LEO at any level
ReplyDeleteHas Elizabeth reported any abuse of her minor children to law enforcement, has his adult daughter reported it to law enforcement? This isn't just about his adult daughters. Did the men, who are close personal Friends of Father Mathew, and are also Doctors, follow the Law and Report. Are thise men not required to report? These Doctors, knew he was accused, and failed to report. They are as guilty as he is.
DeletePhysicians are mandated reporters.
DeleteAs these are alleged crimes, why haven’t the Tennessee state police been contacted? Or have they? The Synod of Bishops’ only authority over Fr. Matthew are to either suspend/defrock based on their own investigation and probably augmented by what a criminal investigation yields. These are very serious allegations and must be investigated. To keep it in-house is wrong. Either way, the innocent must be protected at all costs.
ReplyDeleteTenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-605(a) Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been sexually abused shall report such knowledge or suspicion to the department.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is a mandated reporter.
DeleteYeah actually everyone who has an idea about it and doesn't report has committed a misdemeanor
DeleteExactly. Any. Person. The fact that the mother failed to report this to any law enforcement officials is scary. Seems like she wants it to go away quietly so her husband can retire quietly to the monastery. If they have money to “pay off” a previous victim, she is not left without a “provider”
DeleteQuietly go away isn’t gonna happen if there are people reading these blogs and comments. The internet is forever.
ReplyDeleteI have been reading and rereading these comments, and Franky alI am sickened by the attacks on Matushka.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who has been a victim of a narcissistic predator understands that the trauma bond a victim is experiencing. There is no way she was mentally and Physically able to see it until it punched her in the face. We are all victims.
Trying to shame someone else for his crimes is just wrong. If you have not been a victim of a narcissistic abuser then you can not even imagine the depth in which these men control. Give this woman some grace. No one outside the family has been more psychologically abused by this man as I have been. And I stand by Matushka and her whole family. We are all just trying to heal.
What kind of mental gymnastics am I reading with this comment? Let’s just forget about past allegations. Even if we are talking about just this instance, Elizabeth not Matushka, she has entirely lost that title, for months allowed her husband to continue to spiritually abuse women of the church. It is already common knowledge that he pries about detail of certain women who have also been abused. If Elizabeth reported it to law and not just the church who have clearly not addressed this problem, then he would absolutely have not been allowed to damage not just children but spiritually and mentally damaged adults who believed in the church, who believed in a false shepherd, a false idol.
DeleteYour anger is justified, but misdirected. Matushka is not to blame here, until you fully understand Narcissistic abuse and what it does to your brain you should not judge her. Not one adult under his spiritual care has suffered more from his abuse than I personally have. And I will stand by Matushka's side. If you are aware of the situation then you know who I am... come talk to me.
DeleteNo one would diminish the spiritual abuse you have endured, however, take care that you don't raise your situation as the pinnacle of importance here. Apparently, you were not sexual abused/raped as others have allegedly been and have not endured the pain as long as others. Know also that others are well versed in the study of narcissism and what it does to victims. Rather than become an outspoken advocate for Elizibeth, who allegedly offered hush money to the mother of the alleged 15-year-old rape victim, step back and re-bond with your husband and begin your healing. Bonding with Elizibeth at this time is not wise and will lead to prolonged suffering and confusion on your part. There is much about her culpability that has yet to be exposed. Yes, she has been hurt but "hurting people hurt people." She is ultimately responsible for her own actions both spiritually and civilly. One can point out these things without it being "judging". You are welcome on JTO, but I would recommend you refrain from commenting at this very difficult time in your life. This is wise counsel. I would welcome you and your husband to communicate by email at journeytoorthodoxy@gmail.com. I may even be willing to post a public statement for you in the future if we deem it helpful.
DeleteDo not act as if you are the only one to suffer from the hands of a narcissist, that does not make you special nor does it give you any excuse or immunity to your sins. During ELIZABETH’s silence, she ALLOWED through inaction for other people to get hurt.
DeleteDon't diminish my pain because you are angry. This isn't just about me I get that.. pointing fingers and ugly talk will not change thr fact that we need time to process what happened to us. We have had absolutely no answers from the Hierarchy. They have totally abandoned us. No one is coming here to offer any pastoral care, the priest that are coming Friday are coming for no other reason than to cover their collective butts. I have absolutely no confidence in ROCOR HIERARCHY to handle this. Just trying to get to a place mentally to go public, and start to heal.
DeleteUnfortunately, hurting people hurt people. Allegedly cajoling the victim and the victim's mother to silence because her husband is a "good man who helps a lot of people" makes her entirely complicit and may have allowed her own children to be harmed in the following years. If indeed her attitude was, "yeah, I know he raped your daughter, but can't we all just get along? And by the way we'll give you money...", then your defense may be misplaced. Pointing out her conduct is not shaming, and grace should be extended where it can, but there is no excuse, even living with a narcissist.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading about "mandatory reporter" obligations, particularly in relation to specific allegations made by people who claim to be actual parishioners. My question is: Has anyone reported this? Have any charges actually been filed? If not, why not? If charges have been made is he out on bail? Seems to be some fundamental elements missing in this comment section.
ReplyDeleteThe reports have been made, all those who need contacting have been informed. Nothing is going to be rushed. This will take time to sort out.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Posting at 8:42 AM - see JTO response in separate post. Commenting to a Commenter.
Delete