I was made aware of this late last night. The following statement is from Fr. Corapi’s website:
A Call for Prayer
On Ash Wednesday I learned that a former employee sent a three-page letter to several bishops accusing me of everything from drug addiction to multiple sexual exploits with her and several other adult women. There seems to no longer be the need for a complaint to be deemed “credible” in order for Church authorities to pull the trigger on the Church’s procedure, which was in recent years crafted to respond to cases of the sexual abuse of minors. I am not accused of that, but it seems, once again, that they now don’t have to deem the complaint to be credible or not, and it is being applied broadly to respond to all complaints. I have been placed on “administrative leave” as the result of this.
I’ll certainly cooperate with the process, but personally believe that it is seriously flawed, and is tantamount to treating the priest as guilty “just in case”, then through the process determining if he is innocent. The resultant damage to the accused is immediate, irreparable, and serious, especially for someone like myself, since I am so well known. I am not alone in this assessment, as multiple canon lawyers and civil and criminal attorneys have stated publicly that the procedure does grave damage to the accused from the outset, regardless of rhetoric denying this, and has little regard for any form of meaningful due process.
All of the allegations in the complaint are false, and I ask you to pray for all concerned.
This is profoundly disturbing on many levels. Father John Corapi is a stalwart pro-life priest (a tragedy that such distinctions exist within the clergy). Unlike Father Euteneuer, there is no admission of any guilt here, and so we are left to ponder a great many dimensions.
First, it is possible that the allegations are true in whole, or in part. While I strongly doubt that may be the case, it is nevertheless a possibility, grounded in the reality of past cases of very public clergy, and people should have that level of awareness.
That of course raises what for me is the absolute certainty of a grotesque immorality that has been committed here, though not by Father Corapi. He has been placed on administrative leave, which is tantamount to being tarred and feathered in public, before any reasonable investigation has taken place. I see no indication in Fr. Corapi’s statement that his bishop has placed him on leave, and it may well be the action of his superior in his order. So before the bishop-bashing swings into high gear, we need some clarification.
However, we are not speaking of children. We are also not speaking of rape. The allegations seem to be about sex between consenting parties. They also happen to be about drug addiction. Regardless of who placed Fr. Corapi on leave, it is an outrage that we have devolved to the point where a man is denied due process and the presumption of innocence (An Enlightenment philosophy benefit, compliments of the protestants, trumping Catholic justice). A discreet investigation using Father’s whiskers, blood, and urine could easily put together a portrait reaching back months regarding drug abuse.
A discreet investigation on the sex charges could also provide some clarity. Taking Father at his word, none of this was done prior to publicly trashing his good name. It’s madness.
If denial of due process and the presumption of innocence are the new norm for our bishops, if the mere accusation of sin merits headline coverage, then our leadership has lost its way. Badly. The stress of such humiliation could well cause a relapse of the cancer and cost Father Corapi his life.
Innocent or guilty, the minimum standard of due process and the presumption of innocence ought to apply to our priests, as they do for the rest of us. That increasingly they do not is a sin greater than a priest’s dalliance. Our priests sacrifice marriage, family, career, etc for us. It’s about time the laity demand justice for the accused. If we don’t, we deserve empty seminaries.
My prayers for the restoration of Father Corapi and his good name, and for the intentions of the woman who has brought these allegations forward.
There is no evidence that the bishops….whoever they are…have done this. However, there is word out that Fr. Corapi’s superior at SOLT has made the decision. For all we know, it is in the best interest of Fr. Corapi at this time so that he is out of the line of fire. Trust is needed. Prayer is needed. And, I don’t even think there is an issue of whether or not it’s true. It isn’t.
Possible someone with an “agenda” is either taking advantage of a disturbed woman, or is taking advantage of her disdain for Catholic priests, The Church, men in general?
In other words, PAYING her to level these accusations?
Wonderful analysis and points brought up… thank you so much! (love your blog!)
Thank you, Gerard. I agree completely. It’s time for the faithful to start defending their priests. Or as you said so perfectly, we deserve empty seminaries. May God protect and defend Fr. Corapi.
Although I cannot say that I am a huge fan of Fr. Corapi, I do defend his right to be considered innocent until proved guilty. This is a basic civil right of anyone in the US accused of a crime. I am convinced that the forces of evil are targeting our priests, especially those who are loyal to the magisterial teachings of the Church. I am praying for Fr. Corapi, that if he is innocent, he will be vindicated, and if he is guilty, he will be converted.
I’m afraid that when the New York Times aka Hell’s Bible gets a hold of this and twists this story to fit their anti-Catholic agenda, I will not be able to control my outrage as I have been in the past…
Nora,
You couldn’t be more wrong. We’re not talking about predation and children who are required by law to be in the classroom. Even in the case of teachers, there is an immediate and DISCREET investigation. If it lacks discretion, the school district can be sued for libel and slander.
Having been treated as he was, this is tantamount to a guilty verdict before a trial in the court of public opinion. There was no proper and discreet examination mentioned. So, even if he is pronounced “Not Guilty”, that is not the same as “Innocent”. Many will believe that perhaps there was insufficient evidence against him to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
I don’t rule anything out as far as guilt or innocence, though I strongly believe in Father’s innocence. Was there jealousy afoot in his superiors doing this? Is this/these woman/women looking for money?
This is far from over. But on its face, Father’s superiors don’t come off very well. The best case scenario now is that an innocent man was hung out by his community and held up to ridicule for offenses he didn’t commit.
Fr. Corapi is a no nonsense priest and I believe he is innocent of this accusation. I am aware of similiar situations (although with minors) where accusations were made, investigations made, no proof resulted and the priest was never reinstated. So sad…..our priests need our prayers – they need to be surrounded in prayer. May the Holy Spirit guide Fr. Corapi and his superiors. May Our Lady intercede in this situation as well to Her Son for TRUTH to be unveiled and Fr. Corapi to be freed of this accusation. The evil one is certainly going to attack those in the Church that represent him as well as the Church itself and the Eucharist. The evil one will continue these futile attempts but the Church and its priests will never succumb. We have Jesus – the Victor over death and evil….Lord Jesus, please have mercy on us!
Perhaps a novena for Fr. Corapi is in order too….the sooner the better and what a better time than Lent to help Fr. Corapi carry this cross. May his suffering be united with Our dear Lord’s. God knows he must be suffering a great internal struggle.
Thanks for sharing this Gerry!
Father Corapi being ex-military, has preached over the years about a tactic of war the devil practices, i.e., destroy an organization by targetting the officers. In the Church that means destroy the clergy and the people are left without shepherds.
He has also from time to time expressed anger and dismay over the injustice of rushing to judge accused priests by removing them from their ministry when a charge is levelled against them. How ironic that this is apparently what is happening to him.
He has spoken of sadness and disappointment when a priest he loved and admired, a mentor, was stripped of his active priesthood.
Reminiscent of the passion — being accused, stripped and punished without a judgment of guilt….
I hope that whoever investigates will be expert and quick so there will be drawn out period for rumors or rampant speculation.
I hope he will once again seek and win the protection of his two mothers as he did once before when his world fell apart.
Father Corapi’s preaching on Relevant Radio has brought so much wisdom and inspiration to Catholics in the U.S. I pray that this situation will be resolved soon. God bless you, Father!
I doubt with all my heart, that these allegations are true. Fr.Corapi has meant so much to me over the years. It breaks my heart, and will inspire my faithful prayers. This tragedy brings back to my remembrance, a similar false accusation towards me and my husband. We were missionaries in Uganda, at the time, my husband was an Anglican priest. The national leader of a large missionary and philanthropic organization sent his house keeper to us to help me with all the cares of the home. It seemed obvious to us that she was spying on us for some reason. Thankfully, we sent her back to the leader of the organization. Mean while, my husband had discovered a major ring of corruption and all sorts of evil doing, starting with that national leader. Unbeknownst to us, the housekeeper had accused my husband of repeatedly raping her, and me, of repeatedly beating her out of a jealous rage. ( if you could see both of us, you would laugh, because she could have whomped me!!) never the less, this man was, and still is, very powerful within this international organization and within his own country. The Lord sent a messenger to alert us of a plan to have us accused and found guilty of numerous things, which would have lead to our imprisonment as rebels against the government. Our body guard ( who used to work for the afore mentioned leader but, left his service because of all his corruption, helped us plan our escape from the country. We didn’t know that our names were already posted at the border crossings but, we knew we could not escape by airplane. Too risky, and only one flight per week. The saga, though exciting, goes on and on. Suffice it to say, that because of such shameful and false accusations hurled toward us, it is very easy for me to believe that Fr. Corapi, a general in God’s Army, is a primary target. Hr has been seriously wounded, and lay bleeding on the field but, our prayers will see him through. Please don’t weary of praying on his behalf. God bless you all who will pray for the truth of quickly unfold, and peace in Father’s life!
[…] Gerard Nadal — a frequent visitor and commenter here — says aloud on his own blog what many have been thinking:It is possible that the allegations are true in whole, or in part. While I strongly doubt that may […]
Another example of an effort to cut down a huge Cedar Tree in God’s Forest. Prayers for sure. The “leave of absence’ is for the good of all, presuming that all rights and reputations shall be honored and respected and there will be quick justice and closure. Same procedure for police accused of improper conduct in an incident.
=====
The reference to due process being attributed to Protestats and the Enlightenment and its being that “novel” is so patently false. Check it out!
What is being done to Fr. Corapi is a travesty. Hopefully we will soon find out which Bishops received the letters sent by the accuser – as well as which Bishop/Superior jumped at the chance to silence Fr. Corapi.
I have no reason to believe that easy-target-Fr. Corapi is guilty. His life has been an open book, he has worked tirelessly for God, he teaches the Truth and only the Truth of our Church, and he has stated that he is innocent. The fruits of his priesthood are extraordinary and evident – he has brought countless souls to God.
The Bishops, on the other hand, lead any person with a brain in his head to question them and their tactics. Their dismal lack of leadership, their corrupt practices, their scandalous CCHD which has supported abortion, gay marriage, and prostitution legalization, their President who gives a wink and a smile as he tells us “we’re not in crisis”, their biblical “interpretation” which dares to remove the word virgin when speaking of the Blessed Mother and replacing it with young woman….The fruits of these men are by and large rotten – culminating in the loss of many souls.
P.S. I also do not find it a coincidence that Fr. Corapi’s much-anticipated autobiography was due to come out very soon…
Well, one thing is for sure – at least by style. Fr. C. is not one of your roll over and do anything liberated female administrator tells him to do. He really irks this type. And the other type within the same “liberated” group are those who would suffer the vapors if the man merely glared at them. If any man stands forth with individual strength with these types his very manhood is condemned … since he doesn’t fit the “new” man so easily controlled.
Apparently there are a slew of folks with some case against him … to the point where he’s needed security. His “style” is also dismissed and even hated by a certain type of clergy who themselves seem to be just the type who WOULD roll over for the “new” female bosses.
I guess he’s overcome the threats of the past by those he claims stalk him with ready cameras waiting for any opening – even by such who would set him up.
I’ve heard of his health issues that were reported to finally be diagnosed as some kind of vitamin deficiency – D – which can bring on horrible symptoms of weakness of muscles and bones, etc. I had never heard of him having “cancer” though that could possibly return due to this kind of “stress”??? There was something about a parathyroid tumor but I think the final diagnosis was the D deficiency. Anyway, going through all of that whole process is a bit of hell in itself.
He also legally fought off the medical scammers of unnecessary heart procedures in which he was also used. That was certainly a battle with I believe even more personal threats.
Hopefully he still has the fight and determination as his own man to withstand this final attempt to publicly end his efforts. These are the times folks … and there will likely be more to follow.
Having met Fr. Corapi personally some years ago and having listened to a great deal of his preaching (his tapes are brilliant BTW) I doubt very much that this is true.
I believe this is the work of Satan. Fr Corapi has a very very unique ministry. His preaching while wonderful to all of us, it is especially efficacious to those who are lukewarm (the souls that caused Our Lord the most grief) and those who are reverts (of which there are millions) and in need of re-evangelizing.
I believe in due time his name will be cleared. I fear though that he may have much to suffer. This is likely frustrating for him because it strikes at the heart of his ministry.
Let us pray for all our priests, especially those on the front lines and who have a very public ministry.
“His military background has been questioned, and his personal past involves, um, some pretty sleazy sexual situations and drug addiction. Does that make him a good target for someone who wants to file false accusations of that particular nature? Yes. But it also means he has a taste for these things and it may be his personal weak spot.”
oh dear. First off, Nora, Fr. Corapi does not have a “taste” for these things. He lived a very rough life and by his admission, an exceedingly shameful life prior to his reversion. Does his soul have a weakness for this type of sin? Perhaps. But it’s quite obvious that he’s left this life far far behind.
His style of preaching may throw you, but he pulls no punches. And it is exactly this that the people he talks to require. People need to be shaken up today. What they get from their parish priests and bishops is “pulp fiction” and not the soul food they need.
BTW, I am not a “fan”. But I do like his message and his preaching helped me on to a deeper practice of my own faith.
In my diocese, as I understand it, there are two stages to an investigation of an accused clergyman. The first stage has to do with whether the accusation is even possibly true: was the person where the accuser said the events took place at the time the accuser says they took place; is there anything else that makes the accusation clearly false on its face. If there is any reasonable level of possibility, then the person is placed on leave until a thorough investigation is done which either exonerates the accused or leads to formal proceedings against him.
To speak of a “credible” accusation is probably too strong a word for what is needed for suspension. “Not impossible” is more like it.
I have to agree that the full “presumption of innocence” standard of the Constitution regarding guilty verdicts does not, and should not apply to precautionary suspensions.
I also agree that from what was posted, it certainly appears that it was Fr. Corapi himself who made his suspension public.
Thank you for this article. One thing, however, that isn’t mentioned is that the judgments in these cases are not limited – at least on the Church’s end of things – to “Guilty” and “Not Guilty.” The investigating Board of Review can, and frequently does, make a judgment of “Inconclusive.” I’ve seen it happen. This is in some ways the worst ruling of all. A priest’s good name is forever destroyed and, even if allowed to minister again, there are always nagging doubts in people’s minds. Add to that the mindset of those who, like one of the commenters above, say “He always looked fishy to me!” and you see why such accusations have become a cottage industry. She WILL get paid. Period. It won’t go to court. Period. A story will be floated saying Corapi’s polygraph test results were “inconclusive.” Period. The woman will have her money and her revenge and, best of all, will be ordered BY THE CHURCH to stay anonymous if she wants to collect the cash. Again, I’ve seen it. As to resuming ministry, perhaps Fr. John will be able to. Judging from the experience of other priests not quite as tough as he, a man’s future ministry is pitifully limited if he has undergone a nervous breakdown while waiting for an adjudication. Thanks for the opportunity to speak.
Since I read the article about Fr. Corapi, I have been deeply saddened & I have asked all my emailers to please
pray for him and pray to St. Michael who will indeed fight
the good fight and help Father in his time of need. I have no doubt at all that he is innocent. Remember that satan &
his demons are doing their utmost to not only tear apart the Catholic Church, but Christianity itself; they are at work
constantly while the Christian light is slowly being
extinguished! God Bless You & remember your two Mothers
are praying unceasingly for you & Almighty God is THE judge.
Nora,
Who here is showing the “blind, slavish, devotion” to Fr. Corapi? It would be good for all of us to reserve judgement until after all the facts are out, not by premature uncharitable speculation. I am not a “fan”, but a person who respects the good Father in his ministry.
[…] what we do and do not know, so far: What we do know: Whether it is a constructive or — as Gerald Nadal suggests — destructive decision, Fr. John Corapi, a fine priest and preacher, with a large following […]
Nora,
I never said or even implied that you were “in cahoots with Satan.” Indeed, I never hazarded a guess as to what your motivations might be – that’s not my business, nor my concern. And no, you didn’t say he looked “fishy.” you said he looked threatening and abusive. Maybe it’s just me, but threatening and abusive sound like even more loaded terms than fishy. FWIW, I really have no opinion either way on Fr. C’s guilt or innocence. My concern is that the system is broken. My brother priests and I never dreamed we’d be afraid to hug a child after Mass, or that our insurance carrier would require us to leave the confessional door open when hearing a minor’s confession. We never dreamed that from the moment an accusation was made we would have no access to our bishop for comfort or prayer. I don’t mean to rant. I’m just saying, along with the author that presumption of innocence doesn’t seem to exist. And yes, the mere accusation makes a priest a pariah to his brothers because of fear of association. The position of the innocent is no different than that of the guilty. It is for that reason – the unbearable loneliness – that nervous breakdowns are so common among priests who later on are found not guilty, or victims of accusations found “not credible.”
Nora
“Janet, it’s not just here. The majority of the commentary about this news is overwhelmingly of the blind, slavish sort. The rhetoric is the sort one hears when dealing with cult leaders.”
snip:
“then I can come right back atcha by reminding him that Corapi is playing the oldest game in the defense attorney’s playbook by poisoning the well of potential jurors, so to speak.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Well, the “majority of the commentary” has been from those who benefitted from the talks, teachings, and guidance of Fr. C. They speak of their own real evidence of conversion, return to the sacraments, re-acknowledgement of the Truth, etc. IOW of the good fruit from his preaching. Now you may characterize him as some kind of snake oil salesman but obviously from these testimonies what he was “selling” was definitely not snake oil. What was given, through a human vessel, bore good fruit.
And from your other comment mentioned above are you selling some snake oil yourself by now inferring, beyond anything testified by even those doing the investigation thus far, that there are criminal complaints against the man? Just what is your evidence?
If nothing else Fr. C is the poster boy for the type of priest/man that the “liberated” women love to hate. If for nothing else I hope that this case is for the good so that finally priests in general have some kind of image of a man who, after watching the appeasment process of the only targeted institution of the most hypocritical culture for so long, stands alone but stands up, not willing to place himself under the “wait and see humbly” forgotten man position that so many have been placed in by their wimpy bishops.
Amen, Rose. You get it! Thank you!
For the sake of argument, let’s say Fr. Corapi is guilty.
So. Stinking. What?
His consecrated hands are still capable of delivering the Eucharist to me. THAT is the most important thing. As someone who stopped looking for heros a few decades back, I feel my salvation is my own responsibility. End of story on that one.
Next, if he is guilty that only proves his humanity. Hopefully IF that is the case he’ll express public repentance, spend the necessary time out of the public eye doing his penance and mortification, then return to the public pulpit he inhabited before all of this. From there he’ll be able to tell us with renewed vigor of the snares that await us all.
Priests are human. If they truly repent after falling we should accept them. How many of us have our own time in Purgatory coming up for things done?
Please, don’t anyone try linking this to the homosexual abuse scandals we’re still seeing such as in Philadelphia. It’s apples and oranges as far as that one goes.
Well, now we know the personal preferences of Nora which I suppose reject about 80% of our veteran heroes but what that has to do with the guilt or innocence of someone whose manners don’t please Miss Manners or her own delicate sensibilities I haven’t quite figured out. And yet it would appear that she continued to follow such a person and subject herself to the misery she has described here. Is that martyrdom then or enjoying being “gloomy”.
BTW, Nora, your insisted preferred description of pleasing manhood being “quieter and more humble” is one of the main reasons why the Church which you now rail against got herself into this mess. It was just this accepted “quieter” more receptive type description that took over our seminaries and turned them into pink palaces where the good ol straight forward types who spoke loudly about right and wrong and what was good and evil were either forced into types of “re-education camps” to make them more amenable! or they were thrown out. How many good manly vocations were lost because they didn’t want to be “entertained” or acquiesce to “gentler” ways.
Apparently you haven’t been around our troops then, Nora. They don’t exactly exude the “quiet” you desire in a man. Not too worried about humility either as you would describe it. And they might even “glower” now and then.
So Fr. C when fighting against being another person used by medical scammers was just “play acting” a kind of manhood insisting on certain human rights.
If you only watched and observed “his style” now and then those limited experiences certainly made an impression! Were you able to also hear what he was preaching during those few moments because you haven’t mentioned being offended by his teachings.
I’ve also only watched him a few times … normally the Lenten preaching – so maybe he toned down the style! but wasn’t annoyed so terribly. Other times I’ve heard him on local EWTN affiliated programming but perhaps hearing him doesn’t have the same effect. But even if I didn’t prefer his style I certainly would not use that as some kind of negative complaint in such a circumstance as is being discussed here. In fact, I’m much more uncomfortably annoyed by the sweeter, protect your sensibilities types, talk to you like an eternal child types … and perhaps that’s because one’s own antennae have been raised higher as of late due to all that has passed in the past decade or so!
P.S. I’ve got another newsflash for ya …. ever been around veteran fishermen, golfers, or when the old war stories start? I doubt if those leetle exaggerations might be so generally rejected as you might desire. It’s part of the human makeup …. even outside the Fr. C question that has as yet been fully clarified.
Nora
Rose, sweetie, you clearly have extremely limited experiece with men.
Reserved and thoughtful, quieter, humble don’t = gay.
Your bigoted language in reference to gay people is quite telling.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I never mentioned gay people. I would like an apology rather than hysterics.
No, you’re not getting an apology because you don’t deserve one. You made it very clear who you were describing in your previous post. I know it, you know it and God knows it. Deal.
You got called on your bigotry and you are back pedaling. Own it.
As for anything else you have to say — pfft! I’m done with you and your sort.
I think Nora’s comments reflect the pain and anger she has experienced from her own abuse situation.
We don’t know the situation with Fr. Corapi and the problem is that priests like Corapi attract some very strange and unwell individuals. But it may also be that he may have fallen – he is human and subject to the same weaknesses as everyone else.
The problem is now that we seem to have two extremes going on. Either priests are tarred and feathered before they have had a chance at due process or nothing is done. My experience has been the latter (not personal but simply in my diocese)
I for one find myself increasingly frustrated with the Catholic church.
I attend Mass regularly and I love our priests who for the most part are very holy and live good lives.
I depend upon them for the sacraments and virtually every single one I know is virtuous.
What I simply cannot understand is how in my diocese which I won’t name, there have been abusers still working actively in parishes until at least 2009.
I ask myself, WHAT does it take to get the message through to the bishops?
It’s 2009. Not 1999.
It is this aspect that really bothers me more than anything.
I believe it will take many many more years to clean this mess up.
Mary Catherine —
Is it possible that there was an investigation of the abusers which came to the conclusion that the accusations were not substantiated, or could it be that they were sent for psychological treatment and returned with a recommendation that they could safely be in parish ministry and they haven’t offended since then?
I do not know Father Corapi or the person who made these accusations, but it disturbs me that someone’s reputation can be seriously damaged before the charges are investigated or proven. I would hope that, if these accusations are shown to be false, Father Corapi would pursue the matter in court. At some point, we need to ensure that people get the message that libelous statements will not be tolerated.
Nora,
I’ve trashed most of your comments. I’m sorry for any abuse you may have suffered in the past, but that doesn’t give you license to come here into my virtual dining room and start a food fight at my table. If you’re going to debate here, be civil or be gone. As for pillorying Father Corapi because of past sins of others, to borrow one of your words, that “crap” doesn’t fly here, and it was the point of this post. I suggest the services of a good and compassionate counselor. The extent to which you carry past abuse is very much on parade in your life.
All,
Regina and I have had friends from California with us since Sunday and I have not been on the blog until just now, so I apologize for Nora’s material seeming to have been allowed to stand.
I think your post, Dr. Nadal, is an unfair attack on Fr. Corapi’s superiors. What do you know other than what Fr. Corapi has posted on his website? Why are you assuming that this accusation is the only reason for the administrative leave? It seems to me that you are taking Fr. Corapi’s side based solely on what he has chosen to reveal, so your opinions are completely one-sided, and especially egregious because they are directed at the Church.
David,
When the American Bishops adopted the Dallas protocols, they were excoriated by their brother bishops in Rome for forgetting about due process and the presumption of innocence. Fr. Corapi has earned the measure of presumptive innocence that I am inclined toward. As no sex crimes were alleged, I see great double-talk among the bishops who on the one hand claim that they presume him innocent and on the other have taken him out of his ministry. Again, no crimes have been alleged, so as I see it, the presumption of in nocence means that he not be publicly tarred and feathered by such lurid allegations unless they are deemed credible.
If they are presumed innocent, they should be treated accordingly. As for my directing a broadside at the Church, read your Church history. Our bishops have lost their way badly in every century. If people never challenged their errors or injustices, we would have disintegrated long ago.
naturgesetz
Mary Catherine —
Is it possible that there was an investigation of the abusers which came to the conclusion that the accusations were not substantiated, or could it be that they were sent for psychological treatment and returned with a recommendation that they could safely be in parish ministry and they haven’t offended since then?
I don’t think so. First off, the one priest in question was moved from a city parish to a rural parish – at the dead end of the diocese. My friends and I figure that he was put in a rural parish because as anyone who has ever lived in a very small town (~1000 people) knows, everyone knows everyone else’s business! Most of us knew about this man and with young children I never set foot in that church but drove 40 mins to another parish to Mass, confession etc.
In the second instance the abuse was over a long period of time and this priest was moved from parish to parish over a period of decades. He was still an active priest in 2007 and then moved to another parish in 2009. The abuse allegations were just filed last year. He was pulled from his priestly ministry. I am certain the bishop knew of this and he was simply moved around.
I am old enough to remember when a parish priest was in a parish for years. He knew the couples and their families, married their children and baptized their grandkids. All of sudden in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s priests started getting shunted around. We hated it. Every 3 or 4 years a new priest was moved in. We always wondered why?
I feel sorry for those good priests who want to help people but can’t – doors are replaced on confessionals now with curtains (we plug our ears when we go to confession 😉 ), priests cannot see women parishioners alone for fear of scandal etc. etc. My parish priest refused to bless the homes of single mothers unless there was a couple or other adult family members present. That is how bad things are now. 😦
Subvet,
I wholeheartedly agree with you. But you see, you and I are wrong. Ignorant, really.
Priests are not entitled to the full benefits of the Sacraments (i.e. their ability to restore us). Inasmuch as they let us all down, they need to be flogged and then kicked to the curb.
It’s Fr. Euteneuer all over again.
These events have shown me the extent to which we dwell among those afflicted with scrupulosity. It’s sad.
You’re right. So what if he IS guilty? He does his healing work, and then he gets back to his vocation.
How many men have done violence to their wives, children, marriages, homes, through drug abuse, alcoholism, gambling, physical violence, adultery…
and have been restored? If our priests are not entitled to as much in the eyes of the laity, then we don’t deserve any more vocations.
The Catholic church and our priest are always under attack. The devil is powerful and very bust trying to destroy our priests and Catholic communities. We must pray daily, pray the rosary….
Gerard — funny how Rose’s comments are allowed to stand…hmmm…
Your behavior and hers only confirm my suspicions there is something deeply unGodly and deeply sinful about idolizing mere men and raising them above God.
Whatever.
I know what you are now.
Yes Nora, I am a craven idolater. You’ve outed me!
Rose’s comments stand as a rebuke to your initiation of ad hominem slurs. I rarely watch Corapi, but am fully invested in seeing that justice is done. In this climate, relieving a priest of his duties puts the rumor mill into high gear concerning pedophilia. If he bears the presumption of innocence, then such presumption should bear the benefits of innocence.
Your past traumas have caused you to transfer your anger and hostility to a man who may well be innocent. Even if he is not, he didn’t molest you, and you therefore have no right to engage in the sin of detraction.
So, yes Nora, if it makes you feel good for a moment, I’m a craven idolator, a Corapi groupie and wannabe, and anything else you can think of.
You still need some loving and supportive counseling. Get well soon.
Nora,
You’ve worn out your welcome here and are banned from this blog. Troll elsewhere.
Wow. I mean, just . . . Wow!!
And God bless you, Dr. Nadal, for your graciousness and charity. I just learned of your blog thru The Anchoress. I look forward to being a regular reader.
Thank you Father. It’s great to have you here. There are some truly wonderful regulars here at Coming Home, and it’s a pleasure to add you to the family. God Bless.
Pax et Bonum!
We should keep several things in mind.
First, a good priest is concerned for the salvation of souls, not for his own hide. As a good father, he will be concerned with the possible harm to the faithful under his care, rather than with the possible harm to himself as the accused.
Second, to avoid any appearance of impropriety, a person of integrity will request without hesitation being placed in administrative leave until an accusation of this nature is properly investigated.
As in ALL these cases, I have always said that if such accusations were ever made against me AND I was innocent, I would challenge my accuser to a polygraph examination alongside myself in a public plaza for everyone to witness. Whenever, I do not see this type of candid and open response, doubts do arise as to the innocence of the accused.
We should pray for a thorough, ethical and fair investigation of the accusations. And we must be prepared to accept the outcome whatever it is.
However, regardless of Fr. Corapi’s guilt or innocence, it will always be just to applaud and give him credit for all the good he has done. You don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. Neither do you destroy a man because he succumbed to temptation in a moment of weakness. If he did something wrong he “earned” and should accept the punishment, in the exact same way he “earned” our admiration and applause for the good he has done.
Let us never forget that the failings, shortcomings or sins of a member of the Church, be he a Pope or a layman, do not in the least diminish the holiness of the Church’s teachings nor the validity of the Church’s mission.
Above all, let us keep him, and all our clergy, constantly in our prayers. May Almighty God help them to be virtuous and brave!
Hasn’t Fr. Corapi always been open about his past? Whats new?
Again I am saddened by these accusations, but I truly think that the croux of the whole situation is not only to destroy the reputation of our many good Roman Catholic priests, but to fully attack & destroy anyone who believes in God…so many of us Christians are being silenced and the enemy of God, satan (not worthy to be capitalized) and his demons are working overtime to DESTROY Christianity!!
Scripture says that we should be lights in this dark world in which we are living, & the and the salt of the earth. We who
love God and are Christians have a great task to adhere to
if we are true believers. God, Jesus & Mother Mary want
only what is good for us. Fr. Corapi, there is no doubt in my mind that you are innocent & the truth will prevail. May
St. Michael the Archangel be with you to fight the enemies of the Universal Church throughout the world. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP! We all love you & have learned so much from you… God Bless You Abundantly!
From: http://www.fathercorapi.com/Webpage.aspx?WebpageId=82&CategoryId=25
“Statement of Santa Cruz Media, Inc. Relative to Fr. Corapi’s Suspension
“Santa Cruz Media, Inc. is the owner of all of Fr. John Corapi’s intellectual property and the DVDs, CDs, and books that flow from it. We are a secular corporation and not affiliated with the Catholic Church in any way. As such, we are not under the jurisdiction of any bishop or other official in the Catholic Church, although we have the utmost respect for Church authority.
“We fully support Rev. John Corapi in this terrible trial, not surprisingly having begun on Ash Wednesday. Through the sacrifice and struggle of the desert and all of the dark moments that this entails, we are confident that the glory of the risen Lord will shine forth from the power of the Resurrection and Easter.
“We have consulted with a number of canon lawyers. They have assured us that the actions of the Bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas are, on several points of canon law, illicit. It is our fervent hope that The Dallas Charter will be changed because of false accusations like this. There is no evidence at this time that Fr. Corapi did anything wrong, only the unsubstantiated rant of a former employee, who, after losing her job with this office, physically assaulted me and another employee and promised to “destroy” Father Corapi. We all continue to pray for this person, and we ask you to do the same.
“We sincerely believe that the work Fr. Corapi has done is of greatest value to the Church, hence hated by the devil. We fully intend to make Fr. Corapi’s material available as a service to the Church and the world for as long as we possibly can.
“The Church provides no financial support to Fr. Corapi. He has to pay for his own legal representation, medical costs, food, housing, etc. We have never accepted donations or charitable contributions of any kind. We are supporting Father’s efforts to defend himself. Your purchase of products from Santa Cruz Media helps provide the funding for Father’s continued work as well as the legal expenses he continues to incur as a result of these malicious allegations.
“Father Corapi and all of us here at Santa Cruz Media, Inc. greatly appreciate your kindness, support, and prayers. Please continue to pray for Father Corapi and his accuser, as well as all priests who find themselves in this unfortunate situation. ”
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Bobbi Ruffatto
Vice President of Operations
Santa Cruz Media, Inc.
[…] unlike many commenters at various places around the internet (the judgement is in the comments, not the posts for the most part), I don't […]
My prayers are with Fr. Corapi, just another case made against the Catholic Church. The world situation as it is and people have time to write to Bishops. God Bless all the followers of EXTN.
Gerard, you did the right thing inviting undesirable off the blog. I think I would have done it when she first started showing her color..
It becomes clear how the evil one will use people in his battle against Good. Temptation is always knocking. We fall and if we take someone else down, so much the better.
Yes I’m on Fr. Corapi’s side and will do whatever I can to help.
It would be good if people did not use this blog for personal shots at each other, That does no good.