Journey To orthodoxy: Enabling Sexual Predator Priests is Relative

From Carole Stephens via Rape and The Holy Man

"BETRAYAL AT ITS WORST!!!

This notification is to alert you that a horrible offense was committed against my daughter at the hand of your brother or brother in law and then swept under the rug, as my daughter was coerced into silence, then later harassed by phone when this finally came to light. She could not help but to confide in someone, namely her older sisters, and feared disrupting the stability of her family as well as that of the perpetrator as she suffered in tears. The senior priest she confided in also told her that this should never be found out. To my dismay, there exists a huge organization called SNAP and a whole website, pokrov.org, dedicated to counseling victims and families of victims abused by clergy AND I HAVE HAD TO GO THERE!!! Think about your own lovely daughters when you consider this. The victim pays the price and so does the victim's family. Mothers, be forewarned and vigilant. Clergy members...JUST STOP IT!!! There are enough sex offenders running around hurting children. Can the church NOT be a refuge? Where is God in all of this?"

Father John Oliver is the brother-in-law of Matthew Williams and is the senior priest at Saint Elizabeth Orthodox Church (Antiochian) Murfreesboro, TN.

Father John Oliver

"Father Matthew and his matushka did call me after my circulating the letter. They had been confronted by Metropolitan Hilarion's office. I was actually stranded in a Megabus atop Donner's Summit when they reached me. We went round and round for a couple of hours. Prior to that phone call, a few days earlier, Fr. John Oliver of St. Elizabeth's Orthodox Church in Murfreesboro (who NEVER called me) called me when I was at my brother's house in California, saying that Fr. Matthew wanted to arrange a meeting with me at St. Elizabeth. He was willing to drive all of the way from Bristol to meet me in Murfreesboro to discuss the matter. But I was in California. When I returned to TN I asked Father John what Fr. Matthew had said to him about the matter. He claimed that he did not know the details: though I did send the first letter addressed directly to Fr. John. To me, they were passing the buck around. They were careful not to admit to what extent the assault happened nor have anything in writing. I was the one who discovered the orgin of the rape and DID make a [*] written police report in Roswell, GA. But they did not maintain it nor give it a case# because the victim did not want to come forward."

Fr. Christopher Stanton is an OCA priest in Lebanon, TN, who happens to be a second brother-in-law of Father Matthew Williams. This is a letter sent to Carole Stephens from him:

Greetings in the Lord,

Joyous feast of St. Andrew the First Called!

Father Christopher Stanton
I am troubled at the pain I hear in your email. Our first concern needs to be towards healing, both for the victim and those who surround her. I hope she and those who need it are getting the counseling and attention they need at this time. Closely following this needs to be careful attention given to the accused. If this accusation mentioned involves a minor at the time of the event then the authorities need to be contacted for an official investigation to understand what has happened and what needs to be done for, not to, the accused. If the event does not have to do with a minor then the appropriate ecclesiastical authority should be contacted towards the same conclusion.

I am saddened by the need for such a general and widely broadcasted email. In today's world rumor and hear say holds the same power and often more so than the truth, and the ambiguous nature of this email certainly lends itself to such; if not plain slander. The scriptures call for us to cover our brother's sin (not to hide it which could lead to further sin) so as to not color nor prejudice others against each other. We live in a world of sin, even and especially in the sinless and spotless Church of Christ, and because of this we need each other for support, confidence, and consolation. Let us not think, say, or do anything to cause division nor disruption among us.