Fester's Lies

I plan on examining some of the assumptions that undergird the “story” of the Friends of Fester.  But to warm up, let us look at outright falsehoods that Fester and his acolytes have propagated.  The most obvious is the “Ambush in Santa Fe”. 

Fester put out the word that the Metropolitan Jonah Paffhausen was “blindsided” by an ambush of his brother bishops at the February 22 – 24, 2011, meeting of the Holy Synod in Santa Fe.  Really now, this never made much sense, despite the fact that it was widely repeated by OCATruth and followers.  After all,

-         Paffhausen tried to fire the Chancellor and the Secretary in early February 11, 2011.

-         The firings were appealed to the Synod.

-         The firings were in response to the Sexual Misconduct Advisory Committee issuing a report to the Synod detailing their concerns with Paffhausen’s actions/inactions.

-         Earlier, Paffhausen made a sudden trip to Russia to seek the support of the Patriarch of Moscow on a Primate of the OCA being the only to set the “agenda”, the Synod being relegated to a supporting cast.

-         Paffhausen made a speech in the DoS Pastoral Conference in Mississippi stating that a small group was seeking to replace him.

-         The Synod and the Met Council had both expressed concern about Paffhausen’s actions and inactions.

Yet Paffhausen was unaware that the Santa Fe meeting might just involve some conflict or tension?  Unaware that he might face some criticism?  Come on.  No one is accusing him of being that out to lunch.  (On the other hand, not bothering to know what the other bishops of the Synod thought might have led Paffhausen into some unpleasant surprises, but the other bishops can hardly be blamed for that). 

Fester’s emails between the Feb 11 firings in Syosset and the Feb 22 Synod retreat, however, fully and totally discredit the tale of Paffhausen being “blindsided” by the other bishops

-         Fester takes charge of Paffhausen’s response.

-         Fester contacts the disgraced and removed former Bishop of Alaska, Nikolai Soraich, apparently beginning by leaking the SMPAC report to Soraich, a subject of the report.  Fester wants Soraich help in planning Paffhausen’s response for him.

-         Fester is, in his own words “brutal” in bullying Paffhausen into accepting Soraich’s advice.

-         Fester hopes to make use of a disgraceful tantrum that Soraich wrote in a rage against the Bishop of the West, Benjamin Peterson.

-         Paffhausen orders an investigation into the accusations made by Soraich against Peterson.

-         Fester raises the possibility of Soraich somehow turning his tantrum into formal charges against Peterson.

-         Fester knows that a leave of Absence is a possibility, but hopes to force Peterson to take it instead.

-         Soraich warns Fester that “He’s go to be ready for this next week-- bad stuff is coming down.” (whilst complaining that Paffhausen wasn’t paying him enough attention).

-         Fester and Soraich express their mutual pleasure in the approach that Paffhausen takes following their advice.  This includes manipulations meant to “push the buttons” of other bishops, such as raising the specter of the Consistory for Bp. Michael Dahulich and also Matthias Moriak with their background in the Johnstown diocese, and trying to get a “reliable” translator for Bp. Alejo.

-         Fester, (much like Stokoe), prognosticates how various bishops will act.

All in all, Fester thought he was well prepared, thought that he and Soraich had Paffhausen all ready for the Santa Fe retreat.

So what was the surprise?  Their plans did not work.  In fact, they failed spectacularly.  I am not surprised that that Fester/Soraich tactics failed.  If they worked, Soraich would still be a ruling bishop on the Synod and Kondratick and Fester would never have left Syosset.  I am not so much surprised as grateful to God.  The only thing that ambushed Paffhausen was his misguided trust in Fester, and then Soraich.

Now Fester’s claims of ambush and blindsiding are “Totally exposed”, (to borrow a phrase from Rod “Muzhik” Dreher).  They are exposed as a Lie, and Fester is exposed as a Liar.  What is a surprise, is that those who swallow the Fester Story continue to repeat this Lie, even after it is exposed.  It’s just sad.