So, how to elect a Bishop?

I like the way they picked Ambrose of Milan, myself.

On the Episcopal Selection Process in the Diocese of New York-New Jersey

The only way we are going to get out of the mess the OCA is in is to stop living lies. To label the episcopal selection process now being undertaken by the administration of the re-established Diocese of New York and New Jersey as “conciliar” is just a lie.

It is a big old fat lie that stinks - and it doesn’t just stink, it stains everybody who has anything to do with it.

There is nothing “conciliar” about four appointed men, all clergy, all of whom were intimate in the previous dysfunctional diocesan administration under Metropolitan Herman, privately reviewing candidates in a closed, “non-competetive” process (their words, not mine) and coming up with only two nominees after only three weeks, neither of whose names can be released. Rather, delegates will be allowed to know their names only two weeks before the election, but not given any opportunity to discuss them together before the election. Nor will they be allowed to do as at the Extraordinary Assembly.

If this is “as conciliar a process as we are capable of achieving, with God’s help”, I would suggest God had little to do with this. This reeks of men and their plans - most of which have involved cover-up these past four years in the OCA . (For that matter, how is the audit of NY-NJ proceeding? Sadly, Metropolitan Herman was right - it seems the Diocese will never learn where their money went.)

This is not conciliarity. This is worse than just imposing a bishop and forgetting the “show” - for this has the form of conciliarity but none of the substance thereof. Can’t we at least try to be an conciliar, honest, open, and transparent Church? If not, what then is the point of this autocephaly? So someone can wear a white hat and tour foreign Patriarchates?

Shame on Metropolitan Jonah, locum tenens, and the Diocesan Search Committee for making a mockery of conciliarity;

Shame on them for making a mockery of people’s hopes for change in the OCA;

Shame on them for asking the Faithful to assist and participate in this mockery of their own hopes;

And shame on the Faithful who do so, accepting the lie and pretending it is not.

In 21st century America, how you do something is as important as what you do, for it speaks to integrity. Even the right man, chosen the wrong way, becomes the wrong man.

So most of all, shame on any man who participates in this by accepting election through such sham “conciliarity”. For if he was going to be the real father and pastor that the Diocese of New York- New Jersey needs after 35 years of admitted pastoral neglect and financial abuse, he should condemn the process for the travesty it is, rather than profit from it. That would be leader the Diocese needs!

And finding that man in an real, open, honest, transparent and conciliar process would be worth another two, three or even six months. Unless, of course, that is precisely what one fears.

- Mark Stokoe

"Riven by partisanship"--I like that. Sounds like a PTA meeting. "Marred by riots, bloodshed and murder" is more accurate, but not at all edifying.

As for Plan B, the ideal would be the selection of a candidate by the Synod, the presentation of his name to the people, the people express their opinion, and the Synod prayerful reflects and makes its decision. The people get the final word at the ordination, because "Axios" should not be a pro forma acclamation.

And am I the only one to feel that Mark Stokoe is being just slightly hysterical . . . ?

And am I the only one to feel that Mark Stokoe is being just slightly hysterical . . . ?

Mark Stokoe has a strongly worded leader [ocanews.org] on his website [ocanews.org] where he criticizes the nomination process for Bishop of New York & New Jersey as not being "conciliar" enough. Mr. Stokoe compares the process unfavorably with the nomination and election of Bishop MELCHIZEDEK of Pittsburgh recently * * *

Reflection:

In Response to the OCANews.org Editorial of August 3, 2009

"Shame, Shame, Shame, Shame"

The Diocese of New York and New Jersey is in the process of nominating
the man who will be elected, by conciliar Assembly and the concurrence
of the Holy Synod, its ruling hierarch: a Diocesan Bishop. The process employed was through the decision of the Locum tenens, Metropolitan +Jonah, in consultation with the three elected Deans (New York Deanery, New York City Deanery, New Jersey Deanery) and Chancellor of the Diocese. The process was presented and accepted by the elected members of the Diocesan Council. The process is governed by the Holy Canons, the Statutes of the Orthodox Church in America, and the Holy Synod's "Instructions Concerning the Election of the Ruling Hierarch" (Approved & Revised 1972).

Several communications have been released for full dissemination among the clergy and laity of the diocese. Those tasked with implementing the process, and those aforementioned in approving the process, have promised an open, inclusive, conciliar approach to the fullest extent possible. Are there disagreements as to the exact nature of the process, the fullness of conciliarity, the desired level ofopenness, or other questions? Probably. Imperfections and human limitation abound. No process is perfect; all things can be improved; we are sinners, all. I am confident that such concerns and, hopefully, lessons learned will surface at our upcoming Extraordinary Diocesan Assembly. That's a good thing. But, it is hardly a conciliar principle amongst brothers dwelling in unity for one with a "loud
voice" to shout from beyond the boundaries of the Diocese (the
conciliar body, in this case) that all involved in the process of
electing their diocesan hierarch are liars, deceivers, betrayers of the
conciliar principle and worthy of shame. If anyone thinks I have
incorrectly summarized the accusations published in the recent
OCANews.org editorial, read it for yourself and choose your own words to
describe the direct and implied accusations.

Editor Mark Stokoe
pronounced four "Shame on you" declarations, the last of which
is directed at my faithful parishioners. Quite bold, I'd say!
Saint Seraphim of Sarov taught me that any cursing directed against me
is a blessing because I just might learn humility, and humility is my
only hope of salvation. So, thanks – to Mark Stokoe – for the
personal blessing. But when he points his "shame on you" finger
at my beloved and faithful flock, I am not inclined to think of him
fondly.

As for my parish, everyone is expressing amazement and joy at how open
the process is and they are eagerly awaiting more information as we
prepare for the Assembly. It ought to be clear to anyone with a modicum
of sense and propriety that a full and unrestricted release of candidate
names, bios, reputations, and histories to "all and for all" followed by
a free-for-all race to the Golden Omophor in front of cheering & jeering
crowds would be a disgraceful (and un-grace-filled) spectacle unto our
legitimate shame. That was – and I know it to be so – the
meaning behind the singular word "non-competitive" lifted from
the recent Diocesan Search Committee memorandum and ridiculed by Mr.
Stokoe as a sign of the continuation of the "dysfunctional diocesan
administration under Metropolitan Herman" (his words, not mine). My
goodness! -- talk about petty trivialities in search of substance!
There is also a matter of privacy and confidentiality involved, after
all. I wonder if Father Michael Dahulich enjoyed the banner-headline
and reporting on OCANews.org pronouncing him as the singular candidate
and chosen-one to ascend as Bishop of New York and New Jersey by decree
of the Holy Synod with the blind acceptance of the diocesan peasants
errantly presuming themselves to be "parish delegates." Was
there any editorial concern, I wonder, regarding the impact such
reporting (as fact) may have on – oh, let's say – the
Seminary of which he is currently dean? And, while any simpleton could
come up with a broad list of those potentially affected by such
reporting, it is – as all gossips claim – "what reliable
inside sources say."

While I am not troubled by what OCANews.org
reports, neither do I fret over the National Enquirer at the supermarket
checkout, it is bothersome to know that many people accept what is
presented there, and the unwavering courage and integrity of the source,
as "gospel." Example? When our diocesan process was just
beginning, I was visited by a relative from the Diocese of the Mid West.
I explained to her how excited we were to be engaged in prayerfully
discerning the future of our diocese and the election of a Bishop.
"You know," she said, "the Synod of Bishops has already
decided and you have no say in it." "Really," said I.
"My priest said so, and he knows people who know." Wow! I
didn't know her priest was "on-line!" But if he got it
"on-line" it is, most assuredly, the truth. I must be a real
dope and dupe, because I'm kind of in the middle of this thing and
that particular "clue bird" has not yet landed on my shoulder!
Needless to say, it was not my place to correct my relative or, worse,
suggest that her priest was either uninformed, wrong, or a liar. It
would be nice, I must admit, if some others would also refrain from
pronouncing such judgments – especially while throwing them up into
the Internet wind.

Does Mr. Stokoe not know, or does he intentionally choose to ignore,
that the three Deans comprising the Selection Committee (along with the
Chancellor installed and blessed by Metropolitan +Jonah) are duly
elected by the priests of their respective deaneries? Does he have
"reliable inside sources" leaking information regarding
instances of corruption and behind-the-curtain deals of evil intent
fomenting in the countless meetings conducted by the Search Committee?
Is he prepared to present "the case" behind his innuendo that
these priests – our Deans – are justifiably to be labeled as
"stooges?" (sorry, but given Mr. Stokoe's artful and
creative skill with the written word I couldn't resist the
"Three Stooges" reference for his amusement). I laughed
hysterically when, many years ago, a movie of the same title featured
the lines: "The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming!"

Now, in the world according to Mr. Stokoe, it seems that instead of
Russian Communists the "Hermonites" have not only come but
infiltrated every parish and deanery of the New York and New Jersey
Diocese. So, with McCarthy-like precision, they must be "outed"
and labeled with every manner of distrustful accusation, questioning of
motives, and general disdain. As one who not only voted for our Dean,
but who respects and trusts him implicitly in this Search Process, and
who thanks God for our priestly brotherhood, I am personally offended
and refuse to accept a "shame on you" from a man in Ohio whom I
neither know nor have reason to regard as my judge. It has become
evident that Mr. Stokoe seeks to rouse the keyboard masses within his
limited yet boastful sphere of influence, with himself the
self-appointed, irreproachable, pure, "man of the common
people," keyboard wizard. The arrogance, mistrust, proclivity to
judge, and self-absorbed grandeur exuding from his website – and the
long line of bloggers (my guess is that among the usual suspects are
12-16 keyboard commentators who repeatedly, and most often anonymously,
share profundities) -- is amazing and a wonderment: so much so that
though I try to avoid it as much as possible for my spiritual
well-being, the temptation to salaciousness sometimes becomes so great
that I "log-on." The encounter, I confess, always leaves me
feeling uneasy as flashbacks of my youth and that "deeply
concerned" group of Church gossips comes to mind. The experience
makes me feel, well – to use Mr. Stokoe's word –
"stained."

I can't help but see in this a grievously sickened form of spiritual
McCarthyism through which the dreaded "communists" are replaced
by "Hermonites" -- conspirators who clothe themselves in
priestly vestments while surreptitiously using positions of ecclesial
leadership to subvert and destroy the blessed conciliarity (democracy)
of the Church. Faithful to the legacy of Joe McCarthy, this movement is
founded on the endless pursuit of traitors and agents of evil,
maintained by an ever-flowing stream of "anonymous" sources,
allegations, and ever-so-nuanced gossip heralded as transparency,
accountability, and truth, while all the while serving the purpose of
self-righteous discourse. I recall some people -- call them gossips --
in our parish when I was growing up. The best of them always said,
"Well, it's the truth, you know!" True or not, that simple
formula vindicated their words and actions, lifted them above the sin of
false witnessing, and mitigated all of the turmoil, suspicions,
mistrust, fracturing of love, and dissolution of mercy they sowed while
always – always – presenting a smile of self-assurance and
"journalistic" dignity. Even as a young boy, they saddened me.

What I know is this: I respect, trust, and love the members
of our Diocesan Search Committee. My parish is excited and enthused by
the process and openness they have espoused, and the manner by which
they have labored diligently to carry out their difficult task. I
believe they have earnestly considered the many names submitted for
their consideration, honoring both the sincerity of the nomination and
the personal dignity and confidentiality of each nominee. I do not see
a "Hermonite" lurking behind every bush. In our parish, we
– yes, in a conciliar process -- are engaged and prepared to
prayerfully consider the nominees for the high office of diocesan
hierarch and -- with faith, hope, and love – to send our delegates
to the Extraordinary Diocesan Assembly on August 31st where we believe
the grace of the Holy Spirit will assemble us. In response to Mr.
Stokoe's pronouncement, "we are not ashamed."

Fr. Ken James Stavrevsky
Rector
Saint John the Baptist Church
Rochester NY

Typically, in the heyday of Byzantium, the Synod of a metropolitan province chose a new bishop from among the ranks of its own clergy. [...]

I thought the more original pattern was for the new bishop to be chosen by the clergy of the diocese, presented to the people for approval, and then ordained by the metropolitan and bishops of the province. Or am I wrong?

In the post-sixth century period, the final choice of a patriarch rested with the Emperor. Initially, the metropolitans met in the standing synod in Constantinople and selected three names. Only they [the metropolitans] could vote, but as in other synodal business, views could be expressed unofficially by others outside the metropolitan circle, such as the leading officials of the Great Church. The three names were submitted to the Emperor, who could select one of these or a fourth candidate of his own choice. The De Ceremonis describes how the announcement and investiture were made by the Emperor in the Magnaura palace in the presence of the senate and clergy. The Patriarch was then escorted to his own palace, the patriarcheion adjoining Hagia Sophia. He was enthroned in the Great Church on the following Sunday after receiving the patriarchal insignia from the Emperor, and he was consecrated by the Metropolitan of Heracleia.

It's your description of how Eastern Catholic Patriarchs are elected that is not very accurate.

With regard to the appointment of the metropolitan and bishops, for each case the council of hierarchs is to compose a list of at least three of the more suitable candidates, and send the list to the Apostolic See, observing secrecy even towards the candidates [Yeah, right--SLK]; in order to compile the list, the members of the council of hierarchs, if they judge it to be expedient, can seek the opinion of certain presbyters or other Christian faithful outstanding in wisdom concerning the needs of the Church and the special talents of a person required for the episcopate.

[*]Archpriest Michael Dahulich [nynjoca.org]
[*]Archpriest David Mahaffey [nynjoca.org]
[*]Archpriest David Brum [nynjoca.org]
These biographies are well worth reading.

Not a monastic amongst them. Sigh...... Putting a khlobuk on an hour and a half prior to consecration does not a monk make. And the Metropolia wonders why it is walking off a cliff...

Alexandr

...If we go by the parish listing, then Father Anthony is correct about the number of parishes in the Diocese of New York and New Jersey, but it in no way correlates with the clergy listings, which must be lagging behind. Checking on the individual priests listed, all of them are in the territory of the new Diocese of Washington, none are in New York or New Jersey, so counting heads won't work.

The numbers for the Diocese of Washington aren't very encouraging--of the 23 priests and deacons, only four are unmarried.

In view of this, the number of candidates in the diocese would be somewhere around nine or ten, including deacons. Still not good, but better...

In Responding To Questions, NY/NJ Search Committee Calls Itself Into Question

• Offers New Rules For Floor nominations Requiring “Real Time” Verification
• Defends Brum Candidacy With Campaign Testimonial from Bishop Benjamin
• Committee Member Admits Never Having Read SIC Letter Concerning Brum
• New Evidence Emerges Detailing Fr. Brum’s Role in '99 Wheeler Dismissal

Then you have another (Mahaffey) who could not even garner 10% of the vote from his home diocese of Western PA when they elected a bishop for that diocese earlier this year.

I find it interesting after reading the biographies of the 3 candidates that one is a former Roman Catholic priest and the other 2 are widowers, one with children.

And that only one is cradle Orthodox.

Return to the Orthodox Calendar and Traditions.

Disassociate itself from the congregationalist mindset of many within it's ranks.

Why isn't there a pious monk to "fill every spot"? Bishops are drawn from the monastic clergy. Period. End of discussion.

It could be that many converts of the 60s and 70s never integrated the Russian Orthodox Tradition (they were not encouraged to do so) and preferred to think in their Protestant, conformist cultural conditioning. Therefore, they never abandoned the Tradition – they simply never had any Tradition to abandon.

Moscow stands on the brink of revoking said autocephaly

and at the same time, the current financial meltdown have taken the Metropolia to the brink of the abyss.

At the very core lies the kernel that all flows from. The Metroplia got it backwards. Instead of trying to convert America to an Orthodox mindset, it has repeatedly tried to Americanize Orthodoxy. And therein lies it's error.

Work alongside ROCOR in setting up English speaking monasteries. Establish pockets of Orthodox mindset throughout North America.

Return to the Orthodox Calendar and Traditions.

I see that the calendar has the same talismanic fascination for Orthodox traditionalists that Latin does for Roman traditionalists. If the OCA has the kind of problems indicated, it will take more than moving Nativity to 7 January to fix them.

I do think it important for our Bishops to be monastics.

Are they campaigning or something? Whatever happened to reticence?

I say, vote for the guy who, when his name is raised, runs off to a cave in the desert somewhere and refuses to come out, and who must, literally, be dragged to his own ordination. Beware the guy who wants it badly enough to say so.
[...]

I say, vote for the guy who, when his name is raised, runs off to a cave in the desert somewhere and refuses to come out, and who must, literally, be dragged to his own ordination. Beware the guy who wants it badly enough to say so.

Qualifications
a. The candidate for the office of diocesan bishop must satisfy all the requirements of the Holy Canons pertaining to this highest of all ecclesiastical offices. In addition, it is preferable that he have completed a course of study in a Graduate School of Orthodox Theology and that he be conversant in the English language.
b. If he is not already a bishop, he can be nominated only from among the monastic or celibate clergy or laymen;
c. If at the moment of his nomination he is a layman or a celibate or widowed priest, he shall pronounce at least the first monastic vows (rasophoria).
d. Diocesan bishops of the Orthodox Church in America shall not be candidates for nomination by the Diocesan Assembly of another diocese.

CLIFTON, NJ -- The Diocese of New York and New Jersey of the Orthodox Church in America held an Extraordinary Diocesan Assembly at the Church of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin here on Monday, August 31, 2009.

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, locum tenens of the diocese, presided.

The extraordinary assembly was convened to nominate a candidate for diocesan bishop, whose name would be forwarded to the OCA's Holy Synod of Bishops for consideration in a canonical election.

During the assembly, the delegates discussed a motion to postpone the selection of a candidate until later in the year. This motion was defeated in a 56/42 vote, and the election was allowed to proceed.

Initially, three possible candidates had been proposed by the Diocesan Episcopal Search Committee: the Very Revs. David Brum, Michael Dahulich, and David Mahaffey. By joint decisions, Father David Brum withdrew his name. Fathers Michael and David were nominated. Other names were brought forward, but the nominees declined. The delegates voted on the proposed candidates.

The Assembly cast 55 votes for Father Michael and 33 votes for Father David. Ten votes were deemed invalid.

The Assembly suspended the rules of a second ballot and, according to election procedures, will submit both names to the Holy Synod for consideration in their election of a hierarch for the Diocese of New York and New Jersey.

OCA Holy Synod of Bishops elects Archpriest Michael Dahulich Bishop of New York and the Diocese of New York and New Jersey

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] - On Tuesday, September 22, 2009, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, meeting at its regular Fall Session at the OCA Chancery, elected Archpriest Michael Dahulich Bishop of New York and the Diocese of New York and New Jersey.

Archpriest Michael Dahulich was born in Johnson City, NY, on August 29, 1950. From the age of 10 until he graduated from college and went to seminary, he served as an altar boy under the tutelage of his pastor, Fr. Stephen Dutko, who was the inspiration for his vocation.

He graduated from Binghamton Central High School in 1967. Two years later he graduated from Broome Community College, Binghamton, NY, and began studies at Christ the Saviour Seminary in Johnstown, PA. He completed his theological studies there in December 1972.

While in seminary, Michael met Deborah Sandak. They were married in January 1973. On Feburay 3, 1973, Michael was ordained to the Diaconate, and on February 4 to the Priesthood, in the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA. Later that month Fr. Michael and Matushka Deborah assumed their first parish assignment at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Homer City, PA, a small mission community that had not previously had a full time priest. Two days after beginning this assignment, Matushka Deborah was killed in a car accident.

Following the death of his wife, Fr. Michael was encouraged to pursue further studies. He attended St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA, graduating with a degree in Philosophy, and Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, graduating with a Master of Arts in Theology and later a Ph.D. in Theology.

Fr. Michael continued to serve Saints Peter and Paul Church for 13 years, seeing it grow from 60 to more than 130 members, and from mission to parish status.

For 16 years he served as pastor of Holy Ghost Church in Phoenixville, PA, during which time the parish grew from 256 to nearly 450 members, including more than 100 children.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Fr. Michael served as Prefect of Student Life at Christ the Saviour Seminary, where he also taught Ethics, Scripture and Homiletics. During his Ph.D. studies at Duquesne, he was also adjunct lecturer, teaching Scripture and Eastern Orthodoxy in the Theology Department.

Fr. Michael also served in the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA as Religious Education Director for the Johnstown Deanery and the Associate Editor of "The Church Messenger," the official diocesan periodical. Additionally he was personal secretary to His Grace, Bishop John, Vice-Chancellor of the Diocese and Secretary to His Grace, Bishop [now Metropolitan] Nicholas of Amissos.

Additionally, Fr. Michael was Dean of the Carpatho-Russian Diocese's Mid-Atlantic Deanery, Vice-Chairman of the Harvest 2000 Committee on Missions, Evangelization and Diocesan Growth, and served on the Study and Planning Commission and the Ecumenical Commission of SCOBA. He was also editor of the diocesan prayerbook, "Come To Me."

In 1993, Fr. Michael was invited to teach at St. Tikhon's Seminary in South Canaan, PA, where he has served on the faculty to this day. In 2001, he was released from the Carpatho-Russian Diocese and received into the Orthodox Church in America, serving full-time at St. Tikhon's Seminary. He was first Administrative Dean and later Dean, as well as working as Director of Recruitment, Development and Fundraising at the school.

Fr. Michael was part of the team that earned national accreditation for St. Tikhon's Seminary from the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada and helped work on a revised curriculum for the Seminary's Master of Divinity program. He has served as editor of "The Tikhonaire," "The Spirit of St. Tikhon's," "By the Waters," and "St. Tikhon's Theological Journal." Fr. Michael also teaches New Testament, Old Testament, Homiletics, Pastoral Theology, and Ethics.

In other work, Fr. Michael served as a member of the Board of Theological Education of the Orthodox Church in America, OCA representative to the National Advisory Board of the American Bible Society, a member, and former National Secretary, of the Orthodox Theological Society of America, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology and Religion [OCAMPR].

The Holy Synod of Bishops has announced that the consecration of Bishop-elect Michael will take palce shortly after the New Year. Further details will be announced as they become available.

Remember there are many of us here who do not come from the USA .