New SOLT Statement re: Father Corapi

[centurionguard]

What bothers me about the SOLT statement (other than it being on the eve of Fr. Sheehan and other priests there going on leave) yesterday is this:

They give quite a bit of detail with confidence that Fr. Corapi is guilty of specific sins. Fine. Maybe they are right. But yesterday was July 5. On June 20––only 16 days earlier––Fr. Sheehan said: “lthough the investigation was in progress, the SOLT had not arrived at any conclusion as to the credibility of the allegations under investigation. … due to the gravity of the accusation…Fr. Corapi was suspended from active ministry” and also “If the allegations had been found to be credible, the proper canonical due process would have been offered to Fr. Corapi…”

So on June 20, according to Fr. Sheehan, SOLT didn’t even know if the allegations were credible, much less true. 16 days later, even though the investigation had supposedly stalled, Fr. Sheehan gives detailed allegations of sins in a public press release.

The two SOLT statements seem contradictory. That is what bothers me about the whole thing.

Good Point.

I surprised all the wrangling and accusations have been made public at all.
Usually; these things are keep private within the Church so as not create scandal.

The cats certainly out of the bag now! A total embarrassment to the Church no matter who’s right or wrong. It should have never been placed before public scrutiny.

 

[surfinpure]

Good Point.

I surprised all the wrangling and accusations have been made public at all.
Usually; these things are keep private within the Church so as not create scandal.

The cats certainly out of the bag now! A total embarrassment to the Church no matter who’s right or wrong. It should have never been placed before public scrutiny.

I agree, and I wish Fr. Corapi had not chosen to do so.

 

[MarcoPolo]

I saw not a single word that accused Fr. C of any sin.

I don’t know what you mean. The July 5 SOLT statement says: “He did have sexual relations and years of cohabitation (in California and Montana) with a woman known to him; He repeatedly abused alcohol and drugs; He has recently engaged in sexting activity with one or more women in Montana…”

And yet on June 20, they said they had not even determined if the allegations were credible.

 

[anthony022071]

You need to go back and read JReductions posts. This isn’t a civil case.

Peace

Tim

The principle of innocent until proven guilty is not limited to civil cases.

 

[beckers]

Further, an excellent point was made by Jimmy Akin on Kresta yesterday. By publicly publishing that they have seen evidence that leads them to believe that Father Corapi did the acts described in the statement yesterday morning, SOLT enters into a civil, legal arena; that of libel. If the accusations against Father Corapi are indeed false, SOLT just opened themselves up to an ENORMOUS libel lawsuit. Demonstrating damages will not be difficult; SOLT’s statement will result in a precipitous drop in Santa Cruz Media revenues. That kind of risk is not undertaken by anyone without serious consultation with lawyers who would have to review the evidence themselves. I think this lends significant credibility to their statement regarding Father Corapi’s conduct.

Not completely right. As has been discussed earlier in this thread father corapi is going to be considered a public figure. Under NY v Sullivan a public figure has to prove that SOLT had actual malice in making their statement. It is an extremely high standard. Not enough to prove the info was wrong but that the knew it was wrong and published it anyway.

But yes I am sure the press release was written with help from lawyers so anything they say they probaly have some proof, that would give them a good faith belief to believe the facts and therefore defeat any malice.

 

[catharina]

I don’t know what you mean. The July 5 SOLT statement says: “He did have sexual relations and years of cohabitation (in California and Montana) with a woman known to him; He repeatedly abused alcohol and drugs; He has recently engaged in sexting activity with one or more women in Montana…”

And yet on June 20, they said they had not even determined if the allegations were credible.

Presenting the actions of another is NOT identical to
accusing the other of any SIN. Please recognize that.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Good Point.

I surprised all the wrangling and accusations have been made public at all.
Usually; these things are keep private within the Church so as not create scandal.

The cats certainly out of the bag now! A total embarrassment to the Church no matter who’s right or wrong. It should have never been placed before public scrutiny.

I agree, it is ugly.

 

[ringil]

Let’s not forget that one is INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty.

This is all very strange stuff indeed.

Let me get this straight. Fr. Corapi is an OLD MAN, with heart problems. Yet I am supposed to believe that he gets up in the morning, hops on his motorcycle, and puts on his Harley emblems and gear and speeds around town on this thing. Then he comes home, hops on his 4 wheel ATV and does some mudrunning through the forest. Then he gets back and jumps into his brand new speedboat and races around the lake.

Then in the evening he gets drunk, does some drugs, and hops into bed with a prostitute. Then he gets up at 3:00 am and flys out of state to give an awesomely inspring sermon about the truth of Jesus???

YA RIGHT!!! Figure the odds. Even a 26 year old would have a problem with this schedule let alone an OLD MAN with heart problems.

Something is reallly amiss here with all this mudlsinging going on here.

Innocent until proven guilty — PERIOD!!

I don’t think there exist allegations that he engaged in these behaviors you mention all IN ONE DAY.

His drug/alcohol abuse, if accurate, may have been sporadic.

This “sexting” could have happened once or a hundred times, we don’t know.

You are setting up an unlikely scenerio and then saying- THAT’S FISHY! I don’t think the allegations of SOLT seem fishy at all.

Corapi- I do find fishy and have long before this whole mess.

 

[qui_est_ce]

And yet on June 20, they said they had not even determined if the allegations were credible.

What would be an acceptable time frame for you?

 

[qui_est_ce]

I don’t think there exist allegations that he engaged in these behaviors you mention all IN ONE DAY.

His drug/alcohol abuse, if accurate, may have been sporadic.

This “sexting” could have happened once or a hundred times, we don’t know.

You are setting up an unlikely scenerio and then saying- THAT’S FISHY! I don’t think the allegations of SOLT seem fishy at all.

Corapi- I do find fishy and have long before this whole mess.

They happened over a period of time. Apparently while was still living in California before he moved to Montana.

 

[Orogeny]

The principle of innocent until proven guilty is not limited to civil cases.

Did you read JReducations posts?

Peace

Tim

 

[anthony022071]

I agree, and I wish Fr. Corapi had not chosen to do so.

The allegations were already made public back in March. There’s nothing wrong with Father Corapi telling his loyal listeners what is going on. If he didn’t,then we would be entirely in the dark,and people would be speculating without information.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

What bothers me about the SOLT statement (other than it being on the eve of Fr. Sheehan and other priests there going on leave) yesterday is this:

They give quite a bit of detail with confidence that Fr. Corapi is guilty of specific sins. Fine. Maybe they are right. But yesterday was July 5. On June 20––only 16 days earlier––Fr. Sheehan said: “although the investigation was in progress, the SOLT had not arrived at any conclusion as to the credibility of the allegations under investigation. … due to the gravity of the accusation…Fr. Corapi was suspended from active ministry” and also “If the allegations had been found to be credible, the proper canonical due process would have been offered to Fr. Corapi…”

So on June 20, according to Fr. Sheehan, SOLT didn’t even know if the allegations were credible, much less true. 16 days later, even though the investigation had supposedly stalled, Fr. Sheehan gives detailed allegations of sins in a public press release.

The two SOLT statements seem contradictory. That is what bothers me about the whole thing.

My feeling about the first statement from SOLT is that they were trying to be restrained and say as little as possible. This sense is based on my experience in public relations. They needed to say something since Fr Corapi had made some statements, but seemed to want to keep things “in house” as much as possible.

Since that first statement, Fr Corapi has started his BlackSheepDog website, has made more claims about his accusers and the bishops, his “fans” have made claims against the church, the situation had become much more grave.

This second statement may have been rushed because they wanted to make some announcement before their Chapter meeting (not sure of correct term), but I doubt the information exposed was gathered in just the past few weeks. The Church in general has never been known to be masters of PR but I believe that SOLT’s statement is factual.

 

[beckers]

I agree they really put themselves out there by doing it. I think they are also open to investigation by the Church, for lack of controls. I don’t know if I would make the leap that because the consequences of being wrong are really bad, that somebody would necessarily dot all the i and cross all the t’s. Legally, I think they are at risk even if their accusations are 100% correct, they could be in possession of illegally obtained emails and texts(they might not know it), all sorts of issues when you get into civil court and have to deal with rules of evidence. It is also unclear if they finished the diocese’s process before releasing this information. Having set of rules/policies and not following them, can be very damaging in court, worse even then not having rule/policy in the first place.

This whole thing is like a slow motion train wreck.

It would depend on what information is considered privileged or not. I don’t think the emails would be a problem because if he sent through any emails owned or operated by SOLT then SOLT has a right to them. Just like any email you send at work. I bet if you read you work handbook you will find out about their polices. Most are kept for years incase they are subpoena or the company needs to look back to see if any employee was doing something illegal. Also if the text message came from the recipient then I don’t see a problem since they are they ones who turned it over and if he used a SOLT phone…well I remember the case of an employee claiming it was protected but I think the court came down on the side of the company since it was company paid for. I would have to go look it up. Also depends on what state he sued in as each states evidence rules are different.

Basically there are lots of issues but I really hope and pray that it doesn’t go that far.
trial would be bad for all parties.

 

[whm]

It would depend on what information is considered privileged or not. I don’t think the emails would be a problem because if he sent through any emails owned or operated by SOLT then SOLT has a right to them. Just like any email you send at work. I bet if you read you work handbook you will find out about their polices. Most are kept for years incase they are subpoena or the company needs to look back to see if any employee was doing something illegal. Also if the text message came from the recipient then I don’t see a problem since they are they ones who turned it over and if he used a SOLT phone…well I remember the case of an employee claiming it was protected but I think the court came down on the side of the company since it was company paid for. I would have to go look it up. Also depends on what state he sued in as each states evidence rules are different.

Basically there are lots of issues but I really hope and pray that it doesn’t go that far.
trial would be bad for all parties.

I seriously doubt that he had SOLT email and cell phones. He owns his own company, he was financially independent of them.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

There is way too much speculation as to what
might or might not be “sinful.” It’s as easy for me to
state that SOLT was very limited in its scope of comments,
while clearly warning all that Fr. C seems to be living in instability.

It was Fr. C who first brought this to the public arena.
If SOLT feels a responsibility to those who might be
(or might have been) misled by Fr. C’s words, then so be it.

Yes.

I for one, did not understand how one could no minister publically as a priest yet preach publically as a Sheepdog. Was I supposed to forget he is a man who received the Sacrament of Holy orders?

When I go to Barnes and Nobel, and pick up a book with Catholic in the title, I look for the “Imprimatur” if not I put it back.

 

[whm]

Presenting the actions of another is NOT identical to
accusing the other of any SIN. Please recognize that.

Well the actions are objectively sins. Whether he met the requirements of culpability is what I think you are getting at. In his case the unknown criteria would be consent of the will.

 

[Kardinal]

I seriously doubt that he had SOLT email and cell phones. He owns his own company, he was financially independent of them.

Now we are pretty much completely in the realm of speculation.

 

[Kardinal]

I seriously doubt that he had SOLT email and cell phones. He owns his own company, he was financially independent of them.

 

[jwinch2]

Blog post from the SOLT webmaster on the situation (truncated by me due to size): medleyminute.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-am-deeply-saddened-at-news-of-my.html
Fr Sam Medley:

Please forgive us, please have mercy on us, your very poor priests. For you have entrusted to us the inestimable treasury of graces to these earthen vessels of flesh to dispense the holy mysteries of God and we have once again failed you.

Yet Jesus has chosen from the beginning the poorest of humanity to be his priests. Does not the Gospel reveal this? I am not just talking about Judas, the betrayer, but of Peter, Saint Peter, who himself denied the Lord. Why Jesus? Why do you choose the poorest to bestow the richest of blessings on man. It is like finding the most wretched and leprous, the most depraved and unworthy person and then giving him your most precious golden treasure. Why Jesus? Why? This question is so important. Ask it. Ask it when you look yourself in the mirror and you look at one of the sons of Adam or daughters of Eve and seeing this poverty before you ask, why do you give the blessed Son of God, the Immaculate Lamb to me, to this poverty? Why?

Because the authentic and eternal love of God can only be revealed when the scandalous gratuitousness of it’s generosity shames those who undeservedly receive it. And the only real answer is something that has been revealed to the saints throughout the ages, to those who have discovered God as MERCY ITSELF. This lesson is so painful yet so necessary, and it is the only foundation of authentic sanctity.

…

I thanked God today, as I, the SOLT webmaster, had to press the send button in the publication of the news of John Corapi, that he was reminding us of this painful yet freeing mystery. Don’t get me wrong. I weep with Jesus at the terrible effect this will have on so many millions of good people that will hurt yet I recognize once again why it is necessary to be reminded of our frailty as man- because it is the only foundation of living well, of authentic sanctity. “Not to us Lord not to us but to your name give the glory.”

…

There are soooo many good things God can teach us through this absolutely horrible and crushing lesson:

1. Follow canon law- it is the balance between the grace of redemption and human weakness. If it were followed none of this would have happened. I remember when I was asked years ago by my superiors if John Corapi could come and work in the community life of the media apostolate I was running at the time. YES, I cried! Please bring him back to community life! Canon law tells us that no one from a community should live outside for an extended period of time. This would have also meant the regulation of his bank account and other violations would have been remedied. Sadly this didn’t happen.
2. Live the Charism, or gift of God that God has given you. This whole Corapi conundrum would have never happened if we would have been faithful to our SOLT Charism of ecclesial teams- communion. This is not only true for communities but applies to the vocation of each Christian. Are you married? Than find your sanctity as a married person and don’t go chasing outside your marital bond for sanctity. “Family, be who you are!”. This is the battle cry for the sanctification of families by Blessed Pope John Paul. Live the grace God has given you.
3. The grace of certain charisma must always be subject to hierarchical grace of the Church. I used to tell my nieces and nephews when they tried to impress their mother with good deeds that nothing they could do would ever compare with obedience. Obedience will always be the mark of holiness, as rebellion, even by a gifted genius, will always be a mark of the devil. Obey. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”. What is implied is if you don’t love me, don’t keep them. If someone stops obeying the legitimate authority of the Church, it is at that moment that I stop following them.
4. BE NOT AFRAID! “Blessed is the just man. An evil report he does not fear, but trusting he steadfastly hopes in the Lord” (Psalm 112:7). I never forget that St John was the only one who could bear the scandal of Judas. Why? Because John could bear all things? Or because John was close to God, leaning upon his very breast, close to Charity itself and “Charity bears all things” (1 Cor 13:7) as St Paul tells us. Love and love alone is the means of bearing such heavy burdens. If you find yourself burdened by this, turn it over to God in prayer. Turn it over to charity. You are not meant to bear the terrible weight of this burden on your shoulders. Not even Jesus himself carried our sins apart from the charity of the Father which bore the terrible weight of the sins of all mankind.
5. Pray, pray, pray, and then pray some more…then pray all the more. This is the Lord’s own response in the Garden. “And being in agony, he prayed all the longer” (Lk 22:42).
6. Learn from your mistakes. Right now the SOLT General Chapter is meeting. Do you think these events will not effect the way they make their decisions about ecclesiastical governance and discipline? Why did they choose as a theme for deliberation, “the creation and formulation of administrative policies on Governance and Administration, on Ecclesial Teams and on our Missionary Endeavors”? The entire Church at this time is tightening things up, cleaning house, making their administration better - SOLT included.
7. Be at Peace. I don’t know. When I pray I feel God is saying this to me about it all. Be at peace. God is God. He will sort this all out in the end. Be at Peace. Sleep well at night because it isn’t going to help you, God, or the Church if you are all fragmented, worried, and distressed about something you have absolutely no control. Be at peace.

God love you and Our Lady keep you,

Fr Sam Medley
SOLT Webmaster