I'm posting this to talk about it. Since I live in Montana and I know people who see him in his hometown, I know he is alive and well. Other than that, I often wonder about this accusation. I find it very credible and plausible. So many rumors and gossip! FB now has a Vindication for Fr. Corapi site. What say you?? Did this giant of a man fall from grace, or is it like it says below?? Does anyone know him personally? I have yet to meet ANYONE who doesn't say nice things about him. God Have mercy! Fr. Corapi has done nothing wrong. A disgruntled employee, who worked for his media company, made false and malicious accusations against him, after being fired. Father wants his name cleared of false charges and has taken her to civil court. The new appointed liberal Bishop of Corpus Christi, William Mulvey, tried to forbid Father into going into civil court and ordered SOLT Order Superior to silence him. Fr. Corapi is presently at home in Montana, waiting for the court decision on his case against the accuser. The previous Bishop (Emeritus) of Corpus Christi Rene Henry Gracida defends Fr. Corapi: “Under the present canonical procedure it is too easy for any person to allege sexual misconduct of a priest for a variety of possible unworthy motives: revenge, hope for monetary gain, hostility to the Catholic Faith, etc. Such is reported to have been the case of the accusation against Father Corapi. I suggested Father Corapi that probably the only way he could clear his name would be through a civil law suit filed against his accuser. I made the suggestion to Father James Flanagan, the Priest General Servant Emeritus, and Father Flanagan entrusted the message to Father Anthony Anderson, SOLT, who flew to Montana and personally delivered the suggestion to Father Corapi.” Father Corapi said: “I did not start this process, the Bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas ordered my superiors, against their will and better judgment, to do it. He has a perfect right to do so, and I defend that right. Many forces besiege him, including pressure from other bishops. There are certain persons in authority in the Church that want me gone, and I shall be gone. My canon lawyer and my civil lawyers have concluded that I cannot receive a fair and just hearing under the Church’s present process. The Church will conclude that I am not cooperating with the process because I refuse to give up all of my civil and human rights in order to hold harmless anyone who chooses to say defamatory and actionable things against me with no downside to them.” Father Corapi, then, said: “Some very kind and fine people assume that I have “left the Church.” Please, understand this; I have not left the Church. I love the Catholic Church and would not “leave the Church.” I have resigned from public ministry, only. Once a man is ordained a priest he remains a priest for all eternity. Holy Orders is one of the three sacraments that imprints an indelible mark on the soul. What the Church can give or remove is “faculties”, which authorizes the person to publicly administer the sacraments. I always cringe when I hear “he’s not a priest anymore.” If he ever was, he still is. What they mean is that he is not functioning in the normal way most priests function, that is, publicly administering the sacraments.” Until his faculties to publicly administer the sacraments are returned, Fr. Corapi has to remain silent and can only offer mass privately, something he does daily. In the meantime, Fr. John is suffering in silence; he has remained faithful to the Church, as he has said, “I love the Catholic Church.” Please continue to pray for Fr John, who he has been falsely and maliciously accused.
Praying for the Father at mass this morning. Thanks so much for posting this Marti, I hope so much this is true. Fr Corapi was a great hero of mine. It just goes to show. I still have no idea of the truth , but this gives me great hope. Prayers going up.
If you get any insight spiritually Padraig, I'd enjoy hearing what you have to say! By the way, I've been seeing things lately. Out of the corner of my eyes. Makes me distracted. Need to get the holy water out!!
SOLT found him guilty but admitted that they did not talk to key witnesses, review key documents or talk to Corapi himself to get his side of things. SOLT also has refused to show Corapi the evidence against him, effectively denying him the chance to defend himself. Hmmm. Sounds like Padre Pio.
It's a disturbing case and it never sat right with me. I thought Fr Corapi was a true legend and his conversion story is amazing. However, aside from the accusations, is there any truth to the claims of his huge personal wealth? The houses, bikes, boats he owns? I was surprised to hear a priest owning such things. The change in his appearance, with the tan and the dyed goatee was noticeable and I wondered what he was at long before the accusations became public. But then again - it's not a crime to dye your hair or take a holiday. I didn't like his reaction to the accusations and felt his website (now closed) "The Black Sheepdog" was a huge mistake, a true 'own goal' and did nothing to help him but caused division in the church. I've read roumers. That's all. I'm glad you brought this thread up MS7 I was just googling t his story last month. still nothing new, just the same old he-said-she-said stuff. I'd love to know the truth.
I have been praying for Fr. Corapi and so very much love the man! The whole story stinks of infighting in the Church. I believe it is a similar case to Padre Pio's and I believe Fr. Corapi when he says "they want me gone". This may be wishful thinking but I believe/hope/pray that God will lift him up and use him as a powerful voice in the darkest times ahead. Hoping this is his "pruning" process by Our Lord. MS3- why don't we pick nine days this month and rally everyone on the forum to say a novena for him! We can all offer a sacrafice (big or small) for him to return to the pulpit to "feed the sheep" once again.
I attended at least two conferences of his (a very small group in a church and a large group at the Qwest Center in Omaha shortly before his fallout and listened to hours of his CD's. I loved his enthusiasm and doctrinally sound teachings, which he manifested. The only thing 'negative' I deducted was a lack of humilty. A very powerful, fearless, punch the devil in the nose type of guy, but loved by orthodox Catholics.
It is entirely plausible that Fr is telling the truth. I have no evidence either way on this, however I note that the same thing is happening right now in my diocese, the Rockford Diocese to 7 priests. I personally moved one priest in the Chicago Arch 3 times in one year because the arch "wanted him gone." until Cardinal George came here. Sadly, this is/has happened all over ie. Cardinal Burke.
I certainly hope and pray he was wrongly accused. But it is weird how the accusations came right at the time of his new website and book and that video he put out with his changed appearance and big leather jacket. I'll never forget it it made me so sad. Then again if he had all that wealth and boats you would think that would be easy to prove one way or the other. Hopefully some day the truth will come out. I miss his show a lot. We really need a priest like him now in these times.
I think regardless of what we do or do not ever know about this, the following things are true: Fr. Corapi was given many gifts and talents, and through prayer and the movement of the Holy Spirit, those gifts eventually broke through the lifelong attempts of the demonic forces aligned against those gifts to have a very positive effect on the reversion of many Catholics. The forces of evil haven't given up, and his gifts also came with, or generated, weaknesses that they continue to try to exploit. They may have succeeded in this battle, but hopefully not in the war. These two points can be made about ANY one of us in relation to our lives, our purpose in the world, and our successes and failures in keeping our talents and wills perfectly aligned with the Will of the Father and protected from evil, or not. I can personally attest to sticking my head out of the fox hole like him and having my butt handed to me through diabolical, patient, masterful manipulation of my own weaknesses.......all the while never rejecting Truth, or the pursuit of Truth, or losing the drive to evangelize others with Truth out of love for souls.......yet rendered less effective by the beating. I found I was not prepared for battle. I did not arm myself as scripture directs us to do. Certainly my head knew the Truth through gifts of intellect and discernment, and I could hear and recognize the voice of Christ through these gifts as well.....But discipline in a deep consistent prayer life was lacking and I became an easy target. Mine would be the perspective of an infantry man. Father Corapi would be a leadership role, and thus would need the prayers of many to maintain that protection I suspect.
When all this happened to Fr. Corapi, I seriously thought something happened like this: LOOK AT MINUTE 36:26 and watch this terrifying example of evil...
Its probably silly but I like priests and religious to look as nerdy as possible because I take it as positive sign that their heart is not set on this world but on the world to come. With lay people it is different , they have to maintain certain standards because of their jobs, their married states and so on. I am not saying a priest or religious should look dirty or neglected but I do dearly love to see them in an old frayed habit or jacket. If you go by the lives of the saints it is obvious how often the subject of their down dressing and poverty of life style comes up again and again and again. Its funny how a person's dress can effect how we view them, even when we think we are not judging. The guy who is always right in front of Church every day is a very devout gentleman who turns up in work trousers, with many pockets and a tee shirt. I have thought of him for years as being an ordinary working stiff like myself and regarded him as a kind of St Joe family kind of person. However yesterday before mass I was walking up and down smoking a cigar before mass outside the church when up he came driving a really, really top of the range brand new Mercedes. Beyond fleeting feelings of envy I understood at once he has his own hands on buissness. Later at mass I noticed even his t shirt was top range designer. Of course this should not make any difference at all to the way I regard the guy, but it does. I think in some sneaky secret place in my heart I regard him now as someone important. I shouldn't do this but I do. I love the way St James in Scripture used to warn about how we treat the poor and the rich. James 2:6 A Warning against Favoritism …5Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called? Its true though Fr Corapi's dress did concern me too.
I actually feel very sorry for priests who are incredibly handsome. SUCH A CROSS! The same goes for Nuns. Its interesting that Fr. Corapi talks very militarily. People are shocked at that, but I understand it perfectly. Having been a military wife and now a military mother, its in your soul. He was military to the bone. He is being cryptic in a military fashion. Remember his stories about going in with a gun to rescue a fellow priest and nun? I know the coloring of the hair was a huge change and I don't know what to make of that...it certainly is not a sin, but for such a high profile man, it is strange. God be with him!
Yes.........but Father Corapi as a charismatic figure was powerful because of all of the gifts God gave him, including his physical stature, his appearance, his voice, his intellect, etc. It was commanding and convincing and was effective in this day and age of video recordings and TV/internet access. Just look at Fulton Sheen as a good example. He reached 30 million people weekly on TV with great powerful truths of our Catholic faith. And he was striking in appearance AND what he chose to wear on TV. His voice, his facial features, his piercing eyes were all part of the whole, and were all gifts......none of them inherently evil. However, they could have become sources of pride or worldliness that could have been exploited by the evil one. Nobody truly knows the temptations that he or John Corapi endured when they set out on the path God gave them......
Yes ,so much is about presentation. That would explain much. I would rather die than die my hair , but that's just me. Your post reminds me of St Paul saying he was all things to all people. Anyhow I hope Fr Corapi is well spiritually whatever about the past. I must remember to pray....
Pride goes before disaster, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 My sense is that pride opened the door to the fall of Father Corapi. The only thing I fear these days is pride, because it's the one thing that could lead me into deception and disappointing the Lord. There was never a proud Saint!
Yes, such wonderful conversion experiences happen within our time. We had something similar happen at a nearby parish....a conversion of a young, very charismatic (just his story of conversion was intriguing) priest from actually a background of the Mafia!! As a result he had the entire parish really moving with guided bible studies, visits by other "mystics" with their own stories of hope et al. The poor Pastor who had adapted to many ups and downs over the years was often criticized for being too rigid in manner and felt he had to let go and permit this much desired "invasion" of the spirit! Well, to the later disappointment of the large number of effected faithful, suddenly this wonder man was gone without really much of an explanation....at first just transferred....but then later understanding left due to getting too involved with and then married to someone effected by a tragedy of national importance. Lots of drama there. But, in such circumstances where the diabolical one appeared to lose out with ones he thought he had so firmly in his grip, he won't easily let go and can use such cases to do even more harm. So, what's the answer for such "super stars"? Perhaps a lot more watchful guidance by a tried and true pastor in the beginning re-entry periods.....don't fall for the temptation that there is no longer any reason for concern due to a most dramatic conversion history....esp. if Mary's motherly attention was involved. That really irks her nemesis. They are still men with a history of otherwise addictions and need "parental" guidance whether humbly accepted or not.
