Angered by the Actions of Metropolitan Isaiah and Katinas

June 22, 2007

To the Editor:

Astonishing and infuriating were the two words that kept coming to my mind as I read your article on Metropolitan Isaiah’s sermon to the Dallas parish about Father Katina’s pedophilia problem. Astonishment at his comments like, “If he did, I don’t know,” and “I have no information.” Where has the Metropolitan been these last two months? Archbishop Demetrios and Isaiah’s brother Metropolitan’s on the Synod on which he also serves have stated publicly that they had the information and know what had gone on. Why didn’t Metropolitan Isaiah? I think we can all rest assured that the Archbishop looked deep into the facts of the case before taking the serious action that he took with Fr. Katinas. He would not have done it if the proof was not indisputable.
It is infuriating to me and insulting to the American laity that Metropolitan Isaiah treats the matter of a priest’s sexual misconduct with minors so lightly. “This too shall pass,” he says. He equates pedophilia with sinning by lying, or fornicating, or committing adultery. I have news for him. The latter sins are committed by adults who have the ability to make their own judgments, while here we have a man who betrayed the trust placed in him by the bishops of the Church. Katinas violated the sanctity of the rasso and collar he wears and defiled the altar on which he conducted worship services by using them to inveigle innocent minors to perform these terrible acts inside the church. I can only think of few crimes that may be worse than what Katinas did. And what did Metropolitan Isaiah say about the victims, “