www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News OCA Monastery Scandal, Brewing or Brewed?

I don't really know very much about this website (Monomakhos) I stumbled across, while trying to find an update on the OCA monastery (St. John of San Francisco) that was in danger of being consumed by the Ponderosa Fire in northern California:

http://www.monomakhos.com/the-fires-of-manton/

However it looks like there is perhaps plenty of trouble at this monastery, aside from its recent forest fire problem. Apparently several of the monks have left in the past months or weeks and the site brings up issues with the local OCA heirarch too - looks like plenty of Orthodox clergy have joined in to comment on this. It makes me think this might be another big scandal for the OCA to deal with, and that is very sad indeed.

On another website I read that the monastery just founded a new skete (St. Peter Monastery) in Montana near Bozeman, making it the first Orthodox monastic foundation in that state:

http://orthodoxnorthwest.wordpress....for-the-new-monastery-in-montana-images/

I suppose this new foundation is now in jeopardy.

Does anyone know more about the situation with the monastery? Very troubling details outlined here.

Here are some recent updates on the situation from pokrov.org:

http://www.pokrov.org/display.asp?ds=Article&id=1869

Update: Archimandrite Michael Rymer

Date Published: 8/25/2012

Publication: Pokrov.org

As has been previously reported by Pokrov.org, the former Archimandrite Michael Rymer has been living at the Monastery of Saint John of San Francisco in Manton, California. The monastery belongs to the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), Diocese of the West.

Pokrov.org has long suspected that Rymer acquired a new name while at Saint John. Recent postings, here and here, on the blog Monomakhos confirm that Rymer is now known as “Father Nektarios.”

A Father Nektarios is the monastery’s guestmaster. Moreover, one man who spent a summer at the monastery as a novice has alleged that Rymer is not only the second in command of the abbot, Archimandrite Meletios Webber, but also his confessor.

On Saturday, August 18, 2012, the monks at Saint John were evacuated in the wake of the “Ponderosa Fire.” According to an article on the OCA's website, after a brief stay at a Red Cross shelter, the monks went their separate ways to stay with friends and family. Pokrov.org has no information on where Rymer is spending this time, or if the people who are sheltering him know about his background.

Rymer was defrocked by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA) for being sexually active with a young Orthodox man who had a mental handicap and who viewed Rymer as his spiritual father. According to court documents, Rymer had unprotected sex with the young man while HIV positive, and continued to do so even after he developed AIDS.

Rymer began his sojourn at Saint John while Metropolitan Jonah Paffhausen was the abbot. During this time the GOA received a letter from the monastery asking that the former archimandrite be reinstated to the priesthood.

http://www.pokrov.org/display.asp?ds=Article&id=1870


Addendum to Update on Rymer

Date Published: 8/26/2012

Publication: Pokrov.org

Thanks to one of our alert readers, Pokrov.org has information to add to yesterday's update. We really appreciate this reader's help!
_________________________________________________

The former archimandrite, Michael Rymer, was tonsured a monk by Archbishop Benjamin Peterson on March 20, 2008, and was given the name Nektarios at that time. Peterson leads the Diocese of the West of the Orthodox Church in America. At the time of the tonsure, Rymer's monastery, the Monastery of Saint John of San Francisco, was led by Metropolitan Jonah Paffhausen.

Rymer and Archimandrite Meletios Webber went together to Belmont, California, when the monastery was ordered to evacuate. Webber is the current abbot of Saint John.

This kind of thing going on in the OCA, under the direct supervision of Metropolitan Jonah, makes me think that the desposing of the Metropolitan was the right thing to do.

The question remains, what is the OCA going to do about thing now?

I pray that these allegations are not true. I wish the OCA would address them. So far they have not, as far as I know.


How can an archimandrite be tonsured a monk? Usually an archimandrite is a priest-monk, yes?

I take no delight in these accusations. I pray for those who left the BC Church to run after Orthodoxy as if Orthodoxy was more pure than Catholicism. I pray that the schism between the Churches will end and so will these serious sins.

He was defrocked so he would need retonsured.

It's possible that he had been only a riasofor monk,which,I've heard is often a Greek practice.Therefore,he could have been an Archimandrite prior to the tonsure as a mantiya monk.The defrocking,however, is a problem.

Greetings in Christ!

I was told that Fr. Michael Rymer was a rassaphore for 13+ years and only a year or two ago was elevated to the next level of monasticism by Archimandrite Meletios Webber, but it was never my intention to put the spotlight on him. When I met him this summer, he was extremely helpful and a very humble man. A monastery is place to work out one's salvation, and I have no doubt that he has been doing just that. Fr. Rymer's elevation to blagochinie is just one of many terrible mistakes that the abbot has done in monastery management.

I only brought Fr. Rymer up because I learned his history and that he was the abbot's spiritual father, despite the presence of 2 priests residing at the monastery who were able to provide the mystery of confession. Had he been the abbot's spiritual father and not been a priest ever, there would be no issue. I've also been informed that the archbishop who has been covering for Abbot Meletios in all of this is the spiritual offspring of the abbot, which definitely puts things into perspective considering what's been alleged against Archbishop Benjamin by Bishop Nikolai in the past.

In answer to the forum's question, it is only brewing. However, I am unsure how much will come to light in the future. Much of it is dependent on who the next OCA Metropolitan will be. Because there was much more travesty and scandal occurring behind closed doors than was put in my letter. As I posted on my WordPress page [orthodoxnovitiate.wordpress.com], the original letter was 7 pages long and the public letter only briefly discusses what was mentioned in private sessions. It didn't even begin to cover sessions of confession.

For obvious reasons, I don't feel the need to expand anymore publicly. I am mainly responding because I don't want to see Fr. Rymer's name potentially dragged through the mud as being the main subject of what was wrong with the monastery. He is only stuck in the middle of this; he is not the focus.

Forgive me, the sinner.

In XC,
Stepan

I think that most (including myself) would have come to Holy Orthodoxy for doctrinal reasons after long discernment and many prayers. I hope that it would not be because someone thinks that one Church has less scandals than the other. We are all sinners.

Stepan,

I didn't make the connection that you were the one who submitted this letter. I can see how you would now be perplexed after all this. Just wanted to say you are in my prayers as well as all involved with this monastery. It's a sad situation.
God bless

I would also hope not. I am troubled by the many failures by so many in both Catholic and Orthodox circles. I do know that I must work out my own salvation with fear and trembling. But one does have pause when trying to select just where when these things are revealed.

Students of Church history are never disappointed by the bad behavior of bishops.

How does the old saying go? The road to hell is paved with the skulls of Priest and Bishops are the lamp post.

We must be careful not to judge anyone into hell. As Carson said (quoting St Paul)....we are working out our salvation with fear and trembling.