By Theodore Kalmoukos
Orthodox Reform
May 12, 2008
http://orthodoxreform.org/cases/fr-anthony-moschonas/moschonas-proclaims-innocence/
BOSTON Rev. Protopresbyter Anthony Moschonas, a retired priest from Tucson, Arizona who has been accused by an 18 year old female former parishioner for sexual misconduct last summer in Greece, maintained his innocence and believes that his accuser made these claims "because she needs money," in an interview with The National Herald.
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No criminal charges have been filed against Moschonas, but the young lady has filed a civil lawsuit in which she is identified as "Jane Doe," which states that the alleged sexual contact occurred during a trip to Athens, Greece a trip she says the priest gave her as a gift for her 18th birthday.
Jane Doe is also accusing St. Demetrios Church, of negligent hiring and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
The lawsuit said Jane Doe attended St. Demetrios for 10 years and Moschonas developed a friendship with her and with her family.
In the lawsuit, her attorneys said they are withholding the woman's name because of her desire for anonymity.
Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco told the Herald that "we are aware of the matter and we have placed Fr. Moschonas under liturgical suspension." Metropolitan Gerasimos also said, "the documents were sent through the legal committee of the Metropolis to the Archdiocese in New York as it provided by the regulations."
Asked if Fr. Moschonas will be sent to the Spiritual Court, Metropolitan Gerasimos said, "The issue is at its preliminary stages and we already did what we should do placing him immediately in liturgical suspension from all Liturgical Services and we will proceed depending on the outcome of the investigation and development of the issue."
Phillip Lamantia, the president of the St. Demetrios parish council, stated to the Herald that "Fr. Anthony Moschonas was assigned to our parish from 1974 until he retired in June 2004. During his time in our parish, no such allegations were ever made against Father Moschonas. We will cooperate with the process and pray for all involved."
Fr. Moschonas, who swore on his priesthood that he "did no touch the girl" did reveal that the two stayed in the same hotel room without the presence of his wife.
"I consider her like my granddaughter, I am around 70 years old," he said.
Putting forth his side of the story, and replying to the question of what a 70 year old priest was doing sharing a hotel room with an 18 year old girl, Fr. Moschonas said, "We were very close with that family. I had helped them a lot and I considered that girl like my granddaughter. I did not see her as a woman."
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
The National Herald: Fr. Anthony, is it possible for you to tell us a few things about the issue of the sexual misconduct allegations that have come to light? What can you tell us?
Fr. Moschonas: What can I tell you? That girl grew up in our family, we were friends with her family and when she became 18 years old and because she loved Greece, her mother said to me could you take her to Greece with you for 5 or 19 days to see Greece, and I took her.
She got up the first night and she began talking in her own language to a friend of hers in America. I did not understand, and I told her, my child go to sleep and you can talk in the morning.
T.N.H: In what language?
Moschonas: In Russian.
T.N.H: Is she Russian?
Moschonas: Yes. I have helped a lot of people here with immigration.
T.N.H: You said that she got up at night. Did you stay in the same room?
Moschonas: Yes, she was like my granddaughter. I am about 70 years old. That girl came to our church when she was 8 or 9 years old. She grew up with me and with all the kids of my church out there.
T.N.H: And then what happened?
Moschonas: The next day she told me that she wanted to leave. She said she was homesick and wanted to go back home. She said that she did the same thing when she had gone to Japan. She wanted to leave.
I told her, ok my child. When she returned here she went and filed a lawsuit for sexual misconduct. I never bothered her. I never put my hand on her at all. She was in her bed and I was in mine.
T.N.H: Was your wife with you?
Moschonas: No, my presbytera (priest's wife) had not come; she was going to come to Greece later.
T.N.H: The lawsuit states that you had given her the trip to Greece as a gift.
Moschonas: No, that is a lie. There is a charge on her mother's credit card as proof. Because I minister now at the army, I was always telling her now that if you want to come to Greece, then I want you to come with your sister to church. I will pick you up as I do with the other kids. I will take all of you, because she was not coming to church. She says that she was a member at the church for ten years, but she was not, they had disassociated completely and I was trying to bring her to the church.
T.N.H: How did you get to know this family since they did not come to church?
Moschonas: When they first came here I helped them with immigration laws because I do not see ethnicity, or color, neither religion nor anything else. I met her mother when we gave our church to the Ukrainians to do their Liturgy.
T.N.H: So, was she Ukrainian?
Moschonas: Yes.
T.N.H: Did you travel together to Greece?
Moschonas: She came after. I went to the airport and I picked her up. The first day I took her to Sounion to see the ancient sites there and then we went to the hotel. She met some Russians in the hotel and she told me that she was going to go out with them to a restaurant. I told her no you are not going because you are under my supervision, and I did not allow her to go.
T.N.H: Someone could ask how come a 70 year old priest stays in the same hotel room with an 18 year old girl?
Moschonas: We were very close with that family, I had helped them a lot and I considered that girl like my granddaughter, I did not see her as a woman. I served for so many years at this church and nothing was said about me either with young or old women, nothing. I am a family man. I have my presbytera. We have our children and we are very happy. Of course someone with a satanic mind can say the things that she said.
T.N.H: Why is she accusing you though?
Moschonas: Simply because she needs money and she has done other things that perhaps I cannot say yet because I do not know what is going to happen.
T.N.H: You are married; you have children, grandchildren.
Moschonas: I have two daughters; I have grandchildren; I am connected with the Monasteries, with the community, with the kids, with the people. I served at St. Demetrios parish for 30 years. Every year I took a trip with the children for one week to the San Diego Zoo, or to Disneyland. I am one of the organizers of the Festival of Greek Dances with the late Metropolitan Anthony and Mr. Periovolos. I did not have anything, anything with children. Now I do not know how Satan put this girl up to these things.
T.N.H: How are you connected with the Monasteries?
Moschonas: We have the Monastery of St. Anthony and I go there often. I see the Monasteries as a strong link with Orthodoxy.
T.N.H: Did the FBI do an investigation? Did they search your home?
Moschonas: I do not know what they had told the F.B.I. and they came to my house and they took my computers and all my things. I told my children that I have not done anything satanic or unethical in my computer. The FBI did not file any charges because they did not find anything.
T.N.H: Has Metropolitan Gerasimos been informed?
Moschonas: Yes he knows everything and I have sent him a letter explaining to him. Also we have spoken on the phone.
T.N.H: Did he suspend you?
Moschonas: No.
T.N.H: You mean that you can do Services?
Moschonas: Yes, I went to the army during Holy Week and I did Services. He did not suspend me. I believe that anyone can sue anyone and for any reason.
T.N.H: I will ask you directly, are you telling the truth?
Moschonas: I swear on my priesthood, on my children and grandchildren. I have never touched anybody in an evil way.
T.N.H: Did you communicate with her parents or with her directly to ask what is going on, what are these things that you say?
Moschonas: From the time that the FBI came to my house, they told me not to call them. I obeyed what they and my lawyer told me. I have not called anybody and I did not want such publicity at this age.
T.N.H: It has become a public issue. The American newspaper in Arizona has already written about it.
Moschonas: Yes I know. Two people have written letters to the newspaper. I am not the type of person who needs publicity, not even when I do good.
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