Dionysios DiGregorio
13-11-2007, 09:13 AM
As some of you may know Christ of the Hills was a monastery in Blanco not far from where Holy Archangels is now. Unlike Holy Archangels, the founders of this monastery had dubious roots - besides the well known fact that the founder was a real estate (some say snake oil) salesman already notorios in San Antonio as "SA Sam Greene" and "Sam the Land Man." a real estate blogger (http://www.realestateblogg.com/node/22606?PHPSESSID=ab71264229ef14a668f51dfccdece34d) writes "He always had to have a gimmick. It couldn't be a straight sale,"
- Now I may be wrong, forgive me if I am and it's not my intention to sound unkind, but as I try to recall everything I remember hearing about them I recall hearing that they were first affiliated with a Catholic Church or organization (or something) and at one time raised some breed of dogs (for resale), I understand that they existed for a time as a "Benedictine Monastery" (apparently they had a "miraculous" Christ icon at this time) and that it was during this period that Sam Green became "Bishop Benedict" - they formed an organization called Ecumenical Monks Inc. (very scary) and I understand that they were briefly affiliated with the Order of Mans (http://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Order_of_MANS). I live in Austin, Texas (and have off and on since age 22) - which is not exactly a well-spring of Orthodoxy. The monastery in Blanco, along with my Parish Church in Austin, was actually instrumental in my conversion and in fact it was on a chance discovery of that very monastery that my interest in Orthodoxy began.
When I discovered them they were a non-canonical "Orthodox" monastery claiming to have been brought to Orthodoxy by some wandering bishop that was supposedly living in Mexico among the poor. At the time I didn't even know what it meant to be "canonical" but soon learned of it's importance as I was catechized by my Parish Priest. Shortly after that, probably through the slick salesmanship of Mr. Green, they were accepted into ROCOR where they remained for a total of 8 years. It was during this 8 year period that I developed my own relationship with them. I spent many retreats out there, and it was only at the obedience of my Spiritual Father of the time that when I spent two years at a monastery as a novice it was a different one, had I been left to my own devices I would have surely gone to the only place I knew. My Spiritual Father/Parish Priest directed me to go elsewhere and I thank God that was the case because I would have been there when the scandal broke. As it happened, the scandal began to break just as I was returning to Austin. I never went out there after the affliliation with ROCOR ceased, but if someone would have told me that my last visit out there would be my last I would have never believed it.
When allegations of sexual impropriety first surfaced I saw nothing but support from the Orthodox community. Many, myself included, assumed that the allegations were false. Sadly, what slowly came to light was worse than most could even imagine. Amidst allegations of impropriety and habitual drug use was a continuance of a covert homosexual lifestyle amongst the "inner circle" of monks. The "weeping icon" that brought so many visitors to the site was proven fraudulent, as "Tears of Myrrh" were reportedly placed on the icon by the monks. Sadder yet is that about two months ago Sam Green, who was morbidly obese and in very bad health, was successful in what was supposedly his second attempt to commit suicide.
Father Joseph Huneycutt writes (in his blog (http://southern-orthodoxy.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html)):"The travesty and tragedy that was Christ of the Hills Monastery is, for some, an enigma; for the families of the victims: an open wound. Lord have mercy. For those (and I've met a few) who had prayers answered, even miraculous cures, through their relationship with that monastery ... well, adding confusion to mystery rarely results in rational answers."
An article (http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA103007.05B.strangemonk.346bdd3.html) in the San Antonio Express reports: "Some courtroom observers expressed disgust at the revelations about the supposed orthodox monastery where chastity, poverty and obedience to God seemed foreign concepts.
"It's a giant betrayal to our faith," said Gene Yentzen, 65, an Orthodox Christian from Johnson City. "What about the people they may have married, baptized or buried?" -"
Father Ernesto comments on Father Joseph's blog "Orthodixie" as if to answer Mr. Yentzen: "Cyrus the Persian, the heathen conqueror, was called God's anointed in the Old Testament. And, he did "save" Israel and send them back to the Promised Land. (This is a plug for reading the Old Testament.) This does not mean that Cyrus is necessarily in glory.
Early Christians had a serious argument complete with mini-split (the Novatians) as to whether the personal righteousness of the minister affected the efficacy of the sacraments. In other words, if a heretic celebrated the Divine Liturgy was it still Eucharist? The answer was that it was still Eucharist.
They were evil, apostate, and heretical monks, yet God chose to work through them. I do not understand God, but at least I am in the good company of many of the saints who also did not understand Him either.
We ought to do our skeptical research when specific miracles are claimed. Yet we need to balance skepticism with openness to His workings. And we need to have the certainty that if we are fooled, yet God is faithful and He will still seek to bless our faith."
Apostolic Canons, Canon 46: "We order any Bishop, or Presbyter, that has accepted any heretics' Baptism, or sacrifice, to be deposed; for "what consonancy hath Christ with Beliar? or what part hath the believer with an infidel?"
Canon 47: "If a Bishop or Presbyter baptize anew anyone that has had a true baptism, or fail to baptize anyone that has been polluted by the impious, let him be deposed, on the ground that he is mocking the Cross and death of the Lord and failing to distinguish priests from pseudopriests."
For those who are healing from the wounds of this scandal, myself included to some degree, what unfolded out at the Christ of the Hills Monastery of "New Sarov" is nothing less than traumatic. In gratitude I echo the sentiments of the writer of this article (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/columnists/rdreher/stories/DN-dreher_30edi.ART.State.Edition1.422489b.html) when he writes: "Monk was a fraud, yet now I am blessed." and I can also say, as he writes, that "So much of what I cherish, I owe to that miserable man" - thank God I also had many pious and sincere teachers along the way, but none the less, I can't deny the importance that Sam Green's place held for me, even knowing what I know now; I still remember it as a special place.
The question I pose is much like that asked by Gene Yentzen, 65, an Orthodox Christian from Johnson City in the referenced article. "What about the people they may have baptized?"
In cases where the fraudulent monks posed as "Godparents" (which monks don't usually do anyway from what I understand), now that many of the baptismal records are lost and unavailable (I know at least three people that were baptised by them and none of them have any documented "proof" of their baptism), and it being clear that despite the possibility of good intentions it's clear that at least some who served as Priests were liars and heretics (how can one possibly be doing these things and not be a heretic), don't you think that baptism by a Canonical Priest MIGHT be in order? How would you counsel someone who was baptised by them? If you're a Priest how would you receive someone into your fold were this their background? What about the validity of their sacraments? Is there more than one answer to this question? If you were to consider other factors, or take each case individually, what sorts of things would you consider?
Please share your thoughts with me on this. I'd love to know what you think.
Glory to God,
Dionysios
- Now I may be wrong, forgive me if I am and it's not my intention to sound unkind, but as I try to recall everything I remember hearing about them I recall hearing that they were first affiliated with a Catholic Church or organization (or something) and at one time raised some breed of dogs (for resale), I understand that they existed for a time as a "Benedictine Monastery" (apparently they had a "miraculous" Christ icon at this time) and that it was during this period that Sam Green became "Bishop Benedict" - they formed an organization called Ecumenical Monks Inc. (very scary) and I understand that they were briefly affiliated with the Order of Mans (http://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Order_of_MANS). I live in Austin, Texas (and have off and on since age 22) - which is not exactly a well-spring of Orthodoxy. The monastery in Blanco, along with my Parish Church in Austin, was actually instrumental in my conversion and in fact it was on a chance discovery of that very monastery that my interest in Orthodoxy began.
When I discovered them they were a non-canonical "Orthodox" monastery claiming to have been brought to Orthodoxy by some wandering bishop that was supposedly living in Mexico among the poor. At the time I didn't even know what it meant to be "canonical" but soon learned of it's importance as I was catechized by my Parish Priest. Shortly after that, probably through the slick salesmanship of Mr. Green, they were accepted into ROCOR where they remained for a total of 8 years. It was during this 8 year period that I developed my own relationship with them. I spent many retreats out there, and it was only at the obedience of my Spiritual Father of the time that when I spent two years at a monastery as a novice it was a different one, had I been left to my own devices I would have surely gone to the only place I knew. My Spiritual Father/Parish Priest directed me to go elsewhere and I thank God that was the case because I would have been there when the scandal broke. As it happened, the scandal began to break just as I was returning to Austin. I never went out there after the affliliation with ROCOR ceased, but if someone would have told me that my last visit out there would be my last I would have never believed it.
When allegations of sexual impropriety first surfaced I saw nothing but support from the Orthodox community. Many, myself included, assumed that the allegations were false. Sadly, what slowly came to light was worse than most could even imagine. Amidst allegations of impropriety and habitual drug use was a continuance of a covert homosexual lifestyle amongst the "inner circle" of monks. The "weeping icon" that brought so many visitors to the site was proven fraudulent, as "Tears of Myrrh" were reportedly placed on the icon by the monks. Sadder yet is that about two months ago Sam Green, who was morbidly obese and in very bad health, was successful in what was supposedly his second attempt to commit suicide.
Father Joseph Huneycutt writes (in his blog (http://southern-orthodoxy.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html)):"The travesty and tragedy that was Christ of the Hills Monastery is, for some, an enigma; for the families of the victims: an open wound. Lord have mercy. For those (and I've met a few) who had prayers answered, even miraculous cures, through their relationship with that monastery ... well, adding confusion to mystery rarely results in rational answers."
An article (http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA103007.05B.strangemonk.346bdd3.html) in the San Antonio Express reports: "Some courtroom observers expressed disgust at the revelations about the supposed orthodox monastery where chastity, poverty and obedience to God seemed foreign concepts.
"It's a giant betrayal to our faith," said Gene Yentzen, 65, an Orthodox Christian from Johnson City. "What about the people they may have married, baptized or buried?" -"
Father Ernesto comments on Father Joseph's blog "Orthodixie" as if to answer Mr. Yentzen: "Cyrus the Persian, the heathen conqueror, was called God's anointed in the Old Testament. And, he did "save" Israel and send them back to the Promised Land. (This is a plug for reading the Old Testament.) This does not mean that Cyrus is necessarily in glory.
Early Christians had a serious argument complete with mini-split (the Novatians) as to whether the personal righteousness of the minister affected the efficacy of the sacraments. In other words, if a heretic celebrated the Divine Liturgy was it still Eucharist? The answer was that it was still Eucharist.
They were evil, apostate, and heretical monks, yet God chose to work through them. I do not understand God, but at least I am in the good company of many of the saints who also did not understand Him either.
We ought to do our skeptical research when specific miracles are claimed. Yet we need to balance skepticism with openness to His workings. And we need to have the certainty that if we are fooled, yet God is faithful and He will still seek to bless our faith."
Apostolic Canons, Canon 46: "We order any Bishop, or Presbyter, that has accepted any heretics' Baptism, or sacrifice, to be deposed; for "what consonancy hath Christ with Beliar? or what part hath the believer with an infidel?"
Canon 47: "If a Bishop or Presbyter baptize anew anyone that has had a true baptism, or fail to baptize anyone that has been polluted by the impious, let him be deposed, on the ground that he is mocking the Cross and death of the Lord and failing to distinguish priests from pseudopriests."
For those who are healing from the wounds of this scandal, myself included to some degree, what unfolded out at the Christ of the Hills Monastery of "New Sarov" is nothing less than traumatic. In gratitude I echo the sentiments of the writer of this article (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/columnists/rdreher/stories/DN-dreher_30edi.ART.State.Edition1.422489b.html) when he writes: "Monk was a fraud, yet now I am blessed." and I can also say, as he writes, that "So much of what I cherish, I owe to that miserable man" - thank God I also had many pious and sincere teachers along the way, but none the less, I can't deny the importance that Sam Green's place held for me, even knowing what I know now; I still remember it as a special place.
The question I pose is much like that asked by Gene Yentzen, 65, an Orthodox Christian from Johnson City in the referenced article. "What about the people they may have baptized?"
In cases where the fraudulent monks posed as "Godparents" (which monks don't usually do anyway from what I understand), now that many of the baptismal records are lost and unavailable (I know at least three people that were baptised by them and none of them have any documented "proof" of their baptism), and it being clear that despite the possibility of good intentions it's clear that at least some who served as Priests were liars and heretics (how can one possibly be doing these things and not be a heretic), don't you think that baptism by a Canonical Priest MIGHT be in order? How would you counsel someone who was baptised by them? If you're a Priest how would you receive someone into your fold were this their background? What about the validity of their sacraments? Is there more than one answer to this question? If you were to consider other factors, or take each case individually, what sorts of things would you consider?
Please share your thoughts with me on this. I'd love to know what you think.
Glory to God,
Dionysios