Romanian Orthodox priest claiming improper termination
The former leader of a Chicago Romanian Orthodox church wants a jury to step in and settle a dispute within the church’s very secretive hierarchy.
Reverend Father Vasile Susan says he was a priest at the Falling Asleep of the Ever Virgin Mary Church, 4225 N. Central Ave., for 11 years before he was abruptly expelled from the clergy and given no reason for his dismissal.
Susan was granted political asylum and moved here from Romania in 1989 to continue priestly duties in Chicago. This week in Cook County Circuit Court, he sued Archbishop Nathaniel, whose given name is William Popp, and the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, based in Michigan. Susan alleges the archbishop used his power to circumvent the internal laws of the church and fire Susan for no legitimate reason.
“I served them for 11 years, and then I was kicked out like a dog,” Susan said.
The lawsuit alleges that in March 2003, Archbishop Nathaniel accused Susan of disloyalty and threatened him with removal from the clergy. When the archbishop refused to tell Susan what he had done that was disloyal, Susan filed a complaint with the Episcopate Council, an internal church judicial system.
Susan says the archbishop then spread “negative propaganda” about Susan through letters to newspapers and church publications. The suit states that in January 2004, the prelate made good on his threat and expelled Susan from the clergy.
Since then, many St. Mary’s parishioners have rallied behind Susan, holding meetings and sending a 260-signature petition to the archbishop demanding that the allegations against Susan be made public. Archbishop Nathaniel so far has refused.
“We collected over 200 signatures, and he was completely dismissive,” said Leonard Vonrommel of Skokie, a parishioner at St. Mary’s. “He offered no reason for [Susan’s] dismissal. I think it’s got to be personal.”
The suit alleges that after parishioners complained, the archbishop sent a letter to the church threatening “ecclesiastical discipline” against those who supported Susan and those who take part in “public demonstrations in opposition to the release of Father Susan.”
A spokesman at the office of the archbishop declined to comment on the litigation, and calls to the chief priest at St. Mary’s were not returned.
Some priests within the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America said, on condition of anonymity, that the firing is part of a disturbing trend within the church. The priests would not give their names for fear of reprisals.
“It’s not only [Susan’s] case; this is just a very visible one,” said one priest in Ohio. “Many priests have been fired by this archbishop for personal reasons. The priests who have talked to him about this, we’ve been told bluntly not to publicize or talk about these things.”
“To be fired, you have to step on canon laws or create problems that are related to the church,” he added. “Father Susan did not do that. He’s out of the priesthood because one person abused the power of his position.”
Still, members of the Romanian Orthodox clergy have been hesitant to criticize Archbishop Nathaniel’s actions publicly. Susan said he had no alternative but to turn to the American justice system because the governing body of the church has repeatedly ignored Susan’s appeals.
“I feel persecution from the church because my case has been ignored even by the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America,” Susan said. “Church justice should prevail, reason should be given. I was never brought to ecclesiastical court, never convicted. So I had to take this to the U.S. court.”
“Anybody else in a public position, they cannot just act on their personal feelings. They have to follow the law,” said the priest. “In Orthodox tradition, the leadership of the church should be a council. There isn’t supposed to be one person in the faith giving directions.”
Susan is not only suing to get his job back, he also is seeking damages for breach of contract, defamation and intentional portrayal of him in a false light. He said the speculation over why he was fired has caused irreparable injury to his good name.
“Just bringing him back won’t be enough,” Vonrommel said. “His good name has to be cleared.”