Open Letter on life at the Monastery

Update (4/7/04):

In January of 2004, Mrs. Pappas has emailed Pokrov the following:

Archbishop Demetrios responded to my letter on the issue of the monasteries. This is part of his answer to me:

The Holy Eparchial Synod of our Archdiocese has been working diligently through a special committee to compile appropriate regulations regarding the creation and operation of Monasteries established within the Archdiocese’s jurisdictional borders.

During its most recent meeting, this committee presented to the Holy Synod a document containing proposed Regulations Governing Monastic Communities within our Archdiocese. This document will be studied by all the members of the Synod and during their next meeting, the Most Reverend members of the Synod will decide upon the final version.

From the Holy Eparchial Synod

…Thanks again, Fanny Pappas
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Reprinted from the Greek Star, Opinion
October 30, 2003

I would like to inform the Orthodox Faithful about the strict control the monasteries have over our children who enter into this life. And I still do not understand, what is the purpose of a monastery. At age 37, my daughter suddenly announced to us she was leaving to live at St. John Chrysostomos Monastery, in Pleasant Prairie, WI. Needless to say, we were not prepared for this decision. It was done all in secrecy, and she was not counseled to inform the family either by her spiritual father in Stroudsburg, PA., or by the Gerontessa in Pleasant Prairie, WI. We were never told of the strict rules of monastic life and the complete isolation from family life. I don’t blame her love of the Orthodox religion, I blame her spiritual father, who always preaches the monastic life, (that I was not aware of) as do some of our other priests. When saying her good-byes to the family members, she was told the family would be saved for eight generations. This is only one example of false Orthodox teaching, what else is being told to the novices, nuns, monks, and worst of all, Orthodox laypeople. In fact, all the heresy in church history started with only one false teaching. These priests who favor the monastic life, have a way of counseling our children, making them think it was all their own ideas and preying on their weaknesses to send them off to monastic life.

I was reading a book by Father Stanley Harakas, who was a professor for many years at Holy Cross Seminary, Boston, ”455 Questions and Answers of the Orthodox Faith”. He said that nuns and monks devote their life to Christ. They assume poverty, chastity and obedience. They have round the clock worship, fasting and denying themselves ownership of property. Then I wish to enlighten the Orthodox faithful who support this and other monasteries, that my daughter came with three other nuns, when we were not home, during the period of the Great Lent, and took as much of her possessions from her apartment that they could stuff in their van. End tables, crystal lamps, coffee table, icons, pictures, towels, pots and pans, vacuum cleaner, video camera, jewelry, radio-tape player, etc. Also my daughter went to the bank and closed all her accounts and had them transferred to the monastery in Kenosha, WI, which amounted to thousands and thousands of dollars. They also have her car.

Please explain to me, how does this set an example of denying yourself — ownership of property and entering in poverty — as Father Harakas tells us in his book on Orthodoxy? How can this be accepted by the Gerontessa, when my daughter has not been tonsured? I was told by one of our priests, yet another young woman transferred all her wealth to the monastery, before her father could close the accounts. Does this show us an example of entering with poverty and humility? The Gerontessa also asked me if I would like to have a moving van come and get the rest of her things.

Another fact of monastic life that I would like to bring to your attention, her aunt, my sister, recently passed away. I called the Gerontessa to allow my daughter to come to the funeral (another fact of which we were not informed), and her response was, ”she is not allowed to leave the monastery, and for what reason did she need to go, when we will pray for her here.” I was told several times, ”for what reason did she need to go.” I was stunned at the cavalier attitude for the departed. Then I asked when I and her father die, can she come to the funeral for an hour, even escorted by a nun, to be with her grieving siblings? Again, the same answer. And when I said, I will call Metropolitan Iakovos, the response was, ”I receive my orders from God.” Of course we were never informed she could not leave for this sacrament.

Why do the Metropolitans and Archbishop of this country, let Father Ephraim hold such a tight reign on monastic life of our children? Is there no compromise? Is this really Christ’s plan to keep our children in such strict servitude? She has not been tonsured, and yet she has no right, but they can accept all her wealth and property. Is this the purpose of a monastery — money?

As I was told by her monastic spiritual father, of Stroudsburg, PA, ”She is dead to the outside world.” But he also told me the monastery is ”a spiritual intensive care unit for the priests and Orthodox faithful.” Then why do they need to spend $10 million for a new monastery in Pleasant Prairie just for rest and religious retreats? This magnificent church with its seven domes is symbolic of the churches on Mount Athos. If their purpose is to pray for our salvation, why the emphasis on fund-raising?

I was told twice by the Gerontessa that my daughter could visit a family member in the hospital. Her father was hospitalized and he pleaded with the Gerontessa to let his daughter visit him and we were told it was not an emergency and she was not allowed to see him. When she said her goodbyes to her brother’s family, she told them she could visit a family member in the hospital and come to her parents funeral — all lies. The nuns and monk are to pray for the ”Salvation of our Souls,” as I have been told, 24 hours a day. But the cruel part of monastic life, is the young nuns and monks can never attend a Sacrament with their families. No baptism, no weddings, no funeral But let me add this, when Father Ephraim passes away, I’m sure every nun, and monk will attend his funeral in Florence, AZ. But the parents are not worthy enough to have their children attend the family funeral. After all this is monasticism and they are committed to a life of complete separation from the families.

Why should the Orthodox faithful pour millions of dollars into these monasteries, when the money could be put to better use in our local churches and no money is sent to the archdiocese. What is the purpose of a monastery church? They cannot perform the sacraments, except for funerals. I’ve asked what good works have the nuns and monks done. Do they teach Sunday School, do they help in a nursing home, are they involved in charitable works?

Where is the backbone of the Orthodox hierarchy? These are the facts that not very many people know. Only a few families are affected. Each monastery has but a dozen people within its walls. The outcry is small because it effects so few families, but I will continue to pursue this issue. There are many priests here in this diocese and elsewhere, who have not spoken out, but the bishops do not listen. The advice and counseling their parishioners have been getting from these priests with monastic tendencies, has been frustrating to our local priests. These stories have been brought back to the priests by their parishioners who are getting misguided counseling at the monasteries.

I am a lonely voice crying out for change to these injustices in our monasteries. I’m sure nothing will come of my outcry, but someone has to speak out.

Let these young people live the monastic life, if they choose, but don’t deny them any contact with the families for baptisms, weddings and funerals or a holiday. I know my daughter will never leave the monastery because of her seven years of indoctrination and guidance by her monastic spiritual father. Her every move was guided by him. The nuns and monks are kept in complete isolation from the outside world and priests are not allowed to speak to the novices or even look directly into the eyes of the nuns.

Are we living in the dark ages or the 21st century? We have been very upset and losing faith with our Orthodox religion, and one of the priests I know told me, ”the monastery is not the Orthodox religion. It is a cult with an ‘issue’ of strong control over all who have entered the monastic life.” Is this what St. Basil wanted his monasteries to become? A place of isolation from the world and control over a few individuals who serve there just to pray 24 hours a day and collect donations for themselves and their monastery?

The Orthodox have to know how my daughter and others are treated in the monasteries and the money being donated into these places of worship.

One of the many questions that need to be answered is:

Why do all the nuns from St. John’s in Pleasant Prairie fly to Father Ephraim’s monastery in Florence, AZ, for the feast day of St. Anthony, but they can’t visit their families? Are we not worthy enough?

I ask every parent, is this the kind of life their son or daughter should follow with such strict obedience? Was this the plan St. Basil had when he started his monasteries?

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