Details on Holy Transfiguration Monastery

[Whitney Grace]

Hello all, I am a layperson who was raised a congregational christian but currently am searching for a church in which I believe I belong. My younger brother, on the other hand, has decided to enter Holy Transfiguration Monastery in the very near future, and I am terribly troubled by what i have read online about the scandals involving this particular monastery.

I have already visited hocna.info, and pokrov.org, but I'm wondering if anyone has any other knowledge of this monastery, and more importantly, if anyone has any suggestions about how to breach this topic with my very defensive brother. I try to approach him with only love and no judgment, but he returns my concerns with pure anger. This is very unlike my brother, which makes me fear that the "brainwashing" (or something similar) has already begun.

I am unsure about whether these allegations regarding HTM are true, but if they are, I believe it will take a long conversation with my brother to even ask him to consider the gravity of his decision and the truth of these allegations against HTM. I expect him to meet this news with skepticism and disbelief, especially since he has become very close with some of the Fathers at the monastery.

As a non-orthodox person, I find myself at a loss for what to tell him or even how to approach this matter. I fear he will "shoot the messenger" and not listen. Any suggestions out there from those of you who may better understand his position? If you had placed all of your faith in the orthodox church, monasticism, and particularly HTM,and you had absolutely no idea that these allegations existed, how would you wish to be approached about this matter?

I truly appreciate any thoughts or advice anyone can offer.

Many thanks,
joshuatree.

[Andrey Vershinin]

well, I'm sorry that both of you are in such positions, I've been to the monastery before a few times, and i've enjoyed my experience for the most part, but I cannot really find the truth of what has happened; i've read a few sources about different peoples stances on this issue and i'm not sure who to trust, just as you seem to speak as well. It would never hurt to call the monastery or visit and find out the honest truth from the people, and I trust you will find if the truth is there when you are lead by the convincing of the Spirit.

[Owen Jones]

I know of no monastery that keeps you there by force. You can either leave with or without a blessing from the abbot. So what's the problem? All this anxiety! Are you saying that you should never do anything or try anything without having the outcome guaranteed in advance? What is spiritual or faithful about that?

[Jill]

If this young man is serious about entering monastic life, he would do well to think about curbing his passions, for a start...http://www.monachos.net/mb/clipart/wink.gif

[Justin]

Owen

Psychology can be just as forceful as a 240 pound body builder, if handled by a charismatic and intelligent person. In fact, psychological coercion is, IMO, a much, much stronger force.

[Justin]

Owen

Psychological coercion is, IMO, a much, much stronger force than brute physical force in most cases.

[Justin]

Please ignore the first post, which I would delete if I was able http://www.monachos.net/mb/clipart/happy.gif

[Lourdes Smith]

Owen...
Have you ever heard of "personality cults"? If anyone were to go to HTM and ask Panteleimon and Isaac "the truth" I can assure you, they will flatly deny the allegations against them. They are cowards who withdrew from ROCOA when the heat was on them. That says it all right there. If they were innocent, why didn't they face the charges with the integrity and honesty that their faith and their position at HTM would require of them?

[Patrick Walsh]

Joshuatree,

I am on the path of ascertaining whether I am called to become a monk. I have spoken to many people, and one of things that most of them strongly urge is that I visit and stay at several different monasteries within the Church. My plans at the moment include Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, and Holy Cross Hermitage in West Virginia.

Please advise your brother to visit other monasteries as well as Holy Transfiguration before committing to them. He should start out gradually...staying for a weekend at two or three places, then extending it to a week or two, and finally a month.

Your brother should be patient. My spiritual father says it takes years to make a correct discernment, and I am in my third year of this, and only now beginning to think of staying at a monastery for two weeks. The abbots should force the inquirer to be patient. If the abbot tries to rush you into joining it is time to run!

In the end, he should stay long enough to see what each monastery is like, and how the abbot(s) and the monks treat each other and how they behave. If he does this wisely, then he will see for himself whether the many stories that fly rampantly about Holy Transfiguration are true or not.

feofil

[Joshuatree]

Owen:

you seem to misread my post. The anxiety I feel comes not from the very fact that my brother has decided to become a monk. For that decision I praise him for following his heart and, yes, taking a spiritual risk.

The anxiety you are referring to comes more from the possibility that, should my brother decide to enter HTM, he could suffer psychological, sexual, or other kinds of physical abuse (and all of these things are present in the allegations against HTM). Once again, I am not saying I necessarily believe all of these allegations, but rather, I made the post in the first place to see if any of you had any suggestions about how i could find out more information.

Owen, If you had a loved one who was planning on entering into that kind of setting, and you didn't know if such horrific allegations were fact or fiction, I assure you, you would be anxious too.

Many thanks for everyone else's support and suggestions thus far.

[Joshuatree]

feofil,

those are excellent points you make. unfortunately my brother has spent less than a year on this decision, and while it is most certainly not up to me to have a say in how long he should spend in discernment, my sense is that this entire process has moved frighteningly quickly. I will be sure to attempt a conversation with him (if he will even talk to me) about the path that led him to HTM, and possibly suggest that he visit other monasteries, even when it is so close to his entrance date. It seems you are approaching your path to monastic life thoughtfully and fully.

peace,
joshuatree

[Owen Jones]

If someone is looking at monasteries for all the wrong reasons, then he is going to more likely fall prey to manipulation and exploitation because he will have blinders on. If there is already a degree of maturity then problems can be headed off early. In either case, you are not likely to change things by intervening.

Everything in this life is a risk. And we can't always prevent others from making mistakes or suffering. We also have to ask ourselves, should we be trying to control another person's life because we are fearful for that person? Or should we put that person's life in God's hands? I don't know anything about the monasteries mentioned, or allegations, etc., but unless the person referred to is impaired and is in need of institutional care, let him figure it out for himself.

[Leandros Papadopoulos]

Joshuatree,

How old is your brother? When was he baptised Orthodox?

These are critical questions.

[Lourdes Smith]

"Everything in this life is a risk. And we can't always prevent others from making mistakes or suffering. We also have to ask ourselves, should we be trying to control another person's life because we are fearful for that person? Or should we put that person's life in God's hands? I don't know anything about the monasteries mentioned, or allegations, etc., but unless the person referred to is impaired and is in need of institutional care, let him figure it out for himself."

Owen,

Do you have children or siblings? If not, then you have no idea what it is like to send your child/sibling off to a monastery full of homosexuals who molest the novice monks. If you do have children, how in good loving conscience could the God you believe in let you send your child/brother to such an environnment? Yes, we should let our children/siblings learn from their own mistakes, but there are times, especially when armed with documented abuse cases, when family members SHOULD step in. God would surely want that. If that is not God's intent, then why would God have brought the abuse information forward to this family?

[Patrick Walsh]

Joshuatree

The calling to the monastic life is driven by one's inner spiritual quest for freedom from the passions of the world. It is not one driven by a passion to throw one's life away to serve God.

Christ died on the cross for our sake. St. Paul tells us to be like him for he is like Christ. Does that mean we should crucify ourselves as well. Absolutely not! It means that we should seek God's will as both Christ and St. Paul did, and to be obedient to it as both St. Paul and Christ were. Christ is the Logos. Logos is a Greek word with implications of rational, careful and considered action--a word spoken carefully.

Protopresbyter Fr. Michael Pomanzasky asked in his "Dogmatic Theology," "If faith can move mountains, why have no mountains moved?" It is because people of genuine faith are obedient and subservient to God's will, and God had willed the mountains where they are. Ask your brother this question. If he cannot answer it sensibly, then you know that he is still struggling to understand what faith is.

If your brother is moving from a passionate zeal to serve God, then he will fall prey to demons and will not in the end serve God. This is why we must exercise great patience and care in making a decision like this. We must seek the Christlike zeal that is free from the passions, just as the thirst of the waterless plain.

I know it is hard to watch someone throw his life upon the rocks of spiritual wreckage that are the passions, but try and force your brother to see his passions and how they are not leading him to serve God. From what I understand, even I can see this.

feofil

[Owen Jones]

I sent my three kids off to college. Colleges and Universities these days are all run like cults. Young people are bombarded with all forms of temtpation, sex, drugs, dangerous and destructive ideas, they are propagandized daily to reject their parents and become members of the avante garde. Was I, am I anxious for my children? Of course. But they have to make their own way in the world and deal with it as it is. If they come to me for advice and help, which has really yet to happen, partly because they are pretty responsible and don't need it, and partly because they know more than I know, then I will be there for them. But unless they are predisposed to listen, they won't.

And who knows God's will? Perhaps God is calling this person to get involved in the clean up process. If he is of immature mind and spirit and subject to manipulation and seeking monasticism for all the wrong reaons, he is not likely to listen to you. If he is mature and responsible, then you need not worry. Give him the relevant information, and put the rest in God's hands and stop being anxious. Or do you reject this because you only wanted the feedback that confirms your conviction of your own rectitude?

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

I visited Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Brookline for two weeks in 1980. At that time they were with ROCOR. To say a little of myself: I joined the Holy Stavtropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist, founded by the late blessed Father Sophrony (+1993)in 1975. I remained a devoted disciple of Father Sophorny for 18 years.

After more than thirty years in monasticism I have this to say about Abbot Panteleimon: his claim to be a disiciple of the late very blessed Elder Joseph the Hesychast is untrue; I would never advise anyone to enter this monastery; Abbot Pantelimon is NOT a Spiritual Father; he is in deep spiritual delusion; he and his monastery are schismatic.

[Edward Henderson]

I visited Holy Transfiguration Monastery in 1997. I found the monks to be very hospitable and the monastery well run. However, they are in schism from the Orthodox Church. Secondly, they function like a sect that seeks to lure people. They give a very good first impression but the deeper you go, the more disturbing it gets. They really believe themselves to be the true Orthodox Church. Despite having bishops, the power "behind the thrown" is Father Pantelemon. Whether or not he is guilty of the accusations is beyond the point. He brought HTM and a significant number of parishes into schism to avoid being defrocked by the Russian Church Abroad. There have been many incidents in Church History of righteous men being persecuted by canonical Church authorities, but breaking communion with them and charging them with heresy, is not a mature or right solution. If your brother is convinced that HOCNA is the true church, then he is already brainwashed. I think that has to be the issue here, not Father Pantelemon's issues. It really is a difficult situation we face these days. Despite my issues with HOCNA, I must admit I was impressed by them when I visited there. Their parishes are traditional and reverent (as opposed to the chaos often seen in GOArch parishes). The clergy and laity there are very friendly, pious people. Metropolitan Ephraim is one of the most approachable bishop I have ever met. HTM probably has the best liturgical translations in the English language. I am waiting with great anticipation for their Menaion. However, they left ROCOR to avoid an ecclesiastical trial and humiliation and eventually shopped around for a bishop who would help them create their own church. I admit that what they created is impressive, but goes completely against the canons and traditions of the Orthodox Church. I admit that there are many deep rooted problems in "World Orthodoxy", many of these problems go back to the 15th century, but it is the Orthodox Church. So we can strive to struggle within the Church and be perfected, despite all the problems we see in the laity and clergy or we can take HTM's path of dismissing ailing members of the Church as "heretical" or "ecumenist" or "new calendarist" and creating our own super-correct church that although appearing to be the Orthodox Church, is a schism. It will be interesting to see what happens to HTM and HOCNA when Father Pantelemon dies.

[Efthymios]

"Metropolitan Ephraim is one of the most approachable bishop I have ever met."

I completely disagree with this statement. My friend was (is) this man who suffered AT the hands of "the most approachable bishop (one) ever met.

cf.
HOCNA Priest, Constantine Parr of Oregon and his Adulterous Relationship with a Former HOCNA Clergyman's Wife! (http://hocna.info/AdulterousRelatio nship.shtml (http://hocna.info/AdulterousRelationship.shtml))

Father Michael Azkoul's letter to "Metropolitan" Ephraim confirming the above testimony. http://hocna.info/FrMichaelAzkoul-A dulteryConfirmation.shtml (http://hocna.info/FrMichaelAzkoul-AdulteryConfirmation.shtml)

[Edward Henderson]

The statement is not one which you can disagree with being that the above opinion is my own impression. I met him and found him very approachable and to be a nice person. You cannot now disagree that I had such an impression.

His Episcopacy is completely uncanonical as is the status of HOCNA and Holy Transfiguration Monastery. I am certainly in no position to deny any of the claims and facts presented on hocna.info.

[Father Anthony]

What would be a possibly good suggestion for your brother is that he should spend time discerning the life in at least three different communities (monasteries). In this regard he will be able to see how different communities interact, pray and work.

He will also see then how the life at HTM is different. I have generally found that experience will help guide someone towards the right community. I know of all the scandals regarding HTM, but laying that out may only strengthen his resolve to go there. The persecution syndrome. Seeing other communities and then experiencing the life will give him an idea that Orthodox monasticism does not float around one set of personalities and their quirks.

Monasticism is not something to rush into, but should be a life discerned. Hopefully, if it is the right community, he will embrace the life and struggle for the salvation of his soul. I am afraid that with the track record of HTM of late, that may not be at all possible. When this does happen, it also can be a soul destroying experience. I pray that this does not happen.

I am sorry for my ramblings.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

Dear Witney,

I do not know if this is still a concern for you, or its status, as the thread began in August.

In the Orthodox Monastic World, you do not need such modern technology, be it the 1800's telephone, or the movement of the Internet from strictly military/intelligence to what we see today.

Regardless, having myself been granted the blessing of hearing, sight, et al., IF this is still an issue do, please, email me, and we can speak about this matter off the Post.

With all due respect, and trusting God's is watching over your brother,

CHRIST IS RISEN!

[Sarah Odom]

Hello all, I am a layperson who was raised a congregational christian but currently am searching for a church in which I believe I belong. My younger brother, on the other hand, has decided to enter Holy Transfiguration Monastery in the very near future, and I am terribly troubled by what i have read online about the scandals involving this particular monastery.

I have already visited hocna.info, and pokrov.org, but I'm wondering if anyone has any other knowledge of this monastery, and more importantly, if anyone has any suggestions about how to breach this topic with my very defensive brother. I try to approach him with only love and no judgment, but he returns my concerns with pure anger. This is very unlike my brother, which makes me fear that the "brainwashing" (or something similar) has already begun.

I am unsure about whether these allegations regarding HTM are true, but if they are, I believe it will take a long conversation with my brother to even ask him to consider the gravity of his decision and the truth of these allegations against HTM. I expect him to meet this news with skepticism and disbelief, especially since he has become very close with some of the Fathers at the monastery.

As a non-orthodox person, I find myself at a loss for what to tell him or even how to approach this matter. I fear he will "shoot the messenger" and not listen. Any suggestions out there from those of you who may better understand his position? If you had placed all of your faith in the orthodox church, monasticism, and particularly HTM,and you had absolutely no idea that these allegations existed, how would you wish to be approached about this matter?

I truly appreciate any thoughts or advice anyone can offer.

Many thanks,
joshuatree.

Regarding the "scandals" and sexual indiscretions, of course they are true but they happen anywhere and everywhere and personally I would rather have a hierarchy with that weakness than those who are totally arrogant or on power trips or greedy. We all have our weaknesses. The real issue is whether they are part of the Church. They are in communion with nobody. I was close to them for years, a regular at the monastery and convent. As a convert, I could never quite understand how you could just set up your own church and jurisdiction like in Protestantism. Well, you can't. The Greek Patriarchate survived 400 years under Turkish oppression. It can survive a different calendar and perhaps an occasional mason in its ranks. The Bible says that the gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church - I can't believe God would make it so hard to find the "true Church" that you had to have a degree in cannon law and an internet for research.

A curious thing about this monastery is that they don't seem to feel sorrow for all the rest of the world who are supposedly outside the Church with invalid sacraments, while they claim "there is no salvation outside the Church". Saint John Chrysostom said the true Christian should yearn with pain of heart for the salvation of others.

Another curious thing about this monastery is that if you leave you are cut off. I moved back to NY and went back to my old church which I loved, and when I called my priest at the monastery I was basically hung up on. You can even get cut off through guilt by assocation - my friend in another jurisdiction used to love visiting them and has been cut off because of her association with me.

Another curious thing is that one of their top people who really runs things told me that westerners (besides coming from a culture that is carnal and corrupt for centuries and centuries, maybe since Noah) can't really be Orthodox monastics. Well, that's a curious thing. If HTM is the last vestige of the true Church it's curious that it's made up of a handful of Greeks and Americans and Canadians, with westerners forming at least half of it numerically.

They say they follow in the footsteps of Saint Maximos the Confessor. He not only never started his own jurisdiction, but he was always VERY respectful to his hierarchs, even as he was being beaten when they were trying to get him to sign a false decleration of faith. He was always respectful. (And never tried to get followers and start a jurisdiction under himself.)

Father Panteleimon says he is not allowed on Mt. Athos because he is a "zealot" (a non-commemorator). There are zealots living in the sketes of Mount Athos. Is it really believable that the incredible priceless treasures of relics which HTM has were given to Father Panteleimon "because they loved him so much?" :) That's kind of funny really.

There is much good at HTM and in that jurisdiction, and a lot of the people who go to the monastery and convent are the nicest people I ever met. There is a lot of balance too - as one of the priests there said, "Nobody better come around here acting pious." The people are great - very grounded and devout and sincere and thoughtful. But you can't just anethematize the whole rest of the world and start your own jurisditcion. Especially under a bishop you had previously called, in print, "the garbage pit of Orthodoxy" (i.e., Archbishop Auxentious).

They really have a lot of good, despite there being "something rotten underneath" and I pray that one day they will return to the Church instead of attacking Her. Elder Paisios of Mount Athos, a true elder, has some very edifying words on those who tire and speak against their mother the Church (i.e., the legitimate 2000 year old Patriarchate) on pages 135-136 of his Epistles. As one Greek friend said to me about groups like HTM, "It's too bad. They could be strengthening the Church instead of weakening Her."

[David James]

Heed Fr. Seraphim's advice. I was a novice at HTM for six months, October 1976 - April 1977, and can personally vouch that all the sordid accusations are true. A LOT of souls have been destroyed there. To be blunt: he preys on young gay men, who are desperate to overcome their inclination, with his "hidden teaching" of "Harmonia," a sort of "soul-love" between monks and their spiritual father. He imparts this teaching during confessions, which he conducts in the evenings in the dark in his cell, while he is lying on his bed. He teaches that being gay means that one has a special calling to monasticism. When you confess temptations of this nature, he asks you to put his hand on your "manhood" and "blesses" it. If you don't pass the test, by showing reluctance or otherwise not measuring up, you are subsequently delegated to Fr. Isaac for spiritual direction, as happened in my case. I was not surprised when they went into schism, only at how long it took. God has His own ways of purifying His Church. And it still galls that their Psalter and other liturgical texts are so widely used.

David James


I visited Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Brookline for two weeks in 1980. At that time they were with ROCOR. To say a little of myself: I joined the Holy Stavtropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist, founded by the late blessed Father Sophrony (+1993)in 1975. I remained a devoted disciple of Father Sophorny for 18 years.

After more than thirty years in monasticism I have this to say about Abbot Panteleimon: his claim to be a disiciple of the late very blessed Elder Joseph the Hesychast is untrue; I would never advise anyone to enter this monastery; Abbot Pantelimon is NOT a Spiritual Father; he is in deep spiritual delusion; he and his monastery are schismatic.

[Michael Lillios]

There are several issues that make dealing with Holy Transfiguration Monastery difficult, from the point-of-view of those outside their sphere of influence:

First, there was a legitimate, albeit long range, relationship between Geronda Joseph and his synodia with Fr. Panteleimon. Several of the letters published in Monastic Wisdom were written to him, as were all the letters that were published in Geronda Arsenios' biography. However, Fr. Panteleimon never spent any significant amount of time living with Geronda Joseph or members of his synodia, nor has he ever lived in strict obedience with a geronda for any length of time. His relationship with various gerondas has always been by correspondence; this prevented them from truly knowing the man. They simply took him at face value. And Fr. Panteleimon has used this to his advantage.

Second, while many people have made moral accusations against Fr. Panteleimon, there have been a few who were, frankly, unstable. (Whether this is due to their own inclinations or any alleged abuse they suffered at HTM, only Our Lord knows.) A certain "Genuine Orthodox archbishop" in Colorado who is a excellent iconographer comes to mind. This allows HTM to point at certain accusers and say, "see, our accusers are not in their right mind."

Third, HTM has many benefactors from the "new calendar" Greek Church who simply do not believe the charges, and continue to give money to the monastery. Their ability to produce such massive (and expensive) texts such as the Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian, The Great Horologion, the Menaion, etc., is testimony to their behind-the-scenes support from segments of the Greek community. It's very easy to dismiss the moral charges by saying "look at the fruit of their works.. how can he be guilty?"

Finally, there is the issue of "covering the sins" of others. I personally know supporters of HTM who have issues with Fr. Panteleimon, but they are true believers in the "we must sever all relations with the ecumenists" cause. They believe the cause is worthy, despite any faults HTM leaders may have, and so they explicitly or implicitly hide the sins of Fr. Panteleimon. At a certain fundamental level, this is noble. However, when it is allegedly being used to enable the continued abuse of monastics, there is something diabolical in its practice.

In Christ,
Michael