Met. Pavlos Communed Heretic Ted Lagen
This information was posted online by Deacon Joseph Suaidan, but then removed by him when a GOC priest asked him to remove it. Notice how the GOC priest wanted to sweep it under the rug? After all, they have an image to maintain. They don’t want the world to know the TRUTH about who they REALLY are and what they are REALLY doing. Thankfully, Deacon Joseph had an archived copy.
"HOTCA: Priest Suspended, Reinstated For Refusing to Commune Apparent Heretic Update: Author of the first letter requested to be identified. NFTU recieved this from John Lamberes Friday. We hope to have both sides of the story soon so that this can be resolved for the good of the priest, the parish, and Orthodoxy in the Chicago area. On July 5th, 2013 Fr. John Somers, priest at Holy Unmercenaries in Alsip, IL was suspended after a disagreement erupted with Metropolitan Pavlos (Stratigeas). The disagreement started when Fr. John, who was only recently transferred to Holy Unmercenaries, realized one of the laymen, Ted Lagen, was openly confessing heresy both verbally and through publications. A part of this heresy says that each man is a pre-existing soul, and that his body is something which is shed and reincarnated. It also says, we believe in the same god as Muslims and that Mohammad is a “child of God”. He was barred from Holy Communion immediately. In reaction, Ted Lagen contacted Met. Pavlos directly and seems to have been able to push Met. Pavlos to demand to Fr. John that he commune Ted Lagen, without signing a libellus, or Orthodox confession of faith. When Fr. John refused, he was suspended. Fr. John appealed to the Eparchial Synod, who met on July 6, and lifted the suspension. This is alarming to many of us at Holy Unmercenaries as it has become clear that Met. Pavlos has, to the detriment of all other considerations (family’s, onlookers, his priest, the priests family, etc.) sided with a heretic. We have heard further that Met. Pavlos is so upset that he wants Fr. John out and we are therefore waiting for this matter to be resolved in the spirit of truth and love for the all the souls involved at our church.
NFTU received the following from another anonymous source as well: Editor, Heresy has reached HOTCA Metropolitan Paul and he punished a priest instead of the heretic. Church people signed a public letter on July 6 against the heretic and the leader is not doing anything right. Fr. John Somers of Hellenic Orthodox Church Sts Anargyroi-St Nektaris 11360 S Lawler Ave, Alsip, IL 60803 learned a council member was a heretic and he tried on April 28 to speak with him. The heretic fought back. A bishop was assigned by Metropolitan Paul to learn more. This bishop came to the church and on June 4 told the council the heretic wrote nice things about ecumenism for his new-age help business like “We all are souls, children of this merciful Energy of Love the Greeks call Theos, the Jews Yahweh, the Hindus Bhagavan, the Buddhists Buddha, the Moslems Allah, and the Christians God. But if you want to know if the soul is good or bad, holy or evil.,you must check and know what is in its mind, dianoia or heart. In the mental memory folders stored in the soul's personal mental File Cabinets.” The bishop also said the heretic believed in reincarnation and "denied man's two elements of soul and body". The bishop excommunicated the heretic. Metropolitan Paul listened to two old Greek council men and the heretic who are openly attacking non-Greek people like the priest and he reassigned the bishop a few days later. Metropolitan Paul ordered Fr. Somers to commune the heretic and suspended Fr. Somers on July 5 for refusing to commune the heretic. The gathering of bishops, I think called epraheal synod convinced Metropolitan Paul to remove the suspension within 24 hours and to make the heretic sign a libelo rejecting his heresies. The heretic signed the libelo on July 12 and one on July 14 then scratched out his name. This was taped on the glass at church and everyone saw him do it. Many church people signed a petition against the heretic. The two old Greeks are mad there is proof showing they are lying about the Fr. John so they can hurt him. These so called Greek elders defend the heretic and ignored the evidence. The Greek elders are more in love with immigrants from Greece than Orthodoxy. I heard a rumor the heretic is telling people this week he was yelled at by someone at HOTCA in New York to sign the libelo so Metropolitan Paul would not get in trouble. There is trouble ahead for HOTCA and the Greek elders they are helping hide the truth. -Anonymous