Fr. Corapi placed on Administrative Leave Following Accusations

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Really? I’ve read several articles on the subject, and I know there are books dedicated to it as well. That said, none of them are particularly new, I hope the problem has been addressed.

All of those are anecdotal and as you admit, very old.

Also, one of the most well known books on the subject is suspect in my mind. It speaks of one seminary in particular. One that a friend of mine was attending during the time period the book allegedly was talking about and he said it was a lie that what the book talked about did not happen.

Also in these books they only speak to the seminarians, usually those who were asked to leave. The seminary does not talk about these things and a seminarian who is asked to leave is not a good source.

 

[Havard]

All of those are anecdotal and as you admit, very old.

Just to clarify (btw I have little experience, ergo undecided on the matter), your take is that the concerns raised in Cozzens’ The Changing Face of the Priesthood and Rose’s Goodbye Good Men are not credible, or that they have been resolved?

 

[Shoshana]

All of those are anecdotal and as you admit, very old.

Also, one of the most well known books on the subject is suspect in my mind. It speaks of one seminary in particular. One that a friend of mine was attending during the time period the book allegedly was talking about and he said it was a lie that what the book talked about did not happen.

Also in these books they only speak to the seminarians, usually those who were asked to leave. The seminary does not talk about these things and a seminarian who is asked to leave is not a good source.

My priest wanted me to read this book for him…and i said no one should read this if their face is weak. I asked him if this is true. He said more than i will ever know. Fr Groeschel himself has said that he was the victim of the homosexual mafia when he went to seminary. That is enough for me…you are a seminarian. You are much younger than either my priest or Fr Groeschel…I trust them in their wisdom…

 

[qui_est_ce]

Just to clarify (btw I have little experience, ergo undecided on the matter), your take is that the concerns raised in Cozzens’ The Changing Face of the Priesthood and Rose’s Goodbye Good Men are not credible, or that they have been resolved?

I’d be interested to know this too. I have been in conversation with a poster on CAF who was in the seminary at the time this was going on. He’s the one who recommended Goodbye Good Men to me.

 

[TMC]

I think its very important to point out that an investigation IS underway

Having an investigation is the proper thing to do.

To claim Fr Corapi is being treated unfairly is, IMO, and unfair statement in and of itself.

The only thing that I have found troubling is the purging of his materials for the time being. The pulling off the EWTN Religious Cat self all of his recorded materials.

But perhaps that some how falls under the “removal of his priesthood faculties” componant.

It is also important to note that Fr. Corapi’s superior said that he was being placed on leave in accordance with the requirements of Canon Law. That is a reference to the so-called “Dallas Norms”. As I understand it, those rules require that a preliminary investigation be promptly conducted into any abuse allegations, and if the preliminary investigation indicates the allegations may be credible, that the priest be suspended during the investigation. We have to assume that the SOLT is following those regulations, especially as they have said they are. So we should not assume that they suspended Fr. willy-nilly after a single baseless allegation. That does not mean that Fr. is guilty, or likely guilty, or anything of the sort. But if his superiors are following the regulations, his suspension was likely the result of an informed judgment based on information none of us have.

I remember what happened when Cardinal Bernadin was falsely accused, but I also remember what happened when Father Maciel was falsely defended and allowed to continue to do harm to others. Both situations were resolved when the truth came out. All we can do here is wait, hope and pray that the truth comes out in this case more quickly than it did in either of those. It seems to me that Fr. Corapi’s superiors are trying to make sure that is what happens.

 

[deborahssong]

wow, great responses here. I agree with all said. Esepcially the one that says , Fr is human. Though we all are and are to pursue after the things of the spirit, anyone is vulnerable to a moral fall. NOW saying that I am in no way accsuing him. I personally believe he is innocent. There just seems to be so much of this sort of thing right now. In scripture, however we are warned by JESUS, and Peter and Paul that this would be happening. The Apostle John tells us the same thing.
We should no way be surprised and yet, we must be in constant prayer for those in leadership…satan takes one of them out? destroys them or attempts to? he is able to crush many!!! when a leader falls…and thats his goal. To mock God…however we also know that the gates of hell WILL NOT DESTROY HIS CHURCH! Fr Corapi, we love you and are praying for your call of God!!!
I agree we do NOT need to know who this lady is. Jesus said love our enemies, do good to those who presecute us…when he is cleared this needs to be put aside…and we must press forward, towards the end of that race. amen? Lord have mercy on us…

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Just to clarify (btw I have little experience, ergo undecided on the matter), your take is that the concerns raised in Cozzens’ The Changing Face of the Priesthood and Rose’s Goodbye Good Men are not credible, or that they have been resolved?

Specifically Goodbye Good Men but I am sure both are in the category of anecdotal information.

The infomation about one of the seminarys in Goodbye Good Men was from a seminarian asked to leave. The reasons he gave did not match with what my friend who attended that seminary at the time gave me nor what this ex-seminarian said was going on was going on. So I doubt all of what is in that book.

But really this is all off topic and has nothing to do with the issue this thread is addressing. If you wish to continue this discussion I suggest you start a new thread.

 

[Marie5890]

This accuser may not be out ot hurt the Church…but the media is!

To be fair, at this point and with regard to this particular situation, the national media hasn’t touched it. Nor, from what I can tell, has local media. If anything it’s being ignored. (Which is fine by me. Im grateful for that)

It’s been mentioned and limited to Catholic media is seems at this point. Nothing really beyond that and some bloggers out in the bloggesphere.

 

[Shoshana]

And Father Corapi also says that we are in a battle now (the Church) and we know wha wins. I believe he is innocent also…that being said, it is 3:00PM and time for Divine Mercy. As others have said, intense prayer is needed not only for him but for all of our priests who are suffering through all of this…let us pray…

 

[Eileen_T]

It is no coincidence that the allegations came out on Ash Wednesday. This is Fr. Corapi’s cross to take up and bear during Lent and likely beyond.

I don’t believe the allegations for a minute.

I can’t imagine that these allegations are true.

Lest we forget, as we approach Holy Week, Jesus was betrayed by one of those close to Him, accused by false witnesses, subjected to abuse and unjustly judged by those in authority.

Fr Corapi has been given his cross to bear and we need to pray for him and the woman who made the accusation.

 

[Eileen_T]

All of his 2010 talks he did talk about this. Turns out it happened to him. He was in trouble before when a lady claimed him of raping her from Milwaukee, turns out the lady claimed he jumped out of the television and did it. (seriously) He was stressed out for months over that and it caused him great stress. What happened to the lady who made the claim? nothing. All of his most recent talks though spoke about the attack on the priesthood and the things he had to go through etc. I find it kinda typical that this would happen, and to be honest with a zero tolerance policy, this isn’t the last time either. I personally think there needs to be a new policy for this. If I don’t like the way you look or your face I can simply write a few letters and you get the boot and have all kinds of stress whether you are popular or not doesn’t matter. I feel that’s the reason why we don’t hear people preach the way he does because of that fear. It was only a matter of time until Corapi got the boot and I think he knew this all along. People are sue happy today and it doesn’t matter if you are innocent. If someone doesn’t like you there’s nothing from stopping them from filing a claim against you just to stress you out. This will happen to many many more priest’s in the next few years. It seems to be happening more in our times then ever. Fr. Corapi won’t be the only priest this happens to, I’d bet on it…

I am active in a pro-life ministry and have been under extreme attack especially, the last few weeks, as I work on two pro-life websites, bringing them to completion.

All those who do the work of God, winning souls for Christ will find themselves under attack. If they don’t, they should be concerned and ask themselves “Why not?”

 

[qui_est_ce]

Specifically Goodbye Good Men but I am sure both are in the category of anecdotal information.

The infomation about one of the seminarys in Goodbye Good Men was from a seminarian asked to leave. The reasons he gave did not match **with what my friend who attended that seminary at the time gave me **nor what this ex-seminarian said was going on was going on. So I doubt all of what is in that book.

No offense intended, but that sounds very anecdotal to me.

Are seminarians told why their classmates are asked to leave?

 

[Gabriel_Serafin]

I find it rather annoying to say the least that EWTN has yanked Fr. Corapi’s volumes of outstanding work while claiming they believe in innocence until proven guilty.

How about saying “we stand with Fr. Corapi until he is proven guilty.”

I believe these allegations will prove to be ungrounded, and Fr. Corapi will emerge as a hero for some, yet tainted with suspicion in the minds of puritans.

But even if he is guilty of behavior “unbecoming of priests” he would just join all Catholics whom in some way or another are usually guilty of behavior “unbecoming or Catholics”—thus the need for frequent confession and constant conversion.

 

[AcolyteLector]

No offense intended, but that sounds very anecdotal to me.

Are seminarians told why their classmates are asked to leave?

The point is that the ridiculous book that this ‘well-known behavior’ is based on was a dump truck full of anecdotal testimony and hearsay provided by the disaffected to fuel the fire of American Catholic scandal-fever.

Its the rightish equivalent of ‘outrage’ concerning the wymenpriests and birth control.

Much ado about nothing, and unfortunately we still only have anecdotal evidence to counter it. Albeit, firsthand.

 

[comrade1789]

I find it rather annoying to say the least that EWTN has yanked Fr. Corapi’s volumes of outstanding work while claiming they believe in innocence until proven guilty.

How about saying “we stand with Fr. Corapi until he is proven guilty.”

I believe these allegations will prove to be ungrounded, and Fr. Corapi will emerge as a hero for some, yet tainted with suspicion in the minds of puritans.

But even if he is guilty of behavior “unbecoming of priests” he would just join all Catholics whom in some way or another are usually guilty of behavior “unbecoming or Catholics”—thus the need for frequent confession and constant conversion.

I agree. I would feel betrayed if I were Fr. Corapi. Our wonderful priest is having to share in the suffering of Christ, when all his friends deserted him. What is unbecoming is deserting Fr. Corapi when he needs us the most. There is no way Fr. Corapi is guilty. Such garbage.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

No offense intended, but that sounds very anecdotal to me.

No more anecdotal than the book but less so as I am only applying it to the seminary it happened in whereas the books premise is that this is going on in all of them.

No, seminarians are not officially told why someone leaves the seminary. The seminary staff makes no statement so the seminarian can make up any reason he wants and the seminary will not respond.

But those seminarians who live with one who leaves usually know why they left or were asked to leave.

Again, fodder for another thread. If you wish to discuss further start a new thread, I will not respond to this issue any more in this one.

[/QUOTE]

 

[Gabriel_Serafin]

AcolyteLector said:

Much ado about nothing, and unfortunately we still only have anecdotal evidence to counter it. Albeit, firsthand.

Maybe you’ve been living in a bubble the past few years But there is amble evidence, thus the reason why the Vatican ordered the investigation of every seminary in the U.S. in the first place. The new directives call for a more stringent screening process for seminarian candidates. So anyone considering the priesthood, please be very careful with your research as to what seminary to go to.

If my witness is worth anything, I too have seen the Gay subculture in my own diocese quite flagrantly in the open. You see, the “gay agenda” is to stay in the Church with the intention of changing Church teaching on Gay marriage and homosexuality itself.

Here is a list in Minnesota alone

 

[qui_est_ce]

No, seminarians are not officially told why someone leaves the seminary. The seminary staff makes no statement so the seminarian can make up any reason he wants and the seminary will not respond.

But those seminarians who live with one who leaves usually know why they left or were asked to leave.

Again, fodder for another thread. If you wish to discuss further start a new thread, I will not respond to this issue any more in this one.

Thanks for your honest reply. I have a hard time believing a lot of this stuff, I don’t want to believe it.

I don’t want to start a thread on this subject because it’s just too disgusting. It could damage the many lurkers here who might be considering Catholicism.

So I’ll quit the feeding fodder.

 

[fieldsparrow]

See, while I again do not presume to know whether the allegations against Fr. Corapi are true (and I hope they are not), I do wish EWTN would not have pulled his programming. I think airing his messages, which have been very powerful for me (so I admit a bias there), is… hm. As we know, even our priests, bishops, even the Holy Father… we are all sinners. As St. Augustine said (quoted by Fr. Z) “I am a bishop for you; I am a christian with you.” That he may be guilty of this particular sin does not take away, I think, from his ability to spread the message of the Gospel, especially through previously recorded programs.

After all, if we insist that all our clergy be free of sin, we will have none left.

Again, without details, I really cannot presume to say whether the accusations are false, or what the motivation was behind them. My prayers are equally with Fr. Corapi and with the woman who has made this accusation, and with those who must evaluate the evidence and try to render a just decision.

While I think Fr. Corapi has a very powerful ability to convey the word of Christ, I do not expect that he is free of sin nor do I put him on a pedestal that belongs to Christ alone. Whether he has sinned in this particular way or in others unknown to us, he and all our clergy need our prayers. The Church needs our prayers. We are imperfect in this life and our only hope is in the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We can aspire to holiness but Satan’s presence on earth is real. Temptation is real, and sometimes we fall. God understands this and so long as we praise His name and beg His mercy, His forgiveness is infinite.

Forgive the ramblings of a semi-catechized. When I first read this news I was fairly shaken; I am surrounded by those who are eager to dismiss the Church and her teachings because of the sins of men. I have had people say to me, “How can you join the Church when some of its important members are so guilty of sin?” I think it’s important to remember that during this, our exile we must constantly remember the state of sin into which we are all born: laity, deacons, priest, bishop, cardinal, Pope.

And although I know Fr. Corapi is a beloved figure for many, I hope that this also encourages everyone to pray for our clergy, all of them. We all need the mercy of God.

For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world.

 

[SwizzleStick]

I can’t imagine that these allegations are true.

Lest we forget, as we approach Holy Week, Jesus was betrayed by one of those close to Him, accused by false witnesses, subjected to abuse and unjustly judged by those in authority.

Fr Corapi has been given his cross to bear and we need to pray for him and the woman who made the accusation.

I agree.

Pray, pray, pray.