Fr. Corapi placed on Administrative Leave Following Accusations

[ChadS]

If every priest that was guilty of committing sin was suspended from ministry, then 100% of priests would be suspended. I find it rather odd that there is such a rush to remove him from his priestly ministries, especially since the allegations are not involving minors.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there are many Catholics, including priests and bishops, who dislike Fr. Corapi because of his strong traditional teachings, and would be happy to see him put out of commission.

Perhaps it was because this woman is a former employee. In general the law frowns upon people in positions of authority or supervisors having sexual relations with subordinates and employees. If Fr. Corapi was in such a position with this woman then that could be the reason for caution on the part of his superiors.

And if it’s found he violated his vows perhaps his superiors would like him to take some time away for prayer and reflection and consider the true meaning of his vocation and calling.

If you knew a hypothetical priest committed some sin that violated his vows would you want to go and see him speak right away or would you wander why he wasn’t taking some time to tend to his spiritual well-being before preaching again?

ChadS

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

I’ve gone back and read Father Corapi’s statement on the matter and i couldn’t agree with him more. If this is the new standard procedure for dealing with claims against priests (and it appears it is still the word of one individual) it now means that no priest is safe from the wildest of accusations.

Its the standard that most public professions have to deal with. Teachers, police, firefighters, etc. who are accused of professional misconduct are normally suspended with pay (or placed in nonpublic roles) for the course of the investigation.

I’ll choose to believe that Fr. Corapi is innocent until I see something to convince me differently, however I do think his statement was overly defensive. He’s not being treated as guility until proven innocent, he’s being treated in the safest possible way given the accusations. He’s not being accused of a simple affair but of drug use and sex with an employee(s?). There’s all sorts of possible issues there. In this day and age of sexual harassment awareness and consent issues its the safest course of action to suspend until the investigation is completed.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

If every priest that was guilty of committing sin was suspended from ministry, then 100% of priests would be suspended. I find it rather odd that there is such a rush to remove him from his priestly ministries, especially since the allegations are not involving minors.

This isn’t a simple affair. It involves sex with employees, that brings up all sorts of possible sexual harassment issues. It involves drugs, that brings up consent issues.

Scenario 1: A priest works closely with a woman, they both develop feelings for each other and fall to their passions. It is sinful and sad but at the same time its’s an understandable and pitiable offense. There’s no huge issue other than personal sin.

Scenario 2: A priest singles out a vulnerable female employee, gets her high and then seduces her. That, my friend, is an entirely different ballgame.

I’m not saying Fr. Corapi is either of those. What I am saying is that the accusations appear to be alleging Scenario 2 and that’s something that can’t be chalked up to mere misplaced feelings…

I wouldn’t be surprised if there are many Catholics, including priests and bishops, who dislike Fr. Corapi because of his strong traditional teachings, and would be happy to see him put out of commission.

Sorry but that’s a wild conspiracy theory. I don’t think Fr. Corapi strongly registers on most bishops’ radars whether pro or con…

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

What does the above mean? “priestly faculties removed”

That sounds so omninous to me.

Its not as ominous as it sounds. In order to licitly perform public ministry a priest needs “faculties” from a bishop/superior. “Administrative Leave” = “priestly faculties removed.”
It simply is a technical way of stating Fr. Corapi is not allowed to perform public ministry at this time.

 

[Davina100]

We should all pray for Fr Corapi and all priests. All the people involved need prayers. Satan is trying so hard to stop Fr Corapi and the good he does. Of course Satan would be afraid of him. But like Father says, “we know how the story ends… we win”

 

[SusTre]

What bothers me is that when in early part of 1990’s when Card Bernardin was also accused in the same if not worse fashion by a young man who claimed he was abused by the Card, the same Archdiocese of Chicago that removed priests for the same or lesser accusations did no such thing to Card. Bernardin at the time giving him THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT until the matter was investigated.

What a double standard it is indeed !!! Card. Bernardine was later found to be innocent and the young man even apologized for the slanderous act!! But for Fr. Corapi? Where is there such DUE PROCESS??? Where?

 

[Pax_Vobiscum_57]

The father of lies always rears his ugly heads during deep times of prayer and reflection. I hope he gets the vindication he deserves while he is still with us. Personally, I cannot even imagine Fr. Corapi doing anything to offend God, much less his own order.

Heavenly Father, please give Fr. Corapi the grace to join his sufferings with you, to be vinidcated and purified by you for this Easter. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

 

[bo_leggs]

I have long thought that the bishops erred in the way they instituted their new abuse policy just because of what it does to faithful priests like Fr. Corapi. On one or more of his DVDs he tells of the priest who made a mistake 25+ years ago and had an was intimate with a women, by mutual consent, once. He broke off the relationship and immediately repented, went to confession, and notified the bishop. That was his only indiscretion, but when the sex scandals blew up, he was removed from the priesthood forever.

I just hope the woman, a former employee, will repent and retract her charges. We need to pray for her as well as Fr. Corapi.

 

[fieldsparrow]

Both Fr. Corapi and the woman who made the complaint are in my prayers. I can’t presume to know the truth of the situation.

I thought Fr. Z’s post on this was good:
wdtprs.com/blog/2011/03/priests-holiness-and-avoid-a-spiritual-peril/

Someone may have already linked it but I just now found this thread and am on my way out the door to start my day, so I couldn’t read all the pages.

 

[JRRTFAN]

This is the way I see it as it stands so far. I would also think, according to his superior’s statment, that if she were to accuse him of taking liberties without her consent, or if there were others that she claims that this happened to, she should have stated it at the beginning. If he were using drugs that were illegal, and who really knows that, that should have been stated as well. I think she might not have a rock solid case in court otherwise. In fact, if she or others come out with some illegal action after the fact, Fr’s lawyers would probably have a field day. Realizing that this is the CC we’re talking about, however, they have not been so aggressive in their defense in the past. These priests (and there are many more besides Fr C that we are talking about here)*** are also citizens of the US, and have rights.*** If the Church doesn’t pursue this in an (lets just call it) assertive manner, (maybe agressive is too severe) then they are putting their priests in a gun shooting range without armor.

As it stands right now, if Fr. is guilty of anything, it seems according to the Bishop, it is not anything illegal but “unbecoming to a Catholic Priest”. I would think he could actually sue her for libel. OK so I will have someone “remind me” that it was HE who made this a public matter…but I would argue that as soon as this woman wrote several Bishops, it became a public matter.

You’re right. She made it public when she involved somebody else, i.e., Bishops. If anybody thinks she doesn’t want money they’re deluded.

 

[Teelynn]

If every priest that was guilty of committing sin was suspended from ministry, then 100% of priests would be suspended. I find it rather odd that there is such a rush to remove him from his priestly ministries, especially since the allegations are not involving minors.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there are many Catholics, including priests and bishops, who dislike Fr. Corapi because of his strong traditional teachings, and would be happy to see him put out of commission.

I have said this from the beginning of this. FC, love him or hate him, proclaims the truth. He has enemies even within the Church. I guess with the zero tolerance policy, however, they must temporarily remove him. To date, there have been no criminal actions taken according to the Bishop’s statement. Hmmm…are they waiting for some fabricated story from her or others? It’s almost like an invitation. That being said, I think it’s a little too late legally for her to manufacture criminal behavior. Just don’t think it would stand up in court, if he has lawyers worth their salt.

IMHO the stance the Church is now taking has gone to the other extreme. They are throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

“No Priests…No Eucharist”

 

[ChadS]

You’re right. She made it public when she involved somebody else, i.e., Bishops. If anybody thinks she doesn’t want money they’re deluded.

This entire issue has hardly been made public in the sense that you are implying. We wouldn’t know anything about this if it wasn’t for Fr. Corapi’s little website posting. I’m sure his superiors were bombarded with thousands of emails and phone calls demanding to know what’s going on and that forced them to release their own statement. Unless somebody knows otherwise, we haven’t heard one single word from the woman, so that hardly counts as her going public.

ChadS

 

[SwizzleStick]

It was a statement that someone on his facebook page received from an email via ewtn. Sorry. I hope there is an official statement although this is really considered news

Thank you for clarifying.

 

[Jesus_123]

+*Responding to Father Corapi’s call to prayer . . . *

"For me prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look towards Heaven,
it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy."

• Saint Therese of Lisieux
  The
  Our
  Father

Our Father,
Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
- Jesus

Link: ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/pater2.htm

* The Hail Mary

Hail Mary . . . full of grace . . . the Lord is with thee . . . blessed art thou among women . . . and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb . . . Jesus . . . Holy Mary . . . Mother of God . . . pray for us sinners . . . now and at the hour of our death . . . Amen . . .

. . . all for Jesus​

+
. . . thank You Dear Lord Jesus our Saviour+
. . . thank you Blessed Holy Mother+
. . . thank you Holy Mother Church+
​

*

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

What bothers me is that when in early part of 1990’s when Card Bernardin was also accused in the same if not worse fashion by a young man who claimed he was abused by the Card, the same Archdiocese of Chicago that removed priests for the same or lesser accusations did no such thing to Card. Bernardin at the time giving him THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT until the matter was investigated.

Well, for starters, the Dallas Charter didn’t exist at that time. Ever since the Dallas Charter norms were set most diocese handle every accusation of misconduct differently than in the past.
You are correct that bishops are subject to a different set of rules than priests when it comes to accusations. But that’s due to canonical issues.

What a double standard it is indeed !!! Card. Bernardine was later found to be innocent and the young man even apologized for the slanderous act!! But for Fr. Corapi? Where is there such DUE PROCESS??? Where?

Due Process is taking place, its the investigative process.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

I have long thought that the bishops erred in the way they instituted their new abuse policy just because of what it does to faithful priests like Fr. Corapi. On one or more of his DVDs he tells of the priest who made a mistake 25+ years ago and had an was intimate with a women, by mutual consent, once. He broke off the relationship and immediately repented, went to confession, and notified the bishop. That was his only indiscretion, but when the sex scandals blew up, he was removed from the priesthood forever.

I just hope the woman, a former employee, will repent and retract her charges. We need to pray for her as well as Fr. Corapi.

If the woman in question was over the age of 18 than the man would never have been removed. If she was over the age of 18 and the man was removed that means there’s a lot more to the story than the priest told Fr. Corapi.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Is there a legal fund for Fr. Corapi? Can we urge him to file a libel lawsuit in return for these accusations (assuming they are groundless)? Does he have his own representation? Can he have a personal lawyer?

I think these policies leave the Church wide open for extortion. There is a line between hiding abuse and protecting our priests from blackmail and extortion.

 

[pnewton]

I think these policies leave the Church wide open for extortion. There is a line between hiding abuse and protecting our priests from blackmail and extortion.

I don’t think is is the Church policy that is the problem, rather it is our legal system that allows for extortion by lawsuit. Until we go to a loser pays system, we will continue to have that extort the wealthy and well-known. Legally. It should be noted though that there is no law suit. Yet.

 

[cargau]

What bothers me is that when in early part of 1990’s when Card Bernardin was also accused in the same if not worse fashion by a young man who claimed he was abused by the Card, the same Archdiocese of Chicago that removed priests for the same or lesser accusations did no such thing to Card. Bernardin at the time giving him THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT until the matter was investigated.

What a double standard it is indeed !!! Card. Bernardine was later found to be innocent and the young man even apologized for the slanderous act!! But for Fr. Corapi? Where is there such DUE PROCESS??? Where?

This news is truly sad on so many fronts. But, this story and stories like it are the effects of the sins of the past. The media (rightly or wrongly) has exposed the crises of abuse and coverup that has existed for decades.

The Bishops are in a no-win situation. If they give their priests due process, they risk being accused of harboring. If they don’t protect their priests, good, holy men are made to suffer great humiliation.

Unfortunately, in many people’s minds, Fr. Corapi has already been found guilty in the court of public opinion. He is made to carry a very large cross whether he is guilty or not.

As difficult as this is for Fr Corapi, I believe that the real victims in this whole crusade to bring down the priesthood are the people of God. We need our priests to show us to the door of heaven. We need good men to serve as the person of Christ by bringing us the Sacraments.

I am not one to give in to conspiracy theories. But, I am concerned because there is no doubt that the Church has enemies both here on earth and elsewhere. How do we defend Mother Church and her holy priests?

This problem is enormous. I can think of only one answer…Prayer, prayer, prayer…
Jesus promised to guide and protect the Church and that the gates of hell would not prevail. I think someone forgot to tell Satan that…

Anyway, Jesus, I trust in you…

 

[ChadS]

If the woman in question was over the age of 18 than the man would never have been removed. If she was over the age of 18 and the man was removed that means there’s a lot more to the story than the priest told Fr. Corapi.

I agree, that story, if accurately related, just sounds downright fishy to me. Why after 25 years? Why if no more transgressions? Why if everybody legally consented?

To blame it on an atmosphere of hysteria and overreaction seems a bit of a stretch.

ChadS