I believe that some things need to be clarified as charitably as possible.
When you defy a direct order, either from your major superior or your bishop, you do not place yourself outside of the Church. That would mean that you excommunicate yourself. This is not possible, unless you are a religious in solemn vows. Father Corapi and the SOLT make simple vows. This does not apply to them. It is a sin of disobedience and defiance. Usually, the superior must insist at least three times. After that, the superior has the right to begin dismissal proceedings against you, unless you have filed an appeal.
He cannot attach himself to any diocese until he is released by his superior. When we make profession in a religious community or a society of apostolic life, we become incardinated into that institute and no bishop has the authority to receive us without the written permission of the major superior. The major superior may not give such a permission, while a person has a canonical investigation in progress, because that’s dumping his problem onto a bishop.
Shoshana, the major superior did not violate moral law or canon law. In fact, he complied with what the Church demands of him. It is the moral and legal obligation of every major superior to protect his community, whether it be a religious community or a society of apostolic life, as is the SOLT. If a person leaves the community quietly, the superior would be indiscrete and even immoral to speak about the person’s problems in a public fashion.
However, when the person illegally and publicly abandons the community and publicly charges the community with wrong-doing, the superior has a moral duty to reveal the facts, as best he knows them, in defense of his community. He must place the welfare of the community over the individual. The community has to be protected as any family has to be protected from a child who is angry and is making allegations that are damaging.
Also, his superior did not give him permission to file a civil suit. Father Corapi never said that his superior granted such permission. He said that he received the advice from the founder. The founder of the SOLT is no longer their superior. Since they are not an order of friars or monks, the founder ceases to have authority once he steps down from office. The successor become the legitimate and legal authority.
He is acting within the moral and canon laws of the Church. We can say that he could have worded things differently. Heck, all of us can always go back and soften something we’ve said or restate it so that it’s not so shocking. But he had an obligation to his community to make a public statement. The community has the right to demand that the major superior do so. That is the right of the professed members of the society. They have a right to be protected by their superior from allegations that are damaging to them, if such allegations are unjust. A superior’s job is not only to govern, but also to protect the community.
You referred to him as a shepherd. The truth is that major superiors are not shepherds in that sense. The Church does not expect them to shepherd the laity. The Church expects them to lead their brothers and to protect their brothers. The Council of Trent was so clear on this that it even passed legislation denying the laity and the bishops power over major superiors and their subjects. That’s how seriously Catholic tradition takes the role of a superior toward his community. It is not his job to protect us. It is his job to protect his sons and daughters. It is the job of the local bishop to protect the laity. Superiors work with him to make this happen.
I hope this helps.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
