New SOLT Statement re: Father Corapi

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GloriousOrder said:
I’m glad that such an overblown, exaggerated fraud has been exposed. People kept saying “Oh, watch Fr. Corapi; he’s so kind and holy!”, but something struck me as very hyperbolic about him. What about the “oh man” biker dialect, the deep, put-on, “manly” bass voice?
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You mean, his real voice is high and whiny?
 
vz71 said:
You are correct.
SOLT could be misleading us.

Of course, if that is the case Corapi will have a clear case and could have them effectively shut down with a civil judgement.

So one has to ask…why? What have they to gain?

I do not believe we are being misled by the SOLT.
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Why would SOLT lie? I know you didn’t say that they did, and your post is in response to another.

I am so deeply saddened.

There but for the grace of God…
 
Priests don’t have bodyguards, heck Bishops don’t have bodyguards.

Priests don’t carry guns, or if they do for some strange reason, they CERTAINLY wouldn’t talk about it.

Priests decrease so that Christ may increase.

I have known that something was up with Corapi for years.

On the other hand, what a witness Corapi could make if he submitted to authority and followed his vocation faithfully.
 
What is truly scary is reading the comments that this latest release from SOLT is drawing on Fr. Corapi’s Facebook page. People are blindly dismissing it (some of them anyways) and suggesting that those involved are under the influence of the devil. Many of them are dismissing this information out of hand.

I pray for their souls…
 
GloriousOrder said:
I’m glad that such an overblown, exaggerated fraud has been exposed. People kept saying “Oh, watch Fr. Corapi; he’s so kind and holy!”, but something struck me as very hyperbolic about him. What about the “oh man” biker dialect, the deep, put-on, “manly” bass voice? Every time he was recommended, I shied away… something seemed very fake or suspicious about his personality. He reminded me of all those T.V. evangelists. This isn’t very shocking or surprising in the least. I hope and pray that God’s mercy falls upon him and surrounds him forever.

It’s disturbing to see how innocent and naieve most Catholics are about this sort of thing. He put on such a mask in all his speeches and lectures. How couldn’t anyone see it? 😦
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Glorious Order, what is it the tipped you off? I wasn’t an avid follower of his, but I did like him.

This isn’t the first popular priest this has happened to.
 
vz71 said:
If he is to resign, he is no longer allowed to utilize the title ‘Father’
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Has he resigned yet?? I don’t think so… we must remember that once a priest, always a priest, and I feel that although he has lost his way, he still should be treated with dignity that all human beings deserve. When he has officially resigned or been laicised (sp?) then he can become MISTER… just calling someone by their last name is very rude and even passive aggressive.
 
GloriousOrder said:
I’m glad that such an overblown, exaggerated fraud has been exposed. People kept saying “Oh, watch Fr. Corapi; he’s so kind and holy!”, but something struck me as very hyperbolic about him. What about the “oh man” biker dialect, the deep, put-on, “manly” bass voice? Every time he was recommended, I shied away… something seemed very fake or suspicious about his personality. He reminded me of all those T.V. evangelists. This isn’t very shocking or surprising in the least. I hope and pray that God’s mercy falls upon him and surrounds him forever.

It’s disturbing to see how innocent and naieve most Catholics are about this sort of thing. He put on such a mask in all his speeches and lectures. How couldn’t anyone see it? 😦
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My diocese’s bishop is Bishop Lori. He’s a soft-spoken, bespectacled man, with two golden retrievers.

A couple years ago, when I was a teenager, I wondered why the Church didn’t appoint kick-*** priests like (then-)Fr. Corapi to its episcopacy. A few years later as my ability to judge characters improved, and I was wondering–for a number of reasons–how he is still a priest in good standing. There’s an important lesson here for ‘what works’ in terms of the priesthood.

Corapi’s ministry was infected by Romanticism–the contrast of his pre-seminarian days with his current priesthood; the ways he attempted to standout as a priest and defy the priestly stereotype, ex: carrying lethal weapons, &c.

A quick Google search on his name, and all of the biographical articles from the secular press invariably describe him as a ‘riches to rags to robes’ story. His success depended on the idea that someone who had ‘had it all, done it all, seen it all’ could accept the humble lot of the priest.
What Corapi probably didn’t realize was that his success as a public figure depended on his priesthood as much as it did on his checkered past. He attempted to liquidate this ministerial success and transition into the ‘professional Catholic’ blogosphere. The trouble is, the character of the ex-priest is always contemptible: one is reminded of the ex-priest living with a concubine in Grahame Greene’s The Power and the Glory or the ex-priest-turned-purveyor in Georges Bernanos’ Diary of a Country Priest. What was sown while wearing the collar cannot be reaped while wearing a tie. :-\
 
Loboto-Me said:
Has he resigned yet?? I don’t think so… we must remember that once a priest, always a priest, and I feel that although he has lost his way, he still should be treated with dignity that all human beings deserve. When he has officially resigned or been laicised (sp?) then he can become MISTER… just calling someone by their last name is very rude and even passive aggressive.
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He cannot be presented as a priest publicly. We are not bound or encouraged to address him as ‘Father.’

He’s Corapi–or the BlackSheepDawg. Which, imo, is even more offensive than being casually referring to someone in the third person by their last name… but that’s what he bade us call him, as of June whatever.

Personally, I’d like to forget that this man is still a priest, and I’d appreciate it if you’d stop trying to salvage dignities that this man doesn’t deserve. Go through any given news story, and every person except for public officeholders are called by their last name…
 
ChristisRisen32 said:
SOLT formed a three-person fact-finding team to ensure that it handled this matter in accordance with canonical norms. The team included a priest-canonist, a psychiatrist and a lawyer.

Two were members of religious orders, and one was a lay Catholic. Two were men, and one was a woman. All three have national reputations and substantial experience in ecclesiastical processes related to priest disciplinary issues.
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You’ll excuse me for remaining skeptical. I am neutral on his innocence/guilt. I respect civil law enforcement teams and professional investigations much more than I place trust in “ecclesiastical processes.” He very well could have done all this, but I question the professional expertise of the “three-person fact-finding team.” Lawyers, priest-canonists, and psychiatrists are not professional investigators. And canonical norms are different from civil norms which are more closely geared to prosecutable guilt & innocence. (They have to be.)

I would prefer to see a full, civil investigation, with also a simultaneous investigation of his accuser by a neutral party. Again, I’m not saying that it can’t be true, but I remain unconvinced with this SOLT “finding.”

I also caution readers that plenty of observably holy priests have been guilty of materialism and of breaking their vows of celibacy, and of alcoholism. Historically, alcoholism has been a problem in the priesthood. If he has done this, naturally – like others – I would not excuse it any more than in any other priest, but it does happen. And plenty of these priests continue on in their priesthood with the vast majority of the flock being unaware that there has ever been a problem of this kind – or with materialism, or with celibacy.

Also, an excellent preacher is not necessarily a holy man. I remember being floored fairly recently to have discovered that a parish priest who spoke so eloquenty and convincingly of humility was anything but humble in his personal relationships in the parish. (I experienced that firsthand myself, as well as many others.)

As I mentioned on another thread, it’s dangerous to ‘divinize’ a priest, because that sets him up for condemnation if he is found to be even a little flawed, let alone highly flawed.

I continue with my fervent prayers and with suspension of judgment.
 
Lormar said:
Glorious Order, what is it the tipped you off? I wasn’t an avid follower of his, but I did like him.

This isn’t the first popular priest this has happened to.
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When my (then-)non-Catholic girlfriend first saw him while I had EWTN on, she asked me if they usually allow priests to deliver speeches intoxicated.

I told her to “knock it off,” but now in retrospect I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss what she said. 😑
 
Hovannes said:
This is a bombshell. How do I explain this to my 10 year old son who was greatly inspired by Fr. Corapi?
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“It is important to listen to the message instead of looking at the messenger” - heard in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous
 
This is something I was reminded as this went on by a good faithful priest that I greatly respect. I think this is how we should be handling it. This is the 26th Admonition of St Francis:
  1. That the Servants of God should honor Clerics.
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Blessed is the servant of God who exhibits confidence in clerics who live uprightly according to the form of the holy Roman Church. And woe to those who despise them: for even though they [the clerics] may be sinners, nevertheless no one ought to judge them, because the Lord Himself reserves to Himself alone the right of judging them. For as the administration with which they are charged, to wit, of the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which they receive and which they alone administer to others—is greater than all others, even so the sin of those who offend against them is greater than any against all the other men in this world.
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GraceSofia said:
Note that SOLT refers to him as Father Corapi in their statement. I think I would take my cue from Fr Sheehan, the SOLT superior.
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That’s a good point–although I wonder if they’re phrasing this thusly because he was known for most of his career as ‘Father Corapi,’ and to avoid the confusion offered by the panoply of aliases that have popped up in recent moths.

Personally, I’ll go with Corapi’s own words, until further someone in a position of authority tells us otherwise: ‘John Corapi (once called “father,” now “The Black Sheep Dog”).’
 
UNLESS Father Corapi comes out with a public apology letter, HIMSELF, admitting any crimes, then we still do NOT know what to believe about him. No one can be sure that the letter of SOLT regarding Father Corapi’s alleged corruption is true! I am not defending Father Corapi’s innocence or guilt - because my point is that in this current situation we CANNOT know if he is guilty or innocent. Everything still is clouded under mystery and speculation.

Only a public apology by Father Corapi will reveal the truth. Otherwise, it is Corapi’s word against SOLT’s letter.
Future prediction - when SOLT released this public statement about Father Corapi’s alleged sexual crimes and drug abuse, inevitably, Father Corapi will be forced to RESPOND soon. In the midst of all this speculation and especially after SOLT released this letter, Father Corapi will undoubtedly respond in some way, possibly with a public apology and admittance if he is TRULY guilty. However, if Father Corapi continues to defend himself and hold onto his innocence, then the entire situation remains a big fat mystery - leaving his innocence/guiltiness unknown.

Look at Congressman Anthony Weiner - at the beginning of the scandal - he lied and claimed he was hacked - when the media continued to pressure him, he was forced to tell the truth. I am not comparing Father Corapi to Anthony Weiner; however, we must keep in mind that pubic figures have to face a scrutiny that is sharper than the blade of knife. **Father Corapi is going to have to respond in some way to the recent letter released by SOLT. **
 
joanofarc2008 said:
This is something I was reminded as this went on by a good faithful priest that I greatly respect. I think this is how we should be handling it. This is the 26th Admonition of St Francis:
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Joan, well-spoken! Thank you and God bless! 🙂
 
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