Axios! Bishop Jonah's address

Ancient Faith Radio has a recording of the address then-Bishop Jonah gave to the All-American Council, prior to his being elected Metropolitan. It's without question one of the most extraordinary speeches I've ever heard a religious leader give. Even if you're not Orthodox, and especially if you're a Catholic exasperated by episcopal leadership, listen to the speech. It's amazing. He spoke calmly and evenly, but he laid it out cold. He called the two previous metropolitans (the "first among equals" of the synod of bishops) "corrupt" (as an independent investigation found -- the important thing is that Jonah, as a bishop, said without qualification what everyone knows to be true). He said the church has been "without leadership for 30 years." He said that ecclesial power is worthless without love and accountability, and if the Church is all about having nice rituals, then nobody should care about it. He also challenged his audience of clergy and laity to love, to forgive, and to realize that we will all have to give an accounting of ourselves and those entrusted to our spiritual care. He ... well, just listen to it. It's an astounding testimony to a vision of ecclesial power as service and accountability to Christ and His people, and nothing but.

"Authority is responsibility. Authority is accountability. It's not power."

I'm taking it hard that we're losing him here in Dallas, but having listened to that homily -- to a humble priest speaking the unvarnished truth in love, and telling no flattering lies about the crooks who, in +Jonah's blunt words "raped the Church" -- I tell you, had I been in that audience and had a vote, I, through tears, would have voted for that man.