Warning from the Orthodox about Nicholaus Ilnyckyj - 1975
Mar 2, 2019 18:43:05 GMT
Post by Admin on Mar 2, 2019 18:43:05 GMT
Update:
Yesterday I received the following letter by email: Letter of Archp. W. Ischie to Bp. Dudick of....pdf (1.73 MB)
This letter, dated July 24, 1975, is authored by Fr. William Ischie, an archpriest of an Orthodox Church in New York, to the Eastern Catholic Bishop Duddick, who was then the Eparch of Passaic.
The purpose of the letter is to warn Bp. Duddick against a certain Nicholaus Ilnyckyj, whom the Orthodox considered to be a layman, but who was claiming to be a bishop.
This appears to be the one and same Nicholaus Ilnyckyj who was the consecrating 'bishop' of Ambrose Moran's ordination to the priesthood. Ordination_Certificate_May_19_1974.pdf (760.86 KB)
Fr. Pfeiffer refers to this same bishop in a conference given a few months ago:
… he [Moran] was ordained a priest by Bishop Ilnytskyy, in 1974, and Bishop Ilnytskyy was a bishop of the Autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America, of the USA … thecatacombs.org/thread/1513/transcript-november-conference-bishop-ambrose
Here is the text of the letter sent by Fr. Ischie to Bp. Duddick:
St German Of Alaska Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church in Setauket, New York
140 MAIN STREET
EAST SETAUKET, L.I., NEW YORK 11733
July 24, 1975
Most Reverend Michael Dudick, D.D.EAST SETAUKET, L.I., NEW YORK 11733
July 24, 1975
Byzantine-Catholic Eparchy of Fassaic
Re: Nicholaus Ilnyckyj
Your Excellency:
Nicholaus Ilnyckyj, an illiterate laborer in his 60's, purports to have been consecrated a bishop by Archbishop Zurawetsky, Archbishop Souris, and bishop Lavrentios Manitakis, none of the three being bishops. Therefore, Nicholaus is, as he was before the consecration, a layman.
In the outlines of succession of the consecrating bishops, individuals of the so-called "Living Church" were included. ‘The Russian Orthodox have never considered them to be bishops, nor were they in fact bishops, but rather part of a communist plot to undermine the Russian Orthodox Church. This "Living Church" was for a time in possession of St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 97th Street, New York City. Members of this “Living Church" group who have returned to the Russian Orthodox Church have had to be re-ordained, and were not considered as having had valid consecration from canonical bishops. ‘These individuals were not believing Christians, and had no recognized line of succession. Details of the consecrations, such as the rite used, are unknown.
Another individual in the line of succession, and given credence, is the late Bishop Stylian Noli. Bishop Noli was at one time Prime Minister of Albania for a period of six months, He came to the U.S. and was chosen as bishop by the Albanian Orthodox. He functioned for a long while without proper consecration. Whether he was consecrated at the time he participated in the consecration of individuals in the line of succession in question is not known. The Albanian Orthodox Diocese is vague on the point of his participation in the Contogeorge consecration. U.S. courts held that Contogeorge, who represented the Patriarchate of Alexandria, was a true bishop. However, one would be led to believe that this meant the right of an American citizen to call himself whatever he wanted, for example, Methodist bishops; to say that he is not a bishop would, according to all fifty jurisdictions, be slander. But whether he was a canonical-valid bishop is seriously in doubt.
There is also the question of all individuals involved as to whether they were proper recipients in the Catholic/Orthodox sense of valid consecration, This would have to be established. The underground sectarian movement refered to loosely as "Old Catholic" and now, it seems, as "Eastern Orthodox" or "Autocepalous" Church is also in question. The Orthodox Church in any of the U.S. jurisdictions does not recognize Peter Zurawetsky, Joachim Souris, nor Lavrentios Maniatakis.
Nicholaus Ilnyckyj is a married man, a former member of St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Catholic Church, Hempstead, L.I., also a former member of St, Michael's Ukrainian Orthodox (Boundbrook) Church, Uniondale, L.I., the father of several children, and an individual about to be pensioned by the maintenance department of the Hempstead Public Schools, If you do decide that he is a Catholic bishop, the pension from “he public school system for which he worked for many years in the hot sun, moving trash and garbage and other debris, will undoubtedly allow him to function as a bishop with little or no stipend.
Perhaps it would behoove your Excellency to have his arrest record checked, his credit searched, and talk to his confessor, if indeed such a person really does exist. It will be the first time the Catholic Church has had a married bishop for many centuries. This is indeed going further than Vatican II's most liberal interpreters have imagined even in their wildest fantasies. Perhaps this is the antecedent of Vatican III or IV?
The ill advised may think that the Orthodox are concerned. They are! For the most part the Orthodox have never lacked a good sense of humor, it would require a good sense of humor to give Nicholaus Ilnyckyj serious consideration. It is my belief that it would behoove me as an Archpriest of the Orthodox Church living within the geographical area of the Diocese of Rockville Centre to send a copy of this report to the Chancery Office of said Diocese so that they too may know what is happening in Catholic affairs on Long Island.
Strategically placed friends of mine in Rome have also taken an interest in the Ilnyckyj case. They are unkind enough to suspect that the matter has been ineptly handled and that a farce has been perpetrated at the expense of the Body of Christ.
I believe that Mrs. Ilnyckyj is a woman who has suffered severely. I strongly and humbly urge your Excellency to extend pastoral concern through one of your priests to this woman who has been subjected to humiliation and scandal not of her own creation.
That great leader of the ecclesiastical underground, Walter Profeta, is no doubt rejoicing that his old friends are on the verge of having their Orders recognized by Rome. It is my understanding that Zurawetsky, a co-consecrator of Ilnyckyj, has consecrated a woman bishop. If Ilnyckyj is valid/licit, why not the female? There is, however, a slight problem. “Bishop” is masculine; would the female be "Bishopess"?
In summation, your Excellency, it is my opinion that the alleged act of consecration on the 18th of February, 1973, of Nicholaus Ilnycky by three other laymen was null, void, and a blasphemy against God. I obviously stand ready to supply you with additional information from my files but feel that the facts I have given you concerning the Satanic conspiracy should be enough to arm you in the protection of your faithful, It is obviously not necessary for Rome or the Oriental College to be consulted in this matter since you will protect the faithful from such as Zurawetsky, Souris, Maniatakis, and last but not least, Profeta.
I beg your prayers for the salvation of my soul, and for the welfare of the people under my care.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
[signed]
The Very Reverend Archpriest William Ischie
cc:
The Most Reverend Metropolitan Philaret
Sincerely yours in Christ,
[signed]
The Very Reverend Archpriest William Ischie
cc:
The Most Reverend Metropolitan Philaret
His Eminence Cardinal John Wright
The Most Reverend Walter P. Kellenberg, D.D.,
Bishop of Rockville Centre
Bishop of Rockville Centre
The Most Reverend Basil Losten
[Emphasis - The Catacombs]
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