The following is the text of a press release issued by Fr. Gerard Sheehan, Fr. John Corapi's religious superior in the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT):
Father John A. Corapi submitted his resignation from the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) early in June. SOLT is a society of apostolic life of diocesan right with its regional office in Robstown, Texas.
While SOLT does not typically comment publicly on personnel matters, it recognizes that Father John Corapi, through his ministry, has inspired thousands of faithful Catholics, many of whom continue to express their support of him. SOLT also recognizes that Father Corapi is now misleading these individuals through his false statements and characterizations. It is for these Catholics that SOLT, by means of this announcement, seeks to set the record straight.
A woman, well known to Father John Corapi, mailed SOLT a signed letter detailing allegations of Father Corapi’s sexual activity with adult women, abuse of alcohol and drugs, improper sacramental practices, violation of his promise of poverty and other wrongdoing.
After receiving the allegation, 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.
As the society was engaging this team, Father Corapi filed a civil lawsuit against his principal accuser. He contended that she had defamed him and breached her contract. The contract, according to [Father] Corapi’s lawsuit, contained a provision binding the woman to silence about him. He offered the woman $100,000 to enter this agreement.
SOLT’s fact-finding team subsequently learned that Father Corapi may have negotiated contracts with other key witnesses that precluded them from speaking with SOLT’s fact-finding team. Many of these witnesses likely had key information about the accusations being investigated and declined to answer questions and provide documents.
When the fact-finding team asked Father Corapi to dismiss the lawsuit, to forbear from foreclosing his mortgage, and to release her and other individuals from their contractual obligations to remain silent about him, he refused to do so and, through his canonical advocate, stated: “It is not possible for Father Corapi to answer the commission’s questions at this time.”
SOLT’s fact-finding team has acquired information from Father Corapi’s emails, various witnesses and public sources that, together, state that, during his years of public ministry:
— He did have sexual relations and years of cohabitation (in California and Montana) with a woman known to him, when the relationship began, as a prostitute.
— He repeatedly abused alcohol and drugs.
— He has recently engaged in “sexting” activity with one or more women in Montana.
— He holds legal title to over $1 million in real estate, numerous luxury vehicles, motorcycles, an ATV, a boat dock, and several motor boats, which is a serious violation of his promise of poverty as a perpetually professed member of the society.
SOLT has contemporaneously, with the issuance of this press release, directed Father John Corapi, under obedience, to return home to the society’s regional office and take up residence there. It has also ordered him, again under obedience, to dismiss the lawsuit he has filed against his accuser.
SOLT’s prior direction to Father John Corapi not to engage in any preaching or teaching, the celebration of the sacraments or other public ministry continues. Catholics should understand that SOLT does not consider Father John Corapi as fit for ministry.
Father Sheehan will not be available for comments, as he is attending the SOLT General Chapter from July 5-23.
Let's pray for everyone involve, folks.
UPDATE: Press release now on the SOLT web site (direct link). And here it is framed on their main page.
Very sad situation. We can only pray for all those impacted directly or indirectly by this
In fairness to people I am always accused of not being fair to, there is good reason to think this is a hack. By whom is up for grabs, but there are some telling details that don’t jibe with the record, and the tone is even snarkier than I am.
I am searching for the original story. Google news doesnt have it. May be a fraud. Deacons Bench blog may have been the 1st, but it has been taken down.
I personally believe Corapi’s situation to be of scandal though, even though Corapi may be 100% truthful.
In light of this, SOLT’s restraint and gentle touch over the last few months is even more incredible. This is worse than I would have ever speculated.
“‘SOLT has contemporaneously, with the issuance of this press release, directed Father John Corapi, under obedience, to return home to the society’s regional office and take up residence there. It has also ordered him, again under obedience, to dismiss the lawsuit he has filed against his accuser.”
This statement of the press release kind of conflicts with the earlier statement that he resigned in early June. Contradictory!
Since Corapi is no longer ‘under obedience’ to SOLT.
Jimmy A., your not doing your work!
Nothing on SOLT’s website about this, although they have carried previous Corapi-related press releases…
I dunno, RB — maybe they are making one last-ditch effort to call him back.
I mean, how would a hacker know about the three-person investigative team?? The details ring true to me….
The professional style of writing hints to me that it is not a hack. Anyone attempting to put something false out there – anyone who was *against* Corapi – would know that doing this would rile up his followers (Corapians as they have started calling themselves) even more. In other words – it would not help the truth. It would just feed the sense of victimhood and conspiracy theories.
If you have been following the conversations on the FB pages and in the comments sections of various blogs – as well as read the excerpts from the brief that Tom O’Toole posted – they details do ring true. The whole thing really makes sense.
The statement has been out for a couple of hours now. That is plenty of time for NCRegister to have contacted SOLT to reconfirm the veracity of the statement. Arroyo’s blog says it was “sent to him” in the morning. Again – I find it hard to believe that Arroyo would post such a thing without certainty that it was legit.
(Not that I’m an Arroyo fan. I just think he has enough sense not to do that.)
+J.M.J+
The press release appears on the NCRegister site:
http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/father-john-corapi-resigns-from-solt/#ixzz1RFauIKK0
Also,
from TAC blog:
“[Chief Editor’s Note: I have just gotten off the phone with the editors of the National Catholic Register and they have confirmed that this is a genuine press release from Father Gerard Sheehan of S.O.L.T. They, S.O.L.T., are unable to take phone calls or respond to emails because they have General Chapter meetings until July 21, ie, reclused.]”
What is TAC blog? I can’t find it.
How convenient that SOLT releases this bombshell and then cannot respond to it! Sounds more than a little fishy on its face, much less now that they “can’t” respond to people’s questions. Surely the timing, if nothing else, is suspect.
TAC= The American Catholic – http://the-american-catholic.com/2011/07/05/solt-bombshell/. Post was written by me but the editor’s note comes from Tito.
Well the story is verified!
http://www.creativeminorityreport.com/2011/07/wow-solt-says-corapi-did-it.html
You may all want to monitor Corapi’s website
http://theblacksheepdog.us/
He should be commenting in the next few hours or never…unless he’s been on a binge lately.
RB
http://www.societyofourlady.net/welcome.html
It’s official
I’d like to see Jimmy’s Granny run him down with her John Deere to put the Fear of the Lord in his soul. He needs it!
Cults of personality are always dangerous and none more so than those concerning religion. If Corapi continues to keep up a public ministry, it is incumbent on the Church to excommunicate him, lest souls be led astray.
SOLT acted in wisdom to release this and be unavailable for comment. Really, there is nothing more to say. Further comment perpetuates the scandal. Move on. Go say a Rosary or meditate on the Scourging or do something spiritually fruitful.
If this behavior has been going on for years, where were his superiors? Shouldn’t they have confronted this behavior much sooner? It sounds like more scandalous behavior and more coverups. We don’t need any more of this…
I think we really need to discern the meaning of these scandles involving “conservative” Catholics – like Maciel, Euteneur, Corapi and others.
Yes people are hungry for the Gospel and the certainties we imagine earlier Catholics had. But they are so quick to attach that role of stability and security to mere men that they are being exploited by those who are unworthy and incapable of bearing that trust.
I don’t know what the answer is, but there is something really important going on. The Holy Spirit is working even through these sinful men to try to teach us something. We better find out what that is very soon.
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
We have SOLT priests working in our Diocese(of Cheyenne). We’ve known there was a General Chapter this month & that our priests (and brother) would not be available because they’d be ‘reclused’. So…that part is factual and planned long in advance.
Even the press release from SOLT is, on its face, dubious. I understand people like Jimmy Akin, who have jumped all over Fr. Corapi from the beginning (jealousy?), are eager to accept it at face value. But, all the press release really says is that persons accuse Fr. Corapi of committing certain acts. This is nothing new.
Read the SOLT press release carefully: “SOLT’s fact-finding team has acquired information from Fr. Corapi’s e-mails, various witnesses, and public sources that, together, STATE THAT . . .”
So people “state that” Fr. Corapi did certain things. We already knew that. In fact, SOLT has for some time possessed the complaint of the accuser that makes all these allegations; is she the “witness” that SOLT refers to?
I don’t know whether Fr. Corapi did anything. But I do know I’m not willing to accept at face value – as Jimmy Akin is so willing to do – mere accusations of unknown persons.
Many priests have been falsely accused in the sex abuse scandal, and it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Satan and his minions have falsely accused Fr. Corapi.
Here’s the direct link to the press release on SOLT’s news blog.
http://soltnews.blogspot.com/2011/07/press-release-concerning-fr-john-corapi.html
I have taken private vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The nature of them is, of course, different from those taken by Mr. Corapi, as he is tied to a religious community while I am not. However, let me state that the lifestyle he lived – his admitted wealth – was a little troubling to me and I do not find it at all consistent with the poverty spoken of in the Gospels.
My prayers are with him, with SOLT, and with his followers.
In Christ,
Peter
Jon – what kind of evidence would you like to see? The sexting correspondence that it says it has seen? A public discussion with the prostitute?
The reality is that if there is no process by which a small group with established rules can review the admissible evidence, then we will never have a good and reliable judgment about the truth of the accusations.
Fr. Corapi has seemingly made it extremely difficult, if not impossible for such a process to take place. Even his lawsuit, which is designed to enforce a contractual silence, will not lead to such a judgment. Whether the accusations are true or false is immaterial to whether a contract has been breached.
In such circumstances, I do believe that the religious authorities have a duty to warn the faithful that they have evidence that Corapi is not trustworthy. Silence in the face of such evidence could be extremely dangerous for the salvation of souls.
He is not Mr Corapi!
No matter what he has done or has not done, he is always a priests!
Forever!
He is Fr Corapi until eternity!
Even Martin Luther, herestic and excommunicate that he was, was Fr Luther, and still is Fr Luther wherever he is.
I still do not believe that Fr Corapi is guilty of the crimes he is charged with.
God bless Fr Corapi!
Kate-He can’t just quit, he has to be released by SOLT.
Eileen-I agree. A classic case of softness masquerading as charity. They should have brought the hammer down years ago. Might have saved him a lot of heartache.
Jon, Jimmy did not “…(jump) all over Father Corapi from the beginning (jealousy?)…” He reported allegations, while making it very clear that he did not know whether or not Father Corapi was guilty or not.
“Jealousy”? Please state the basis for your accusation against Jimmy.
Nowhere did Jimmy indicate that he “…accept(ed) at face value…mere accusations of unknown persons”. He reported these accusations.
“‘SOLT’s fact-finding team has acquired information from Fr. Corapi’s e-mails…'” (You cite this quote). That is more than “So ‘people state’ that…”.
SOLT let him break his vow of poverty for many years now.Why?
The fact that Fr. Corapi owns a bunch of property can be confirmed from public records, through the website of Flathead County, Montana: http://flathead.mt.gov/property_tax/ There are boat slips, two tracts of land totaling 12.5 acres, and three commercial condo units.
As others have pointed out, SOLT also needs to examine itself to see how a famous member priest with a public media ministry was able to amass so much money and property, as well as to cohabitate with a prostitute, without them noticing. What a scandal!
Sally says:I think we really need to discern the meaning of these scandles involving “conservative” Catholics – like Maciel, Euteneur, Corapi and others.
If Satan can appear as an “angel of light”, then how much easier for anyone, priests included, who are subject to effects of Original Sin, to come not only as dissidents, but also as men of orthodoxy, cloaked in piety?
People are rightfully hungry for orthodoxy and truth. It is a struggle for many to find it because of the misinterpretations of Vatican II. When someone comes along like Corapi, they cling to them much like a chick who hatches and sees someone not his mother, and thinks it is his mother.
The alarm bells started going off for me some years ago when he began seriously boasting in his talks about all of his goods, his ranch, female personal trainer, and other things.
Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Fr. Frank Pavone, and others have ruffled their fair share of feathers, as did Mother Angelica. None of them seemed to have a need for body guards and a loaded gun in the glove compartment. I’m sure each of them had to deal with people who got in their faces. This goes with the territory. I never bought the notion that Corapi had a monopoly on this.
I really think we need to look to the saints if we want role models. By all means, listen to priests who are good teachers of the faith. But you should also know that the best lessons may come from a man who does not speak with such dynamics as Fr. Corapi. In such cases, you must work for the pearl offered through their teachings by paying deeper attention, rather than looking for a good show. Servant of God, John A. Hardon, SJ, was not exactly a dynamic speaker, but he spoke the truth and taught the catechism without fear, or body guards, or loaded gun in the glove compartment.
There was a time this would have shaken my faith. No longer. As a an ordained deacon, I know what frail stuff the ordained among us are made of.
I do have a question about this press release – what do they mean when they say that they asked Fr. Corapi to “forebear from foreclosing on the mortgage”? I didn’t see any mention of a mortgage in the press release or in earlier statements.
It sounds like they are saying that Fr. Corapi held a mortgage on someone’s home and that he is trying to foreclose on it? Does that ring a bell with anyone?
@ Charlotte:
Jimmy Akin certainly did “jump all over” Fr. Corapi from the get go. Read his article titled (uncharitably) “Fr. Corapi Has Lost It”, which he wrote in response to Fr. Corapi’s “Black Sheep Dog” statement in June. In addition to the insulting title, in that article Mr. Akin wrote:
“‘Black sheep’ is obviously a common English idiom for a member of a group … who either has fallen from grace or who is regarded by members of the group as having fallen from grace. That fits Fr. Corapi’s status given the sexual misconduct allegations against him.”
So, without knowing the first fact at the time about anything in this ordeal, Mr. Akin implied that the allegations against Fr. Corapi were true and that Fr. Corapi had fallen from grace and so he was the “black sheep” of the Church.
This from someone who really knew nothing . . . except that it was a good time to jump all over Fr. Corapi.
The one thing I am glad about in this ordeal is that it has revealed to me the nasty side of supposedly “orthodox” Catholic bloggers like Mark Shea and Jimmy Akin.
I am not the only one to notice this; the vitriol from the “orthodox” Catholic bloggers has been surreal.
John Corapi was ordained to the priesthood by Pope John Paul II on May 26th, 1991. Regardless of everything that has transpired in this situation, I believe it would be good to recommend him to such a worthy & humble intercessor as this pope. Yes, Blessed John Paul II, pray for us all, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Jon, the poster’s name is AFTER the post. As for “vitriol”, you have shown us some fine examples of some.
I don’t see how any Catholic blogger, liberal or conservative can avoid commenting on this sad story.
When a man presents himself as a preacher, teacher, author, with a great desire to influence others
morally and spiritually,
his personal failings to live up his vows, and the tenets of his faith become a matter of
concern to the public.
I think you have treated the matter in a way that is fair.
it is sad, for everyone.
Sally–I wondered the same thing re the mortgage. It wasn’t worded very clearly.
Jon–You’re responding to someone else, but if you want to see vitriol, go to either of BSD’s FB pages.
This is a human tragedy no matter how you look at it. A man whom God raised from the depths of his former life of sin – wealth, cocaine addiction, and God knows what else – succeeded by divine grace to change his life. He became a priest, earned a doctorate in theology, and inspired millions with his preaching and teaching gifts for twenty years, only to fall from grace and backslide into sin again. Anyone who struggles with personal sinful addictions understands what happened to Fr. Corapi. At some point, he let his guard down, and as we all know, the Devil never sleeps, but preys upon our personal weaknesses and vulnerabilities, past and present. If we do not use the supernatural weapons at our disposal, we sink again into the mire. That Fr. Corapi should have known this better than anyone, is a besides the point now. I thank God for the good that he did during the years of his ministry, and I pray that he will repent and find salvation once again. What he allowed to happen to himself is a warning to everyone, however holy or righteous you think you are, and in whatever vocation you live. These words of scripture come to mind: ” Above all, be firm and steadfast, taking care to observe the entire law which my servant Moses enjoined on you. Do not swerve from it either to the right or to the left, that you may succeed wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7-8) AND “Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith…” (1 Peter 5:8-9a)
It would seem that the mortgage reference means that Father held the mortgage to the accuser’s house and was now trying to evict her. The book “Coronary” indicates that he rented a house for his office manager first in California and then after moving to Montana.
Christ be in all tongues telling of me.
Frankly, having listened to (a celibate gay leaning guy myself) this supposedly man of the cloth, Fr. Corapi, I really am not surprised. Something in my gut from as early as I can remember instinctively told me something wasn’t right about all of his hullabaloo. It just did not ring as sincere or faithful words to me. Can’t explain it, but I sensed it. Like he was just blowing off steam.
As a ‘gay’ man living within the church a celibate life is tough. But frankly, I made the decision after half my life was lived in decadence to forgo my sexual interests in return for something greater, my salvation. It’s a choice I made and had to make, but boy was it damn tough and it sure the hell still is too. So I still struggle with it. But I’m not going to bad mouth the church or its teaching just because they do not accept what I’d like to do if I could. I fully accept the church’s teaching and frankly unlike Corapi, I’m willing to live within it. I refuse to be a Judas about it. It’s sad that this letter is so explicit in unmasking the man this guy truly is. Every generation seems to have its Judas. Well folks, we have found another Judas who made his choice. As for me, I’ll stick with the church thank you very much! Thanks for listening.
So three unidentified persons on SOLT’s “fact finding team” accuse Father Corapi of sin; Father Corapi has denied the accusations.
That’s 3-1. Who do you believe? The 3, because 3 is a bigger number than 1?
What was the ratio of Jesus’ accusers to Jesus, who was innocent? 100-1?
100-1 didn’t prove guilt; why does 3-1?
Why are you hankering for a hanging?
Oh, yeah, you’re “orthodox”, right?
Tommy,
Your struggle as a homosexual living a celibate life in the Church is commendable, but not more so than the millions of unmarried heterosexuals doing the same thing, like my unmarried sister.
Something smells bad about this whole accusation.
A Priest who for 20 years has preached solid orthodoxy and has helped thousands to humility and to come closer to God.
Even someone with a dead conscience would have folded a long time ago.
To live this long and not show his bad side.
Methinks Fr Corapi is being falsely acused by higher ups in the Lavender Mafia.
@Jon, Fr. Sheehan has shown the courage to report precisely what the charges are, and to state what facts he believes have been confirmed by an investigation.
Fr. Corapi, on the other hand, has denounced his superiors and the bishop responsible for the order, has insinuated malign motivations, and has presented precisely zero evidence for his accusations.
Jon and Dan – as I said above, the fact that Fr. Corapi has made an investigation impossible does mean that we are not going to get an impartial judgment about the veracity of the accusations.
But there are 2 considerations that do make it reasonable to conclude that there may be some truth to the accusations:
1. Fr. Corapi could release the witnesses from their secrecy agreements in order to present exculpatory evidence, and has chosen not to do so. Presumably, even if these witnesses were lying and making false claims, interviewing them would likely bring out inconsistencies and allow for a credibility judgment to be made about their claims. So even this would be exculpatory. Very few people are able to be consistent and convincing liars all the time, and therefore even their lies could be exculpatory. Also, Fr. Corapi could point out evidence that refutes their claims, if they are false.
He could also, presumably submit to a drug test that could rule out at least one of the accusations, and has chosen not to do so.
His own actions have led to the stalemate that prevents exculpatory evidence from coming out. Therefore, it’s reasonable to conclude that the evidence he could easily permit to be brought forward is NOT exculpatory, and that this is why he is preventing it from coming out.
2. Fr. Corapi’s well-known habit of filing lawsuits would likely lead his religious superiors to be extremely cautious in making public statements. I very much doubt that they would release the information in this press release if they did not have evidence to support what they are saying. If there was nothing backing up the statements made in the press release, they would very likely be facing a lawsuit and a severe backlash.
So while it’s true that there is not likely going to be any definitive judgment made by an impartial body about the truth of these allegations, there do appear to be reasonable grounds for saying there is evidence in support of these allegations, and that Fr. Corapi has done nothing that would permit these accusations to be put aside, although he could seemingly easily do so. On these grounds,it is reasonable to conclude that the allegations may have some merit to them.
That’s a rather tentative judgment – that allegations may have some merit — but there’s no mechanism that I see at the moment for coming to a more definitive judgment. But I see no evidence to suggest that this is all just a result of malevolent bishops and religious superiors. All that is based on innuendo and hurt feelings.
Dan – I’d invite you to learn about Fr. Maciel, a man of such stunning deception that he took in Pope John Paul II and many, many other good people for over 50 years, while founding a supposedly ultra-orthodox religious order.
For decades, many very good people loudly proclaimed that Fr. Maciel was innocent of all charges, until recently when it was confirmed that he engaged in homosexual abuse of young boys, fathered at least a couple of children, stole money from his order and abused drugs. They also claimed that all charges were the result of jealousy, hostility to orthodox Catholic teaching, and the workings of the devil. Now all these people have to admit that they were the ones being deceived by Fr. Maciel, who was himself doing the works of the evil one.
The human capacity to lead a double life is indeed troubling, but it is well-confirmed and irrefutable just by several Catholic priests in the last couple of decades.
Can. 731 §1 Societies of apostolic life resemble institutes of consecrated life. Their members, without taking religious vows, pursue the apostolic purpose proper to each society. Living a fraternal life in common in their own special manner, they strive for the perfection of charity through the observance of the constitutions.
§2 Among these societies are some in which the members, through a bond defined in the constitutions, undertake to live the evangelical counsels.
Societies of apostolic life don’t necessarily have their members promise poverty, though SOLT happens to. They are not institutes of consecrated life. This ought to be clarified in blog posts so that those who encounter members of societies of apostolic life that don’t practice the evangelical counsels aren’t scandalized.
Another reason I am glad to leave the Catholic Church. The scandals never cease!!!
Great idea, roger! Find a Church (or any group, for that matter) that only allows the perfect in! And see if they let you in.
But, then, you just wanted to whine and throw a pebble at a battleship. You proved your smallness; congratulations.
roger said, “Another reason I am glad to leave the Catholic Church. The scandals never cease!!!”
Friend, I’m glad that the Apostles didn’t abandon the Church when Judas committed the greatest scandal known to mankind when he betrayed Christ.
That is one of the lessons of Judas. He was truly called by Christ, but as with all of us, he had a free will. God does not force anyone to choose good. God does not give anyone a cross they cannot bear. In the end, Judas despaired and hung himself, rather than go to Christ and beg for forgiveness and mercy.
So, you can claim to leave the Church due to scandal, but perhaps there is really some other factor other than the Corapi scandal and other scandals caused by priests.
Peace
Cocaine is a very water-soluable drug and is extensively metabolized by the body. These metabolites, are also very water-soluable and are excreted by the urine . It’s not like THC which can reside in your fatty tissue for months. One would only need to abstain from cocaine for a few days max to give a negative test for cocaine and its metabolites within bodily fluid. For longer than that, usually the only way to detect use that I’m aware of would be through a hair sample. And if you shave off all of your hair, you can avoid testing positive by this method also.
Don’t hair folicles remain even after you shave your head? And wouldn’t a beard (or goatee) hair folicle work for a drug test?
I am in good company – lots of sinners in the Catholic church, why would I ever want to leave…bunch of ‘tongue waggers’ – perhaps we need another St. Augustine to write another CONFESSIONS…
Sally: yes, the hair folicles remain, as your hair grows back after cutting it of course, but I think only the hair itself contains evidence of cocaine use. Yes, I think a goatee would work for a drug test, but it would have to be long enough. Fr. Corapi has seemed to always kept his quite short
The postings by Diane Korzeniewski and The Sarge make me glad I didn’t leave the Catholic Church.
Does anyone know where we can find a copy of the lawsuit Fr. Corapi filed?
We beleaguered Catholics are easy suckers for a conversion story but before we conclude that Corapi is the next Augustine, let us recall what the first Augustine said that is so relevant to this sordid tale:
“It is a perversion for people to want to enjoy money, but merely to make use of God. Such people do not spend money for the sake of God but worship God for the sake of money.”
St Augustine, City of God, Book XI, chapter 26
http://tinyurl.com/CorapiDogTail
A redacted copy of the lawsuit is available through the website of “SNAP”.
Mark – thanks. Perhaps you can help others who also feel the need to abandon the Church through scandal.
The second lesson of Judas is that he was only one out of twelve. Sure the others committed sins, but Judas committed the most heinous, and moreso, was unrepentant.
Because he was only one out of twelve, we know that among our bishops there will be a very tiny fraction who choose truly evil ways, and we can only hope that, unlike Judas, they do not despair through pride, and repent.
I do not project on to all priests the sins of a few, or onto bishops the reticence of other bishops. Each priest and bishop’s actions must be judged individually, lest we fall into stereotyping.
While some leave the Church because they truly are scandalized, there are still others among the scandalized, or have other, deeper issues, such as Church teachings they cannot accept, and the scandals just become an excuse to abandon the Faith.
For them, we can only pray.
Holy smokes!!!! Another scandal!!! Lord, help us all and bless our priests and our faithful and our one holy Catholic and apostolic Church!
TROLL COMMENTS DELETED.
Free advice – don’t feed trolls like “Roger”. He’s an attention-seeker who will simply insult people to get a momentary thrill of having someone pay attention to his ignorant and hateful views. Just pass over his comments and say a prayer that he be healed of whatever ails him. Like you would with a five-year old who just learned how to say “poopy-head” to his seven year old sister.
Basically what everyone is doing is judging or discerning words…that is crazy! We have no proof on either side…we are just reading words and passing judgement on WORDS! You can’t value where the words came from otherwise, we would have a nutty system of justice in our land.
As the Society was engaging this team, Fr. Corapi filed a civil lawsuit against his principal accuser…
SOLT’s fact-finding team subsequently learned that Fr. Corapi may have negotiated contracts with other key witnesses that precluded them from speaking with SOLT’s fact-finding team…
When the fact-finding team asked Fr. Corapi to dismiss the lawsuit, to forbear from foreclosing his mortgage, and to release her and other individuals from their contractual obligations to remain silent about him, he refused to do so.
-S.O.L.T. Official Press Release
Many have asked, or criticized, me concerning the reason I filed a civil defamation suit against the accuser in this case. It is because the two men I respect most in the Catholic Church advised me to do so. Fr. James Flanagan, Founder and most respected member of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, and Bishop Rene Gracida, the former Bishop of Corpus Christi, had a meeting on this matter. The result was that they advised me strongly to file a civil defamation suit.
– From a blog on the official Black Sheep Dog Website.
Neither Fr James Flanagan – who resides in Rome I think or Bishop emeritus Rene Gracida who said he hasn’t seen John Corapi for years is his religious superior. His religious superior is Gerrard Sheehan and this is the man to whom John Corapi should have gone to for advice.
I have many DVDs of John Corapi and they are all totally orthodox. I don’t know that I will ever be able to watch them again.
I wonder who is the canon lawyer who has been advising Corapi.
The latest twitter update from #TheBlackSheepDog indicates –
“Very special announcement coming Thursday.”
Maybe it’s my NYC-girl BS-o-meter, but I’m more shocked that people are shocked by this mess than I am by the mess itself. I never really understood Corapi’s attraction, and there were always so many red flags popping up all over the place for me. His BSD FB page is a real eye-opener, though. As abusive and cruel and aggressive as they act on FB, one suspects they’re sad and lost and empty at heart. It’s all just very weird and crazy and tragic.
RC writes: “@Jon, Fr. Sheehan has shown the courage to report precisely what the charges are”
Exactly. Charges. “Charges”. As in, “accusations”.
Mere “charges” and “accusations” made by a few unknowns and all of you are judging a known priest.
Shameful.
You all would have judged Jesus, too. After all, there were hundreds leveling “charges” against him, right?
This is going to sound weird, but I’m finally beginning to realize what a blessing it was for me to have grown up in a strong Catholic parish that frankly had some really crappy priests (alcohol, affairs, you name it)! I left the church for years (not because of them, but simply because I was young and selfish and didn’t think I needed the church) and came back strong after a years-long reversion experience (Thanks, God!). But the training of my youth is serving me well — we’re all pretty damn fallen, including our priests. But in the end, it’s Christ that matters, and His church. So although it’s sort of sadly ironic, the crapola priests of my childhood are a blessing to me now.
I’m shocked at how many times I’ve seen it implied that the situation with Fr. Corapi was “dividing the Church”. Hello!!! This is one man. However shocking and emotionally hard the situation is for those who followed his ministry, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that should indicate in anyway that this situation should be “divisive” for them from the Church. I understand emotions, and I understand expressing emotions, but if one man was your stronghold to the Church, there’s a big problem there!
Something bothers me about the July 5th letter from Father Sheehan of SOLT.
Father Sheehan notes that typically SOLT does not comment on personal matters but it would seem that it was perfectly responsible to issue this indictment at this time before he enters their order’s general assembly for three weeks. Not only does Father Sheehan comment, he eviscerates Father Corapi. The good Father Sheehan begins his assault by saying that Father Corapi has mislead his supporters through false statements and characterizations. Sheehan also say that it is for these Catholics that SOLT wishes set the record straight. What a fine way to set the record straight; to perform character assassination on a man and then go into relative hiding where one cannot be reached for comment. What a fine Catholic example.
Let me set the record straight as I see things. Father Corapi’s primary accuser is a woman named Tamra Sexton who has given away and attempted to sell through EBAY, Rosaries owned by Father Corapi, allegedly, while trying to raise funds for her so-called Online Catholic Network. Sexton, who fancies herself an evangelizer, accumulated a list of more than 2,500 Catholic Facebook friends, a virtual who’s who in Catholic pro-life activity and Catholic blogging. From records provided to me, it is apparent that Sexton has been beligerent and engages in taunting behavior with Father Corapi’s supporters through her Facebook account, often appearing even incoherent as she rambles on about how “we will all see”, that she is “a victim”.
Father Corapi claims that “a former employee” stole “The Black Sheep Dog” name as reason for www .the blacksheepdog.com redirecting people to Tamra Sexton’s Online Catholic Network. Having been registered into her “network” more than a year ago, I logged into the sight where I realized that both Sexton and her husband Matt Sprinkle had friend requested me through their “network” -also more than a year ago. Sexton being online, I asked her why www. theblacksheepdog. com re-directed people to her website. She claimed that she owned the domain. Sexton would not reply to any other questions. Sexton has also raved on about “call girls” payed for by Corapi and that she has the FBI has records to indicate this.
What is Father Corapi guilty of? Apparently everything that he could possibly be guilty of. The good news is that as far as we can tell from Father Sheehan, Father Corapi has never kileed anyone. He didn’t mention that the FBI was involved like Sexton did however. Father Corapi has apparently spent most of his time between 20 years of public speaking and recording more than 250 hours worth of talks on the Catechism buying sex, booze and loose women. But were it all perfectly true, Father’s guilt in no way would excuses the deplorable manner in which he has been treated. The manner in which this investigation has been handled, in my opinion, is indicative of how pathetically out of touch with the world some members of the Church really are.
Last night I was feeling my age and was exhausted from this entire affair. I was feeling defeated and conciliatory. Today is a different matter. Today, I’m slightly better rested, more lucid, mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any more. I am going to tell you today that everything that Father Corapi has said about the weak kneed, soft in the spine, soft in the head poor Catholic leadership is more true about more members of the Catholic Church than anyone wants to realize or accept. Active or not, I’d rather be told the truth by a poor sinner, than be treated like a mushroom, that is, be fed garbage and kept in the dark, like so many sanctimonious Catholic priests and bishops do to the Catholic faithful. Thank God for books and alternate Catholic media.
Don’t mistake me. I love the Catholic Church. It was a long hard winding road that brought me into full communion with the Church. It took the passing of a pope and the reading of a number of new books by a new pope and a 400 year old book by a North African Bishop that led me to my confirmation. I also watched this electric priest with a booming voice who told Catholics without apology where the bear walked through the bushes. Refreshing! Whatever the truth of these matters is, I have faith that in God’s good time, the truth will be made known. The innocent will be vindicated, the guilty will be exposed and the parties that govern the timing and nature of these proceedings will be known and evaluated as their partiality merits.
God is more merciful and judicious than men. Thank God for that -but these events have baffled me, disturbed me and strangely, mysteriously and ultimately, uplifted me. For now though, I will continue to pray like a warrior. Please Holy Mother, by the will of your Holy Son Jesus, straighten these matters out.
As an investigator, there are several things about SOLT’s press release that cause me to question the veracity of their evidences against Fr. Corapi.
TO BE CLEAR … I AM NOT TAKING SIDES ON THIS MATTER, I AM SIMPLY LOOKING AT THE STATEMENT WITH OBJECTIVITY!
1) If SOLT was in possession of e-mails, sexy-texts, and vast property holdings as evidence against Fr. Corapi (which are not actually evidence because Fr. Corapi was NOT under a vow of poverty, more on that in a moment), Fr. Corapi would have been aware of that. He’s NOT stupid, so he would ALSO have known that SOLT would release this information (if it is real) in the event that he fought the charges in public.
The point is, he would have to have been a monumental idiot to contest the charges if the evidence is true. Is Fr. Corapi really THAT dumb? Just something to consider.
2) SOLT said: “SOLT’s fact-finding team subsequently learned that Fr. Corapi may have negotiated contracts with other key witnesses that precluded them from speaking with SOLT’s fact-finding team. Many of these witnesses likely had key information about the accusations being investigated and declined to answer questions and provide documents.”
The phrase “may have negotiated” is speculative and not conclusive. Furthermore, the phrase “likely had key information” is also speculative. If the evidence against Fr. Corapi can stand on its own without speculation, then why include speculation in a published conviction against him?
3) SOLT’s statement said: “SOLT’s fact-finding team has acquired information from Fr. Corapi’s e-mails, various witnesses, and public sources that, together, state that, during his years of public ministry: (what follows is a list of allegations stated as fact)”
The phrase “that, together, state that” does not indicate any sort of smoking gun, does not specifically conclude wrong-doing, and is further speculation (as opposed to proof) of guilt. To claim that all things together suggest a conclusion without providing the evidence forces the reader to that the accuser’s word for it. While I am not claiming that SOLT is lying per se, we must conclude from the opposed statements that either Fr. Corapi is lying, or SOLT is. For the moment, all we can do is place our faith in one or the other. We have no evidence, only the words of opposing sides, and the side of the accuser is using speculative language to promote an unproved conclusion.
4) This statement from Bishop Gracida states very specificallly that Fr. Coralp was not under a vow of poverty: http://www.sanctepater.com/2011/07/bishop-gracida-solt-statement-effort-to.html. Having been the bishop of Corpus Christi while Fr. Corapi was there, he would be in a position to know this for a fact. However, SOLT claims that “He holds legal title to over $1 million in real estate, numerous luxury vehicles, motorcycles, an ATV, a boat dock, and several motor boats, which is a serious violation of his promise of poverty as a perpetually professed member of the Society.” Either SOLT is UNAWARE of the fact that Fr. Corapi did not have a vow of poverty (which I believe to be unlikely), or SOLT is lying.
The bottom line is … we do not have facts or evidence. We only have the words of opposing sides, from which we can conclude that one side is lying, or at the very least, in severe error. As it stands, I think SOLT has as many questions to answer as Fr. Corapi. In prudence, this really is a “wait and see” situation where we are obligated out of charity to reserve judgment until we know the facts … not the accusations.
Brian:
Let’s get this straight.
If the accuser is guilty of tacky and exploitive behavior….so what? What does that have to do with Corapi’s guilt?
In fact – if the two of them (and others) were involved for years in a sort of Catholic con game that seemed to have gone sour a year or so ago – why would expect anything different? They were in it together.
You are obviously picking up on the meme from the Corapians that goes something like “Didn’t Father know how crazy his Assistant was all those years and how badly she treated people?”
Well umm….maybe he did know? Maybe he wanted her to act that way? Maybe they were in it together?
Because Corapi has sued his accuser for defamation, that lawsuit would be the “impartial” forum to adjudicate the truthness or falsity of her accusations. As the plaintiff, Corapi will have the burden of proving that the accusations are false. Her defense will be that her statements were true.
Also, Corapi’s response to SOLT’s press release will be telling.
One-time Father Corapi (God have mercy on him) now joins the ranks of his infamous predecessors in the world of televangelical malfeasance: Eddie Long, Ted Haggard, Jim Bakker, and Peter Popoff (and those are just the names that I think of off the top of my head!). “For the love of money is the root of all evils” (1 Tim. 6:10).
All these accusations aimed at a priest who is still presumed innocent.
There is still no tangible proof to us who comment whether Fr is guilty or not.
And I have read the SOLT comments.
There is no rock solid evidence to us.
I was just reading a thing by St. Albert the Great about Christ’s head during His Passion. It talked about how everything bad that happened to Christ becomes a help for us, and it notes the shouting of insults.
This is to help us hear the cry of the poor, and avoid “the poison of detraction and adulation.”
Adulation is a poison. That’s exactly it.
Brian, SOLT’s lawyers wouldn’t a press release to go out if it contained false information. If SOLT’s investigative team was able to verify emails and texts indicating inappropriate behavior on Corapi’s part, I’m sure those emails and texts have been documented/traced.
Corapi’s entire ministry was problematic from the get-go, but as long as he was toeing the line as far as his message went, the Church was happy to look the other way. So was SOLT.
Cynic that I am, I suspect SOLT and the Church would have been happy to sweep Corapi’s behavior under the rug had he been a little more generous with the proceeds of his ministry.
However, Corapi was always all about Corapi first. Anything else was a means to an end — that end being his bank account and his lifestyle.
SOLT and the Church, I am sure, are more than happy to wash their hands of Corapi, the bevy of bimbos working for him over at Santa Cruz Media, and the looney-tunes who are even now swearing fealty to their guru-du-jour.
What I hope comes out of this is a long, hard look on the Church’s part at these oddball freelance personal ministries, the problem with anyone being able to use the internet to build a following by throwing around the Catholic Church, the CCC, etc.
The internet seems to be the place where every dysfunction finds its home, it’s peeps. Everyone can exist inside the echo chamber of their choice. Corapi is an example of how destructive that is to the Church — to Christians in general. To society.
There are no winners here. None. Everyone stinks. Corapi is the least of it — he’s just another swaggering, hyper-macho scam artist with a taste for the seamier side of life. Big deal. Guys like him are a dime a dozen. The real loser here is the Church. They need to get with the times — they need to get out of their ivory tower, their golden palaces, they need to get over themselves and return to the Church Christ instituted — a Church built on a simple everyday Joe (or Peter, in this case).
Until then, the next Corapi is right around the corner. Same old same old. Nothing ever changes.
Nina,
Who is this “Corapi” that you speak of?
I will assume, that you are speaking of the priest, Father John Corapi.
If you are, I would think you would have some regard for the character imprinted on Father Corapi’s soul for eternity and he will eternally remain a sacramental “Alter Christus”. Even if Fr Corapi himself does not choose to address himself by Father.
Even Cardinal Law and Father Martin Luther are priests forever.
Show some regard for Fr Corapis sacramental character no matter what he has or has not done wrong.
So let me get this straight: After making judgments about, Jimmy, Mark Shea, and other posters here, Jon criticizes others for making judgments. Does he forget what he posts, or does he think that others do?
Hey, maybe he’s actually trying to make Father Corapi’s supporters look bad…
Dan,
He’s getting the regard he’s earned.
That’s the problem — you attach the title of “priest” to someone, and we’re all supposed to treat them like they’re some kind of higher being.
They’re not.
They’re just men, and that’s all they’re ever going to be, no matter what.
Corapi gets the regard his actions have earned him. He can put on his big-boy pants and deal. So can you.
Nina,
Maybe you do not know it, but when Fr Corapi was ordained, his actual being became radically different.
The Church has always and everywhere taught that a man who recieves Holy Orders, be it a Deacon or Priest is radically configured to Christ, the High Priest.
You might be confusing a priests sinfulness in his human person with the unalterble and real character [mark] of the Ministerial Priesthood.
Even if Fr Corapi or any priest is evil, he has still been called from amongst men to take on The Ministry of offering the Sacrifice of the Mass and dispensing Christs Sacraments and this is only, only given by Christ to the Priest.
As such Fr Corapi and every ordained priest deserves much respect in His office as “Alter Christus” [another Christ] being configured to Christ and unalterably changed in reality.
Even a priest who is in deep mortal sin can confect the Eucharist and effect transubstantiation and dispense the sacraments.
Even the holiest and Christlike man can never do these Divine actions and we must respect Fr Corapis office even if he has committed monstrous sins.
This does mean we should set him up as a paragon of virtue or emulate or even like him if his actions are evil, but we must respect the unalterable character that he and all priests bear within themselves, that you or I never will have.
God bless.
Sweetie, you can believe what you like, but I do not spit in the face of God by believing that one group of men can somehow alter another group of men’s “beings” by performing a ceremony.
God is God, Christ is God, the Holy Spirit is God.
Men are men.
Priests are not anything higher or more divine or more wanted or loved by God or more deserving of respect and regard than any other human being.
It’s whacked out beliefs like yours that led to the sex abuse scandal and that put John Corapi on the pedestal he remains on to this day in some people’s eyes.
The Church can teach what it likes, and people can interpret it however they like.
Me, I’m sticking with God and God’s Word, not some men’s self-serving blather about how they’re now different sorts of beings than I am because they said some woo-woo magic spell and made it so.
You want to stand before God and explain to him how some child-raping priest was actually de facto more deserving of regard because even though he liked to put his penis in little boys’ rectums, hey, he’s a priest and therefore better than the rest of us, you go ahead. Not me. I have more honor and more integrity than that.
You, you’ve just shown me what you are, and I ain’t got a whole lotta respect or regard for you, either.
I don’t like creeps and I don’t like child rapists. Let’s just hope you only belong to the first category.
Nina,
I am sorry I did not realize that you were not Catholic.
Here is a short synopsis of what Catholics believe the Priesthood of Christ Jesus is:
http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Priesthood/Priesthood_020.htm
God Bless you
The Creep
Nina,
Some more explanation on what the Priesthood is:
http://catholic-priesthood.excerptsofinri.com/
Nina, I don’t like bigots. I don’t like bigots who claim to “stick with…God’s Word”–when what they really mean is their own personal interpretation of God’s Word–to justify their bigotry and hate.
Nina,
Here is more from the Vicar of Christ on Earth Pope Benedict XVI on the Priesthood:
http://www.vocations.com/benedictxvi/index.htm
Good for you, Sarge. Maybe you and Danny can get together and whisper sweet nothings in each other’s ears about it.
Nina see Mr Akins, “Da Rulz”
1. People are welcome to disagree with me in the comments boxes as long as they are polite. I don’t mind disagreement. I do mind rudeness. (Be sure and see Rule 20 for how disagreement should be expressed in certain cases!) Rudeness towards others on the blog is also out of bounds.
You have not taken your medicine and are being very rude.
Dan, what Nina is engaging in is called: “Watch-Me-Prove-My-Opponents-Right”. The troll is trying to get our goats. Just type with a smile on your face and a twinkle in your eye.
GROSSLY OFFENSIVE MATERIAL DELETED.
NINA IS HEREBY DISINVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BLOG.
Dan: What you have said about the mark left upon Father Corapi’s soul is even more true as far as the mark left upon Bishop Mulvey’s soul, which Father fails to respect.
Mike: the fact that Father is not under a “vow” of poverty doesn’t mean that he isn’t obliged to a life of simplicity as are all priest per Canon 282. As a member of a Society of Apostolic Life, any income from the ministry is supposed to belong to the Society as per Canon 741.2.
Brian: the vast majority of his recordings were done years ago. His conferences in recent years has taken up not more than about a week’s worth of time. The recent costs of producing a set of Catechism DVD’s or CD’s with cover and all comes to maybe $5, and sells for $250. It would seem like he has a good deal of idle time on his hands.
Fwiw, it’s not a vow but a promise of poverty. A promise of poverty doesn’t go well with owning a yacht, ranch, million dollar estate, commercial condominiums, maserati, etc.
So, what triggered Fr. C to speak out publicly (and launch a counter civil lawsuit, instead of dealing the matter quietly/privately) is that the woman’s accusations will affect his business. For his business to operate, he has to be a priest in good standing with the Church. (This according to the legal complaint scanned and posted on the internet, as was cited by some users).
My common sense asks me, is it all about money then?
I pray for Fr. Corapi, and for all who (ignoring the motes in their own eyes) are so quick to judge.
After watching Corapi’s last video, two things came to mind: It is said that everyone has a dark or “shadow” side. Seems that his dark side has emerged; he did not want to “crawl under a rock and die.” (I mean, wearing a Harley jacket?) Secondly, BS uses “we” and “us” a lot in his video. This is scary.
May God help him.
If you go to: solt.blogspot.com, you will find this press release posted. It is not a hack. I agree that some of the statements seem contradictory, but perhaps this is a mistake. What is clear is that Fr. Corapi needs prayers now more than ever, and it is doubtful if his stated and much publicized conversion ever really took place.
I found this article useful in a paper I am writing at university. Hopefully, I get an A+ now!
How soon we forget the good he has done. He taught only the truth. He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone. Be careful about judging les we be judged.
You mean like the way you are judging, Lorraine?
Tommy, you may not see this comment but I politely disagree with what Jon said to you. Unlike unmarried heterosexuals, you must live without the hope of ever experiencing loving intimacy within the bond of marriage. Plus, the mere fact that you’re male most likely increases your sexual temptations tenfold as opposed to those that the average woman experiences. Please know that I am inspired by your struggle to live by the Church’s teaching and it means a heck of a lot to Our Lord. Be reassurred that there are devout conservatives out there who don’t demonize homosexuals and understand that same sex attraction isn’t simply learned behavior. May Our Lord and Lady bless and love you.
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