This is not an episode of my own podcast but an episode of Kresta in the Afternoon in which I joined Al Kresta to discuss the most recent developments in the Fr. Corapi case and to try to make sense of them. Please keep all in prayer. Segment starts at about the 7:00 minute mark. (NOTE: Link to original file now fixed.)
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Author: Jimmy Akin
Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."
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Al Kresta is awesome!
Why?
If I heard correctly, you indicated that Father’s father also used the alias “Coradi”. Wasn’t Coradi his actual name, and Corapi the name that Father Corapi has been using? It would seem that his father Anthony Coradi was consistent with the name Coradi, and based on his birthdate might possibly even be in the 1930 Census by that name (not sure of Father’s grandparents first names).
So, his accuser was, in fact, the prostitute mentioned in SOLT’s statement? It seems likely, given that she met him through an “escort” service, but is it known for a fact that she’s the one they mean?
I saw Fr. Corapi when he appeared in St. Louis last year. Several things about that make me curious:
his hair/beard used to be grey, now they’re black
the presence of what appeared to be bodyguards that followed him on and off the stage (men in black suits who stood near the curtains, facing the audience the entire time Fr. Corapi was on stage, then left when he left)
he talked about the woman who is his personal trainer that he works with 2 hours/day
he talked about riding around on his motorcycle.
he mentioned that he was working on an autobiography at that time.
When I observed/heard these things, I felt a niggle of concern for Fr. Corapi. His new look, working out every day with a woman trainer, and if indeed those were body guards that my friend the ex-cop and I noticed, all seemed kinda weird. It caused us to pray that he not succumb to the temptations that celebrity can bring. Perhaps we should have prayed harder.
He’s been using bodyguards since at least 2006 when he came to Cincinnati. That’s nothing new.
He has medical problems, so he has to work out with a trainer. This is normal for young people and old people. More importantly, this is the most bogus conviction I have ever seen! This whole process would not last a second in a civil trial so why do we allow it with the church. The Catholic church helped promote the idea of a fair trial, cross-examination of witnesses, objective parties to the case, and none of this is being applied here. Why are the professional Catholics not concerned with this? I am not saying he is guilty or innocent, all I am saying is that this process is inherently unfair and would not sustain a just guilty conviction in any civil trial. Even American courts do not behave in this way! However, SOLT does use a similar process to some third-world dictatorships.
Nicely done, Jimmy and Al. Thanks for sticking to facts–and especially for recommending all to pray. I think the SOLT statement raises questions of its own, but that’s another topic…!
It seems to me that someone who has preached for years that in the end we will all go either up or down and who is as intelligent as is John Corapi must indeed have very strong feelings about whatever it is that he is doing. I can’t imagine someone who has worked so hard to know and preach would throw it all away, but still he had had many belongings and much wealth before. I can’t imagine giving that up, either. I only hope that he does what is morally right… Nothing else matters.
Jimmy, do you have any details regarding the “improper sacramental practices?”
Jimmy, thank you for your calm, quiet, courteous, and balanced comments. We aren’t seeing very many of those on this issue. Also thank you for reminding us all to pray, for Fr. Corapi as well as for the Church hierarchy attempting, however ineptly, to deal with the situation, and for his accuser and her family and friends.
I have yet to see one actual document, on tangible shred of evidence backing the various allegations against Fr Corapi…seriously, ppl worried about one letter changed in his last name? The ethnic idiots at Ellis Island did that non stop when our immigrant forefathers came to America.
Fr. Corapi is a red-blooded, very attractive man with a well-known past. Being human beings, we all sin and fall in the gutter from time to time If Fr. Corapi relapsed back into his old habits; it wouldn’t surprise me. It’s hard for an addict to become perfect and stay that way without relapsing from time to time. If he would just admit what he did in a remorseful way and ask for our forgiveness, wouldn’t we all give it to him? What would bother me is if he is lying and deceiving everyone to save his media business.