SOLT PRESS RELEASE – July 5, 2011
HOW IT STARTED
Father Corapi made his first announcement in March 2011:
On Ash Wednesday I learned that a former employee sent a three-page letter to several bishops accusing me of everything from drug addiction to multiple sexual exploits with her and several other adult women. I have been placed on “administrative leave” as the result of this… All of the allegations in the complaint are false, and I ask you to pray for all concerned.
EWTN removed his programs from the cable network:
In EWTN’s thirty years of existence, the Network has never knowingly aired programming featuring any priest whose priestly faculties have been suspended. The Network has always responded consistently and immediately in such situations by removing such programs from the air. We are obliged to do so in obedience to the discipline of the Church. Father John has long been a friend of EWTN and many of us have worked closely with him throughout the years. He is a tremendously gifted preacher who has led many souls to Christ. We are doing exactly as he has asked and supporting him and everyone involved in the situation in the best way possible, through our prayers.
Many of us were unfamiliar with the nature of his SOLT religious community:
The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity is a community of disciples of Jesus and Mary composed of all vocations: priests, deacons, brothers, sisters and single and married laity. The Society was founded in 1958 and has been approved by Rome as a Society of Apostolic Life. Ecclesial Teams are the basis of our community life as well as the means by which our missions are staffed. A complete Ecclesial Team is composed of at least one priest, religious and lay person or married couple. At the present, the International Headquarters of Our Lady’s Society is located in the United States, in the city of Robstown, Texas under the Diocesan jurisdiction of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Texas. In looking forward to when The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity achieves Pontifical Status within the Church, the International Offices will be transferred at that time to Rome, Italy.
There was a clarification from the lucrative company, Santa Cruz Media, over which Fr. Corapi was identified as the CEO:
Santa Cruz Media, Inc. is the owner of all of Fr. John Corapi’s intellectual property and the DVDs, CDs, and books that flow from it. We are a secular corporation and not affiliated with the Catholic Church in any way. As such, we are not under the jurisdiction of any bishop or other official in the Catholic Church, although we have the utmost respect for Church authority.
Here is my FACEBOOK comment from March 2011:
FATHER JOE: Priests are men under authority. Fr. Corapi, himself, says that they cannot play games with their promise of obedience and others should respect this. If Father Corapi’s faculties have been removed and his ministry suspended, then EWTN was morally required to take the action they did. Hopefully the matter will be resolved and he will be restored to his place on television and radio. Having said this, the sale of media (audio, video, web and print) would also fall under “ministry.” Given the situation, Fr. Corapi could certainly require Santa Cruz Media, Inc. (an extension of his ministry) to suspend sales and distribution of his materials. I suspect that the good priest is innocent, but there is much to which we are not privy. Prayer is our proper posture at this time, not ridicule of episcopal jurisdiction in the Catholic Church.
WHERE IT STANDS NOW
ON JUNE 17, 2011 AN ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE BY FATHER CORAPI THAT HE WOULD CONTINUE MINISTRY BUT NOT AS A PRIEST IN GOOD STANDING. IT IS A VERY SAD DAY.
FATHER JOE:
(June 2011) I have not blogged about this matter until now and I am not comfortable about posting on it. This issue has gone beyond Father Corapi and could harm the very souls for whom he has confessed concern. Already on the social network sites, his fans are taking sides with him and attacking the Church. This has quickly become a very dangerous situation, another reason why cult worship of religious media personalities should be discouraged. Our faith is in Jesus and the Church, not in preachers with impressive rhetoric and militant attitudes.
This business has gone sour and Father Corapi, as much as I hate to say it, is duplicitous in saying (on one hand) that the bishops have a right to do what they are doing and then (on the other) to malign them for violating his rights and daring to impose discipline upon him. He is a priest and cannot pretend to be anything else, as with this pathetic “black sheep dog” foolishness. His failure to shut down his multimillion dollar business was an early sign that he would not obey the demand of the bishops to suspend public ministry. Now he is taking it to the next level. Faithful Catholics have no choice; in tears and anguish, we must leave Father Corapi. Pray for him but do not participate in his pretense of obedience while he is actually disobedient. True humility would have him submit and accept the Cross. His obstinacy insists that no one will tell him what to do– that was the trouble with his independence all along. More grievous than any genuine or false indiscretion with a woman, the skirting or outright violation of obedience is the greatest possible failing for any priest. Everything from his assignments to the moral life is covered in his fidelity to the Church and Christ. He is to discern God’s will in his obedience to the bishop and his superiors. Evidently, he has become a dissenter on the nature of priesthood and its obligations, as well as upon Catholic ecclesiology. While on “administrative leave,” a suspended priest can neither preach nor teach religion; his intention to do so anyway would be a movement toward the Protestant camp, no matter what the message.
REMARKS ON HIS STATEMENT
FATHER CORAPI: All things change, only God stays the same, so I have to tell you about a major change in my life. I am not going to be involved in public ministry as a priest any longer. There are certain persons in authority in the Church that want me gone, and I shall be gone. I have been guilty of many things in the course of my life, and could easily and justifiably be considered unfit to engage in public ministry as a priest.
FATHER JOE: The problem is that priesthood is not merely a job we can change or a hat we can trade for another. Even if the priest is laicized, he is configured to Christ as a priest, forever. If he cannot engage in public ministry, then he cannot do so in any fashion, even if he drops his priestly title or goes under a pseudonym as in a superhero’s secret identity. [It is rarely permitted, but sometimes a laicized priest can give religious instructions with permission of the bishop if it is generally not known that he was a priest and no scandal would result. Fr. Corapi is too well known for this exception ever to apply.] The label “Black Sheep Dog” is a literary fiction without meaning. It says nothing that would grant him an escape from Church censure. He is a suspended priest who has no faculties for preaching or publicly teaching the faith. That means he cannot do it— even on the Internet or with books or with audio/visual media. If the Church authorities want him gone, and it is uncertain who he really means, then he should pursue his canonical rights in private. He has opted not to do this. Suspensions can take a year or more to resolve. He did not last three months! That is hardly the image of a tough former Special Forces military man. (But wait, we found that this part of his biography was a fabrication. We will let that fact check go given his more serious troubles.) Of course, he may acknowledge one important grain of truth; he may indeed be “unfit to engage in public ministry as a priest.” It should be said that all priests are unworthy. The best of priests fall short. If he were sincere then he should fight for his priesthood, no matter how much time it might take to be restored to ministry or good standing. However, such must be done within the system and among the fraternity of his brother priests. He should hold his tongue about how he feels about the process and treat the bishop, his superiors and the Church with trusting respect. A priest who caricaturizes the Church as the enemy is burning his bridges. These latest remarks have ignited a fiery inferno. Fame and fortune should mean nothing to a good and humble priest. He might argue that the Church has forced his hand, but every faithful priest knows this not true. The laity may not clearly understand this situation. Our lives and obligations are very different. He may want to step away from his priesthood, but a priest he is, and that means that any public ministry without ecclesial approbation will be PROTESTANT ministry, not Catholic.
FATHER CORAPI: I did not start this process, the Bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas ordered my superiors, against their will and better judgment, to do it. He in fact threatened to release a reprehensible and libelous letter to all of the bishops if they did not suspend me.
FATHER JOE: Notice how quickly Fr. Corapi uses the word libelous. Would he resort to the civil courts to punish any in the hierarchy who would dare challenge him, his importance and his resources? He says that he loves the Church and so I am hoping that he will not. Nevertheless, are the assets of his “for profit” company fully his or do they belong to the Church? I suspect they are in his name. We might see a fight about this yet. In his own mind, he is the Church’s great defender. He is Superman, Batman and the Green Lantern all rolled up into one. His fans echo his own conviction— “Oh how will the Church survive without him?” In truth, the Church will fare perfectly well without him. But, if he decides to pursue this BLACK SHEEP DOG nonsense, it is possible that he could inflict great harm upon the Church and cost good people their salvation. As for the bishop’s actions, it confirms what I suspected, that SOLT was impotent in reigning in this isolated Lone Ranger priest who had made religion into his own personal big business. Let me be fair, he may not have started out expecting this happen. But the media can make celebrities of anyone, even religious leaders. When fans tell you that you are wonderful, their praise can be seductive and the person can become addicted to adulation. This is deadly for the minister of God. Everything we have is gift. Every priest should be the poor man– the sinner who seeks to bring God’s mercy to other sinners. Fr. Corapi did some incredible work. My fear is that everything might now be undone.
FATHER CORAPI: My canon lawyer and my civil lawyers have concluded that I cannot receive a fair and just hearing under the Church’s present process. The Church will conclude that I am not cooperating with the process because I refuse to give up all of my civil and human rights in order to hold harmless anyone who chooses to say defamatory and actionable things against me with no downside to them. The case may be on hold indefinitely, but my life cannot be.
FATHER JOE: And who are these canon and civil lawyers? Was there an appeal to the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome? No, I doubt it. My suspicion is that Fr. Corapi refused to cooperate with the process. Maybe he never understood what the Catholic priesthood was really about? His promise of obedience was not selective and he had indeed surrendered certain rights. He promised celibacy and gave up an important natural right to marry. His overall promise of obedience meant that he would speak for the Church and not for himself on matters of faith and morals. In a negative way, it also meant that he would not speak if the Church so deemed. His faculties to say Mass, to hear Confessions, to preach and to publicly teach, all fell under lawful authority. He was to function as an extension of the Church and his bishop. Now he is claiming that such a promise of obedience conflicts with his “civil and human rights.” He should reflect more intensely upon the biblical scene where Jesus washed the feet of his apostles. The first must be last. He was called to be a servant, not the Master. Demanding large audiences and tens of thousands of dollars for talks is not the way of humble priests. The Pope could give him a lesson. We call the Holy Father the “Servant of the Servants of God.” This word “servant” can be translated as SLAVE. In any case, I guess Fr. Corapi wants his own version of freedom, but he will pay a terrible price for his alienation from the true Church.
FATHER CORAPI: I shall continue, black sheep that I am, to speak; and sheep dog that I am, to guard the sheep—this time around not just in the Church, but also in the entire world. I am, indeed, not ready to be extinguished. Under the name “The Black Sheep Dog,” I shall be with you through radio broadcasts and writing.
FATHER JOE: The sheep dog has no occupation separated from the chief shepherd or bishop. A dog that runs after the sheep on its own is not a true sheep dog, but rather we use another name for that canine… we call him a wolf. If people leave the Church or attack our bishops over this scandal then I would suggest that Fr. Corapi change the name of his blog and new label to BLACK WOLF.
FATHER CORAPI: I hope you stay with us and follow us into our new domain and name of “The Black Sheep Dog.” Through writing and broadcasting we hope to continue to dispense truth and hope to a world so much in need of it.
FATHER JOE: Those who collaborate, defend and buy his products will be offering material support to a suspended priest. In other words, he will be making his sin, their own.
Dear Fr. Corapi, reconsider what you are planning to do. Speaking as a brother priest, (if I were in your shoes), before bringing spiritual harm to others and scandal to the Church, I would have preferred to “quietly lie down and die.” But in actuality, the Church is not asking you to do this. We want you to live and to offer oblations for God’s people. You are a priest and your prayers to heaven have power even if they are said from a lonely monastic cell. You do not have to shout from the housetops to be a good priest. I know my words are critical and I might sound harsh, but I am thinking both of you and of your followers. We all make mistakes. We are all sinners. Sometimes we speak out of turn. We become frustrated and afraid. Old demons try to reclaim us under new guises. Be strong! Be a man! Be a priest! Be a faithful son of the Church, no matter what the personal cost.
The complete statement by Father Corapi is available on THE BLACK SHEEP DOG site.
CALLING BLACK SHEEP DOG BACK HOME
UPDATE
Joan Frawley Desmond writes a masterful and eye-opening article for the National Catholic Register (June 19) on the Fr. John Corapi scandal. Not only his fans, but his dear friend retired Bishop Rene Gracida were apparently duped by the famous media priest. Incardinated into the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT), Fr. Gerard Sheehan, his religious superior, revealed that the process and investigation into possible misconduct was complicated by Fr. Corapi, himself. The priest had gone ahead and filed a civil suit against the former employee who accused him of sexual misconduct.
“When she left the company, she signed a contract that she would not reveal anything that happened to her while she was at Santa Cruz Media. Fr. Corapi paid her for this. Father was suing her for a breach of contract. In canon law, there can’t be any pressure on witnesses; they have to be completely free to speak. The investigation was compromised because of the pressure on the witnesses. There were other witnesses that also had signed non-disclosure agreements. The canon lawyers were in a difficult situation, and Father does have his civil rights and he decided to follow his legal counsel, which he had a right to do. We tried to continue the investigation without speaking to the principal witnesses.”
If innocent of wrongdoing, why did Fr. Corapi pay employees to sign a non-disclosure agreement? About what were they not supposed to speak? Evidently he did not like where things were going and so he sent SOLT in writing his resignation from “active ministry and religious life.” This brought the investigation to an end. This insures that no report will be published. Fr. Sheehan noted that he sent him a letter in return asking for confirmation.
As I suspected, the society was offering him ways to save his priesthood and he decided not to do so. He refused to leave Montana and live within a SOLT community. He refused to meet or talk with his superior. He refused to live according to their rule of life and the changes approved by the Holy Father. It seems that his failure at obedience went far deeper than anyone could have imagined. He maligned a Church that was very patient and fair with him. He cast himself as the victim while orchestrating something entirely different behind the scenes. It makes me want to weep and weep and weep.
His superior stated:
“We wanted him to come back to the community, and that would have meant leaving everything he has. It would have been a drastic change for him. We will continue to move pastorally and charitably, taking steps to protect his good name.”
His autobiography, BLACK SHEEP DOG, was in the works for some time which indicates that this break from ministry as a priest was planned all along.
I mentioned earlier that this business brings into question the oversight or lack therefore over members by such societies. Why was Fr. Corapi not living in conformity with SOLT’s 1994 constitution? There is no good answer, except that the society looked the other way. Fr. Sheehan assures us that the rules will be enforced in the future:
“The founder’s arrangement with Father Corapi was established before that time, when Father Flanagan believed that every mission should take care of its own needs. Now, according to our constitution, a different way of life has been established for members. All the money we make is turned over to the society, which gives us an allowance.”
I also mentioned months ago on FACEBOOK that while his home and operations were in the Helena diocese, he had no faculties from the bishop to engage in ministry there. This shows the depth of his free reign and lack of ecclesial supervision. All the Church is insisting upon now is what should have been in place initially. Despite what Fr. Corapi says against the bishop of Corpus Christi, the official diocesan news release stated “that SOLT authorities had initiated the action to temporarily remove him from active ministry.”
I suspect that Father (Mister?) Corapi will have a spin on these new revelations, with an appropriate marketing pitch for his media products and books. This tragedy may make a cynic of me yet. But I hope not, such is also not befitting a priest.
A PRAYER FOR FR. CORAPI
I have offered Mass and prayed for Father. There is a frenzy about this subject that I did not really anticipate and which makes me uncomfortable. We really need to love him. If he has disappointed us, we need to forgive him, too. Below is a prayer I will share with you. I sometimes compose my prayers and will be saying this regularly on his behalf. God bless you all!
Dear Heavenly Father,
We want to bring to you in prayer our beloved priest, Father John Corapi. It is hard to know what is going on and our trust has been sorely tried.
He has inspired us with his example of reform and instructed us with his sound Catholic teaching. He has proclaimed the Gospel without equivocation or apology. He quickly became a rock of truth in a world filled with compromise and deception. He defended the rights of the unborn when so many were silent. While the Church was rocked with scandals involving the clergy, here was a towering figure that seemed to epitomize both real manhood and priestly courage. We listened to him on the radio and watched him on television. While a few saw him in person, most of us came to know and to love him through the modern communications media. Millions had the opportunity to encounter him, and through him, the Christ whose kingdom is breaking into the world.
We desperately wanted him to be a saint and yet he himself reminded us again and again that like all the rest of us, he was a sinner. We all fall short of the glory of God. Today, however, he faces a serious personal trial and perilous choices. Many of his friends have abandoned him. Others deride him with no regard for his priestly dignity and all the good work he accomplished in your name. Still others seek to defend him by defaming the Church he has always loved.
The facts are becoming clearer, but we do not know what is going though his heart and mind. If he is angry, please Lord— grant him the gift of a tranquil heart and the patience to endure all things for Christ Crucified. If he is fearful, please Lord— let him know that you are with him and that he need not be afraid. Many temptations face us all, but priests in particular face the worse assaults of the devil. If he has fallen, pick him up. If he remains standing, then give him the courage to embrace humility and truth in the coming storm. Even brave men sometimes need a greater share of courage. Do not allow him to run away from his high calling. He participates in the high priesthood of Christ; there is no more crucial vocation. Let him know that even if he should be reduced to poverty and have to minister alone in prayer or to the smallest congregation, that the oblations of such a priest still have infinite meaning and power.
Promises are made to be kept. Father often spoke about this in regard to the sanctity and dignity of the marriage covenant. He made promises as well— to be a servant of all by embracing a life of celibate love and of obedience to the voice of Jesus in the bishops and his superiors. Preserve him in your grace and defend him against the sins that afflict him, particularly that of pride and of despair. As long as there is the breath of life, there is hope. Let him embrace this hope and put on the mind and the heart of Christ in the Church.
When it seems that a great defender of the Church is suddenly in an adversarial relationship with her, it is easy to see that something has gone terribly wrong. It is our prayer that this beloved priest will surrender his life and his work, all that he is and all that he has done, into the loving arms of the Church over which the Blessed Mother gives the protection of her mantel of mercy. Dear Lord, we know you are not finished with him yet; but we also know that no service to you can be authentic and fruitful if there is a denial of his priestly office. Help him to see this and to know the graces that will testify to your truth and glory.
Amen.
Filed under: Bishops, Catholic, Church, Corapi, Evangelization, Faith, Priests |
Blogger Priest 
Dear Father, I am very hurt as everyone for Father Corapi because he has done so much for us all. We are one big loving family of God. Love always hurts. Today at Mass praying for Father Corapi, God just showed me clearly that Father Corapi would be divorcing his bride (the Church). Jesus hates divorce and so do I. I thought oh, my gosh, the devil loves divorce, and we must not take part in it. So leaving the priesthood must always be out of God’s plan. Even if Father Corapi planned to come back—it would hurt the family of God, because the husband (Jesus) never leaves his bride and the children feel the love of God, because in good times and in bad, God is FOREVER—that is true love. Suffering is part of marriage and we all get our fair share—-some of us a little more, because God knows we can handle it or he wouldn’t have given it to us. Long suffering is a gift from God!!! Father Corapi has already changed his mind on releasing the audio tapes AND HE IS LISTENING (HOW SWEET THE LOVE IS IN THIS FAMILY OF GOD). We must all pray for him not to leave the priesthood, because in offering all our suffering through Mary to Jesus, everything will work out because it always does!!!!!!!!! We are all part of God’s loving family and no matter what we must keep this family together till the end!!!!!!!! God hates divorce. There is another way and it is not this one leaving the priesthood…..I can see clearly now….that even though it is GRAVE ABUSE to not defend priests that have been scandalized in sex scandals, (and there have been many) —leaving the Priesthood would be graver, DIVORCE IS MURDER —Bishop FULTON SHEEN says in the tape three to get married–that you can compare divorce because the couple is truly one to a baby and cutting its head off…..the couple will die. As Father Corapi says: Why does God let evil happen? TO BRING A GREATER GOOD!!!!!! FATHER CORAPI TODAY SAYS HE IS LISTENING AND HE HAS CHANGED HIS MIND ON RELEASING THE AUDIO TAPES.
http://theblacksheepdog.wordpr
ess.com/author/theblacksheepdog/ Today June 22 Wed.
Friends, I AM listening. And, am so thankful for the opportunity to be in communication with you.
I have decided to not release those audio tapes.
I am reminded of the story in Exodus of Moses, Aaron and Hur. Just as Moses needed the support of Aaron and Hur, I need you. I am so thankful.
God Love You and God Bless You!
God love you
through Mary to Jesus—-she is going to get this job done—–total trust and confidence!!!!!!!!
Lisa
Thank you Father Joe for having the courage to speak the truth about a very “popular” priest. When people, even good people, blindly put their faith and trust in a man, even a priest, they are destined to be disappointed. They also confuse the man and the message – he could have preached the truth while also behaving badly. The truth is not contaminated by human actions. As Catholic faithful we no longer have the luxury of saying that the Emperor has new clothes when he does not. It has cost us so much as a Church, both financially and spiritually. We must learn from our mistakes. God bless.
Dear Father Joe — thank you for your wisdom and patience! I am praying with you that Fr Corapi’s followers decide to follow the true shepherd — Our Lord Jesus and his vicar Pope Benedict. The fact that this is conflating into a huge scandal for the faithful tells me that this is not of God. May our Lady watch over all of our good priests, like you and keep you close to her and to her Son, always.
God bless.
–Laura
Thank God for Fr Jo and the many thousands of poor Priests like him who bring Christ to the sick and needy. I need a compassionate and caring Priest in my life, not a rock star. I need a Priest who can give me time, understanding and disclipine, not some stage performer who is just out of reach ‘up there’.
Jesus is our example and who is it that imitates Christ the most? The truth is plain and simple, and I thank God for this Blogger Priest and his Blogg. I came here several months ago because I wanted to know if animals had a place in Heaven; I found the answer to that and so much more. Father, you have helped this one poor sinner more than you can imagine and I’m all the way over here in England.
Laus tibi, Christe
With love, Paul
It is with great sadness that YOU Father Joe have made a mockery of Father Corapis’ work. YES a MOCKERY! You have referred to his his work as a “CULT” and as having a cult following. MAYBE if YOU FATHER took the HOURS and HOURS out of your busy life and donated IT via PREACHING all throughout the world and nation the WORD of GOD and the LAWS of GOD the peoples who so love Father Corapi would LOVE YOU as so many do Father Corapi, many of said peoples whom returned or converted to the faith due to his TRUTH in action, YOU too could share in the insult of “CULT” AS for the BISHOPS spare a few, most ARE LAX as to their shepherding of the faithful. WHERE were the bulk of them at the Notre Dame fiasco, SITTING on the fence Father Joe. WHERE were the bulk of them at Georgetown when Obama asked to have Jesus’ name covered so the podium where the boyking obama could speak w/.out Jesus’ name being in view? AS per usual the GOOD and GODLY ONES spoke out BUT the BULK said NOT A WORD NOR SIGNED PETITIONS! These same narcissist men were pre spoken of by Our Lady at Fatima. READ all the revelations Father…she spoke of the hierarchy abandoning their flock and WOE TO THEM. NOW you join in with them and post a ghastly photo of a dog and wolfs head in one! SCANDAL on YOU! As to your webpage, I for one have found it to be a GOSSIP RAG, and that is surely a sin, as GOSSIP is dreadful and seeing as YOU who apparently are without priestly sin have lobbed the first stone at Father. With PRIEST FRIENDS as YOU who needs enemys. Father has explained in full, IF you took the TIME to read his webpage regards his advise from Father James Flanagan and Bishop Gene. They advised him as to his civil suit, there are audio tapes of this sick lunatic woman ranting as well ..soon available. There is as well a description as to where the monies Father earned went. SO NOW that the FAT NOSES of those who have condemed Father so rapidly they will soon have their eyes opened as to the SINS of our BISHOPS and erant PRIESTS, for one namely Father Jenkins , Pres Notre Dame University. Shall I go on? This CULTISH woman of Father Corapi, lol, as to the evils at the highest levels of the church??? I will if you wish! IF you care YOU may delete my msg as I saw above as you spoke to a woman named “Judy”……You offered her up in your prayers along w/.Father Corapi. How GENEROUS. NOW I shall offer YOU up in prayer for the ghastly picture at top of this page ALONE!
Father Joe
Thank you very much for your guidance. I’ve just learn about this mess today and have been reading some of the messages to Father Corapi. How sad I feel. I hope that Father Corapi read this blog and any other good counsel that people are giving him. I attempt to understand the Faithfulness of Our God: a priest for ever! So I fervently pray that Father Corapi return in humble obedience to the Authority of the Church. How much is he risking.. Blessed Mother, Spouse of the Holy Spirit Pray for the Church.
Lilian
I will still see what Fr. Corapi has to say and time will tell. He has never spoken anything but the truth in the past 20 years I have heard him preach on EWTN. He has strengthened my faith in Christ Jesus and His Holy Church. I don’t follow him as if he were on a pedastal or “rock star”. I will pray for logic and direction on how to proceed but I will check out his site and you tube messages until I hear something with my own ears that is not deepening my faith or strengenthens the love for the Church. Everyone has there own opinion this is my personal one and no one has to agree with it. Just sayin……..
Sincerely,
Elsa
Father Joe,
Have you read the recent letter by Bishop Emeritus of Corpus Christi? As a recent convert to Catholism I am confused as to differing opinion’s of Bishops. Which one should we believe or listen to? Father Corapi said in an audio broadcast today that two Bishops advised him what to do in this situation he is in. Is there any reason he should not have listened to them? Here is the link to Bishop Emeritus’s letter:
http://www.sanctepater.com/2011/06/thoughts-on-father-corapi-by-bishop.html
His Peace to You
Can I just remind every one that the good Lord also lost his temper not once but
twice. Let’s recall the attitude he had against the so called “religious leaders” of his time and the buyers and sellers in the market place!! His attitude didn’t sound so humble and patience to me, what about you??? .. my point is this, in case no one has caught on yet, sometimes in the face of injustice one must speak up! Let’s quit judging least we be judged!… I say Viva Father Corapi!
Thank you for your insightful comments regarding this situation with (Fr.) John Corapi. I used to watch him on EWTN and also went to one of his talks in North Carolina several years ago. I am very saddened by this whole situation and am watching to see how it all plays out. I am also sorry that some attack you personally for your comments. You have helped me to think clearly in the matter.
I will most likely check into his site out of curiousity but it appears that he has planned to leave the priesthood for sometime. The whole situtation has prompted me to say a rosary for priets each week now. God bless you!
Great post. You hit the nail on the head in each section.
Words from the former Bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi about Father Corapi’s promise of obedience:
http://abyssum.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/a-few-thoughts-on-father-corapis-announcement-yesterday/
This means that Father Corapi is being obedient to His ONLY Superior that he is bound to. God Bless, Lisa
Latest words June 21 from Father Corapi: http://theblacksheepdog.wordpress.com/author/theblacksheepdog
God Bless, Lisa
Dear Father Joe,
Thank you for your BEAUTIFUL prayer for Fr Corapi… it can pertain to so many not just to Fr Corapi. We ALL have our trials in life and life has a way of bringing us to our knees.
The hurt and the pain is very clear in the voice and actions of the man that is trying desperately to prove himself to someone when there is no one he needs to prove himself to at all.
God knows the heart and mind of all of His children and Fr Corapi is most definitely and will always be one of His children for all of eternity.
Your prayer is full of the love that should be in everyone’s heart and I would like to read it over and over again to know that perhaps just a line or two could pertain to me too… I am a sinner with desperate needs as well and I can gain much from those powerful words. I know with all my heart that God hears our prayers no matter how weak or childlike they are…. from my conversations with Him I know He is with me at this moment in time cheering me on to finish this good fight with courage, understanding, fortitude, grace, patience and perseverance, with love and charity and with humility and HOPE… I pray that Fr Corapi will also find it in the quiet of his heart and mind and know this too.
With your permission would you permit me to copy this prayer and pray it along with you? Maybe, you will allow me to share it with others who need to be reminded of the love we must have for our brothers and sisters and mostly for our priests?
Thank you in advance for all you are, all you have been and all you are going to be…. You make God smile and you know… He really needs to smile more. He’s done enough for us and it’s time we do for Him.
God Bless you Father Joe you are also in my prayers,
Laura ( Union, NJ)
Father, Thank you for keeping “Phineas’s” comment, and I am sorry that you and other good priests–including the many good priests who really are unjustly persecuted as Fr. Corapi claims he has been–have to suffer insult upon injury in this debacle. I’m really baffled that people I thought were intelligent, devout Catholics are following this charlatan on the slippery slope into schism.
It’s all about money, isn’t it? “They just want Fr. Corapi’s money.” “You’re just jealous of Fr. Corapi’s money/success.” And so forth.
I don’t know about Fr. Joe, but my pastor, who recently gave $800 of his own money to help my children attend Catholic school because I am no longer physically capable of homeschooling them due to my declining health, says many times how *little* Catholic priests earn compared to other ministers. The local rabbi earns a six-digit salary, and priests make less than $30K a year, less than even many “store front” Protestant ministers. He says, “Do you think I’m a Catholic priest for the money?”
If there’s anyone in this situation who’s operating out of greed, it’s not the SOLT or Bishop Mulvey.
Fr. Joe, thank you for enlightening me about the Fr. Corapi situation, I was about to go to his new website when I came across yours, thank God, I may have made a terrible mistake and supported someone who seems to be blinded from the very truth that they have taught, and that is that the Catholic Church is the One True Holy Catholic and Apostilic Church. We must follow it and all it’s teachings whether we like them or not, because we know it is the truth, and sometimes the truth hurts and it only hurts because we would rather do things our way and not Gods way, because we know that Gods way is the hard way,but it is the only way. I think I heard that from Fr. Corapi himself. I pray to the Lord that he will re-open Fr. Corapis’ eyes so that he will once more see the truth, and live the truth and be apart of the truth-The Holy Catholic Church.
This is a deep an insightful response – thank you, Father. It’s clear that you understand and experience the pain that this event is causing, to all involved. Fr. Corapi has followed his own delusions to a very bitter end thus far (there is still much to hope for). Years ago he walked into a vacuum caused by an absence of Catholic teaching and witness — and he found his voice could fill that vacuum somewhat. Then his fans and enablers created the Catholic superstar that he should never have become. The only solution is the long path of conversion and redemption. You’re right, his supporters are not helping by continuing to support the black sheep dog — they’re just going to entrap him further.
Soc Et Tuum! Thank you for the good analisys of a bad situation.
Father Joe:
As my old latin teacher at the seminary used to say “Soc Et Tuum!”
Thank you for the common sense analysis of a tragic situation.
Dear Fr. Joe,
Thank you very much for taking the time and putting in the effort to respond to my concerns so thoroughly. Fr. Mike (thus far) has only identified himself in that way, meaning he has not (yet, to my knowledge) chosen to state his last name.
I only learned about Fr. Corapi’s decision late last night. I spent today visiting all sorts of blogs just grappling to get a handle on it. On these other blogs, I learned of other priests whose vocations had also been questioned, placed in jeopardy, lost, or thrown away. I’m way out of the loop and not one to usually keep up with gossip if I can help it so imagine my surprise when only hours after learning about Fr. Corapi’s the decision, I learned about Fr. Ken Roberts, and the one that really knocked me over, Fr. Jozo Zovko. I don’t even fully understand that situation yet but a pilgrimage to Medjugorje through my local parish back in 1995 was what started me on the path back toward the church after an extremely wayward, mis-spent youth. I even met Fr. Jozo briefly on 2 different occasions and watched him begin an impromptu exorcism on someone in a group right next to ours while we were visiting his parish in Siroki Briege.
To hear about these priests who appeared to be so resolute, stalwart, and steadfast in the committment to their priesthood and to the work of Christ’s Church, I’m lost to describe how I even feel about it. It’s only after completely immersing myself in it today on the internet that finally I’m beginning to feel myself absorbing the shock. I think what has shaken me the most, other than the news itself, is the knowledge that I’m a really lousy judge of character and my “powers” of discernment stink. I’m not talking about judging someone’s salvation as we can’t allow ourselves to do that. I’m referring to those little judgement calls that we each have to make in our lives in terms of choosing whom to allow to get close to us and whom to keep a distance from so as to surround ourselves with people who will have a positive influence and help us on our journey. Also, there are those whom we serve in our lives, but I’m not so much referring to them just now. I chose to spend many, many hours watching Fr. Corapi on EWTN rather than some other programs that I would have also enjoyed because I felt he was a solid source of information and truth that I needed in order to grow in my journey of faith. Obviously, the powers that be at EWTN must have felt similarly or they wouldn’t have aired him. In a million years, I would have never guessed there could be any reason or circumstance that could make him abandon his priesthood. I never took him for a coward. I thought he was a fighter on the front lines of the spiritual warfare he warned us about.
I feel betrayed and disappointed but he apparetly feels the same way. All we can do is pray to the Holy Trinity to save him and his priesthood, if that’s even possible at this point.
I’m sorry to ramble on like this Fr. Joe but thank you so much for listening.
Father Joe,
After reading more on the Saga of Fr. John Corapi I must agree with you that his intentions to leave the Priesthood do seem to suggest premeditation. Especially with the announcement of his soon to be released autobiography, “The Black Sheep Dog. I would like to make clear that when I said I supported Fr. Corapi I certainly did not mean I support him leaving the Priesthood although after reading my post a second time I can see that it seems I inferred that. We must pray that some good (and I believe it will) come of this sad turn of events that has transpired.
Peace and all Good,
Father Charles (Chuck) Wiley
Corapi made a nice living over the past 20 years doing his Elmer Gantry shtick, hawking merchandise and otherwise exploiting his “life story” to build his stash. Plus, he won $3.2 million in a lawsuit a couple of years ago so he’s not exactly living off crumbs.
It would seem inevitable the one-time priest will find a home on TBN or secular TV to enable him to cash in further while professing his faith and otherwise acting the victim. In all his pronouncements in recent days, he never once uttered the name of Jesus. It was all about Johnny Corapi.
If he were truly innocent of the latest charges, he would tough it out, ask for his day in court and let a fair and impartial process proceed, which would include final appeal to Rome. Instead, he has tucked tail and run, whining about how badly he was treated by the bishops but at the same time praising them with faint damns.
Now Corapi’s legion of followers, clearly in evidence here, will gladly attend the Church of the Blacksheep Dog and continue to fill the collection plate. Shear those sheep, Johnny!
Father, thank you for throwing some light on this dark subject. On Sunday I started a 54-day Rosary novena for all priests and bishops.
Thank you Father Joseph for summarizing and explaining a better view of this situation. I have been teetering on the fence, in the dark, struggling to understand what was right and wrong. I cannot deny the worst said about myself, and I cannot deny that our Church is full of sinners just like me. Bottom line, though, is that I will always try to be obedient. When I fall, I will get back up, but when I do, I may find that I have to turn the other cheek. I think Father Corapi is resisting the Church, and I wish he would suffer the trial just as Jesus suffered his unjust, un fair trials. I am beginning to believe that Father Corapi has been tempted, and he has been led astray. He has suffered from addictions earlier in life, and may have replaced those drugs with the rush of power and intoxication of praise from his followers. I known many people who fall when their favorite priest moves on, or their church building is consolidated into another. Mentioned above, someone said we must not follow the man, we must follow Christ. I pray that Father Corapi will repent, forgive, and come back to use his God given gifts as only God sees fit in the Church.
Godspeed, Father. Thank you for your priesthood and for the beautiful way you respond to the koolaid sippers. This whole affair should make us fall to our knees. How precious is our Catholic faith and how badly our priests need our prayers.