New SOLT Statement re: Father Corapi

[Elizabeth502]

You are right.

With all of the truths and half truths flying around, I feel the need to be very precise with what we do know.

What it means to me is that he will forever have a specific weakness in his life in that area. And he needs to live his life in such a way as to not even court the weakness.
Long ago I found it worrisome that he was living alone in his own residence seperate from his religious community.

I guess my worries were well founded.

vz, I respect your instincts, and because particularly, unlike some others, you are being restrained in your language. I just prefer to remain with your first paragraph – with what we do know, which is not, i.m.o., that a true impartial investigation from both sides has been completed. I will feel as if I am in a better position to reflect and assess when he has completed what he stated he would do: present evidence of his own.

Unlike you, I did not find it “worrisome” that he was living alone, because his religious community approved of his living arrangements. For them now to react with surprise about that is just a teeny tiny disingenuous of them, i.m.o. However, yes, we are all prone to return to our bad habits – whether those are truly addictive (as in, chemicals) or whether we are merely "attached’ to them in that spiritual sense of attachment. I do not believe he is, or was, any more prone to such attachment than anyone on this thread, incluidng myself. Nor are we his spiritual directors: in a position to know whether he is more likely to regress than any other priest, religious, or lay person.

I also do not assume that SOLT is wrong. I believe that they sincerely believe the statement they just released. Nevertheless, like sedonaman on the earlier thread, I know only too well that often officials (for him, I believe out of the church, for me and for many others, in the church) have conducted hasty and error-filled “investigations” that have often been token or incompetent or worse – nonexistent. As sedonaman said explicity on that other thread, unless you have been victimized yourself by false accusations (such as he and I have), you are not in a position to understand how quickly this can happen – how officials can overreact. Often that overreaction is done with good intentions, but with poor judgment.

No need to glorify or demonize Fr. Corapi.
No need to glorify or demonize his religious order.

However, since he is the accused, perhaps given my education and background I am inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt until he presents the contradicting evidence he has promised to.

 

[Elizabeth502]

II ask for your forgiveness if I made wrong assumptions and I am sure you will correct those assumptions and stop painting the SOLT and its leadership in a bad light.

I will pray for you and ask that you pray for me.

You have made some wrong assumptions, Brother, but no need to ask for my forgiveness. The postings here are very rapid, and some are overlapping, as you see, so I hope my last post, just above, makes clearer my position.

Thank you and God bless,
Elizabeth

 

[joanofarc2008]

I thank you for your defense but I must provide some correction. I am not a priest. I am a friar who is currently studying for the priesthood.

My fault I missed a word - so it should have read:

It is hard to argue charity for one priest not in good standing while showing a lack of charity for another religious who is no matter how hidden in platitudes.

• not simply leave it at another. But thank you for picking up on that. It is funny that when we proofread things we often insert words we know we meant to put there but did not. Let this be a lesson in clarity. (On this note - I did not realize that you were studying for Ordination - how far along are you?)

 

[Elizabeth502]

It is hard to argue charity for one priest not in good standing while showing a lack of charity for another religious who is no matter how hidden in platitudes.

Perhaps it would be better to actually read my posts rather than engage in platitudes. Thank you.

 

[joanofarc2008]

I will say this - I find it funny that anyone is judging faculties. That is unless anyone doing the judging happens to be a trained counselor or psychiatrist? If you are and would like to lend your expertise and are willing to do this sight, unseen …

Yeah, there was a House episode on that once. Enough said.

 

[Elizabeth502]

I will say this - I find it funny that anyone is judging faculties.

Different senses of humor, apparently, would be the way to explain that, as I find it funny that you think anyone is “judging faculties.”

 

[KevinAK]

Father Sheehan needs our prayers. I don’t think there is a word of truth in his statement.

 

[BigDave31]

Listening to Father Corapi is one of the reasons for my conversion to the Catholic Church

 

[surfinpure]

Father Sheehan needs our prayers. I don’t think there is a word of truth in his statement.

That’s a very harsh judgment to pronounce on Fr. Sheehan, Kevin. I’m always disappointed to see this kind of language on CAF.

 

[TXShipman]

feeling very confused and hurt.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

My fault I missed a word - so it should have read:

It is hard to argue charity for one priest not in good standing while showing a lack of charity for another religious who is no matter how hidden in platitudes.

• not simply leave it at another. But thank you for picking up on that. It is funny that when we proofread things we often insert words we know we meant to put there but did not. Let this be a lesson in clarity. (On this note - I did not realize that you were studying for Ordination - how far along are you?)

Not to derail the thread (though I do not think this will) I am five and a half years into formation. I have three years left, all of them finishing up the Masters of Divinity program.

 

[mdstanzel]

Father Sheehan needs our prayers. I don’t think there is a word of truth in his statement.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Father Sheehan needs our prayers. I don’t think there is a word of truth in his statement.

That’s a very harsh judgment to pronounce on Fr. Sheehan, Kevin. I’m always disappointed to see this kind of language on CAF.

Not only that but accusing the head of a religious institute of lying is very uncharitable and I believe goes against forum policy regarding treatment of clergy and religious. I have reported the offending post.

 

[KevinAK]

Wow this is a bummer. I used to watch his shows sometimes because he seemed so charismatic. I would think to myself if a man like this who used to be a vile sinner can repent and become a priest, I can quit my sins as well and live a better life. However, he apparently lived a double life and had not renounced his sinful inmoral ways. Even worse he was doing the same things he had done in the past as a lay person but now as a priest.

As if the catholic church wasn’t looking bad enough already.

The deception!!!

We need to pray for this man, so that God may show him mercy, and for his conversion which seems so far away.

I’m no saint but at least I don’t go around pretending to be one

So many priests out there that do take their vocation to heart!!! God Bless them for their strenght and may they stand out above the corrupt.

We have only Father Sheehan’s word as to the truthfulness of these allegations. I don’t believe a word of it.

 

[joanofarc2008]

Different senses of humor, apparently, would be the way to explain that, as I find it funny that you think anyone is “judging faculties.”

You shouldn’t when there are statements being found on almost every page such as this:

Fr. Corapi’s letter seemed inappropriate- it looked to me that something had compromised his ability to make sound judgment. I am not so sure he has simply fallen away after all the good he has done- I suspect he may have a medical condition that has compromised his personality (maybe a stroke).

By the way when I use the word I am basically saying ironic so please forgive the vernacular I will substitute the word ironic in the future. But I ask again since you make a such a big deal about who was on the investigative tribunal why is it that you have not questioned the background of CAFers making these statements. Do you think this poster was a doctor?

 

[Pat_Payne]

I’m not sure, libel seems to be a pretty difficult charge to prove or disprove…especially for public figures.

Maybe the breach of contract suit, but all that needs to be proven is that the contract was breached, not if the allegations are true.

Being a journalist myself, I can assure you that in the case of a public figure it is very hard to win a libel/slander case. New York Times v. Sullivan essentially created two different tiers for libel/slander:

1. Private persons (you, me, your local Monsignor, your dentist, etc.) – Here all the plaintiff has to do is prove the facts of libel/slander: Was it false, and bad enough to appreciably damage the person’s reputation? Was it disseminated to at least one other person?
2. Public figures (Celebrities, figures of state, people who put themselves in the public eye through their own effort) – there, they have to prove what is known as “actual malice”. In other words, Not only do the facts of the case have to be there, but the plaintiff has to prove that the libel/slander was published/uttered not merely out of simple carelessness or repetition of others’ words, but that the publisher/speaker knew before hand that it was false and liable to damage the person’s reputation, and did it anyway. (A bit like mortal/venial sin, when you think of it… ) The only libel suit I can remember where a public figure won was a case in which Carol Burnett sued the National Enquirer for falsely claiming she was an alcoholic.

If Corapi sues, he will be opening up a can of worms, because he will then have to answer the veracity of the charges in open court and prove them false. And then try to make a case that SOLT deliberately published this knowingly to destroy his reputation. The chance of that? Well, I’d be more likely to see you-know-who open up a Baskin-Robbins franchise you-know-where first

 

[Alex246]

I saw this on Jimmy Akin’s blog, and it saddened me immensely. I saw Fr. Corapi’s testimony video on youtube, and found the man very charismatic and (I thought) genuine, not to mention that his story was inspiring.

 

[joanofarc2008]

Not to derail the thread (though I do not think this will) I am five and a half years into formation. I have three years left, all of them finishing up the Masters of Divinity program.

Congratulations - I will pray for your continuing formation. At this rate maybe I will be able to invite you to my profession as Father with all the moving I have been doing. I don’t think we could derail this thread if we tried. God bless and good luck.

 

[Tiberius1701]

Listening to Father Corapi is one of the reasons for my conversion to the Catholic Church

The Truth he taught is not changed by the sinfulness he hid from us. God works all things for the good of those who love Him. He used Peter to found the One True Church and spread it to the ends of the Earth, even though Peter renounced Him during His Passion. Don’t worry about Fr. Corapi’s presonal sins; they have nothing to do with you. There have always been sinners within the ranks of the priesthood; some are just worse than others. But Christ is perfect and His Church will always be holy because of Him. God bless the Catholic Church!

(P.S. Welcome Home!)

 

[mdstanzel]

Not only that but accusing the head of a religious institute of lying is very uncharitable and I believe goes against forum policy regarding treatment of clergy and religious. I have reported the offending post.

Thank you, brother.