The Rev'd. Father Symeon is a Stavrophoremonk of the Abbey of the Holy Name (West Milford, NJ) in the Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of Western Europe & the Americas. Raised as a Roman Catholic he converted to Holy Orthodoxy in 1979 via the Orthodox Church in America. So turned off by politicization and innovations in the so-called "official" Orthodoxy that he joined the moderate traditional jurisdiction aforthementioned in 1998. Founder of OrthodoxWest Discussion Group List (Yahoo! Groups), former webpastor of OrthodoxWest.org & now webpastor of OrthodoxWest.info attempting to spread moderate traditional observance of the Holy Orthodox Faith & Tradition through information and open discussions online. Fr Symeon is currently "on loan" as Reader for St. Brendan Western Rite Orthodox Mission, south of Rochester, NY.