Just another corrupt priest?
At Renew America Catholic reporter Matt Abbott makes a statement about Father John Corapi, who dropped off the radar screen about four years ago after apparently leaving the priesthood.
A bit of good news to share: A reliable source has informed me that Father John Corapi, a popular priest among orthodox Catholics who departed public life after a tumultuous period a few years ago, remains in the priesthood and is re-establishing his spiritual life.
What does this mean? Is father permitted to say Mass or hear Confessions? Is he living in a monastery? At some point will we hear something vindicating Fr. Corapi? Will he return to public life one day? I would have to guess that if he could he would.
There’s no indication he’ll be returning to public life anytime soon, if ever. However, it’s nice to know that Father Corapi can at least be a quiet prayer warrior during this extremely difficult time in the Church and world.
I won’t go into the particulars about what transpired in the past – it’s water under the bridge – and I’m sure there’s information on the Internet (some of it more reliable than other information, obviously) for those who may not be familiar with the situation. Plus, those who really didn’t pay attention to him in the first place likely don’t care one way or the other about his current status.
Father Corapi was very popular. Many thousands were catechized and strengthened through his ministry. He was not politically correct. He was a conservative Catholic and a military man. He was not reluctant to call out his superiors if he thought necessary.
The bottom line is that we all are wounded and spiritually/morally fall often (I know I do!). We just have to try our best to keep moving forward in faith in this “valley of tears.” A very difficult task, I must say. That doesn’t mean condoning moral corruption or remaining silent about it, but we all need God’s mercy.
I’ve never seen anything convincing about the accusations against Fr. Corapi but it isn’t surprising that his own leadership moved against him. That kind of thing happens to faithful and effective Catholics at times. Slander, false accusations, bogus proceedings and judgments. It’s entirely possible. I did however, see an entire Catholic media fall on him based on the internal conclusions. I’m not satisfied that a bishop, a tribunal, and some hearsay are the last word on him. I think few people know what actually happened.
It’s true he acted quite odd and he’s not saying anything. What would you do if your enemies tried to crush everything you’d built and forced you to end your life confined in some facility run by heretics, homosexuals, and cutthroats? He might have been looking at that possibility. I’m not concluding he’s a victim. I’m just saying that it wouldn’t be so unusual if he were.
Do you remember what they tried to do to Fr. Frank Pavone? They said he was guilty of gross financial mismanagement, obfuscation, refusal to cooperate. But when facts became released it just looked like he took on a bit more debt in a bad economy. They sure had a lot of nasty accusations flying about the founder of Priests for Life though, and ahead of big elections. He was skyping from his cell in the Texas desert.
In order for Father Corapi to be a fraud he would have to have been a fraud all along. I can see a man sinking, but he was once faithful priest and a clear thinker. Sin can darken a mind, but it doesn’t easily conquer someone with faith and with a conscience formed like that.
Thank you for defending Fr. Corapi. If you watched his talks closely in the years leading up to the end of his public ministry, you will notice that he referred to Archbishop Fulton Sheen being harassed by a Cardinal because the Cardinal wanted his money. Could SOLT have wanted Fr. Corapi’s money? Of course! A failing, in debt religious order would have wanted him to sell his property and move in with the order and then SOLT would keep his money.
Also, Fr. Corapi died his beard black because he said he was going to try to evangelize the tough motorcycle type sinner. He used St. Paul’s suggestion to become al things for all people. Thus, the died black beard is not odd. And the “Black Sheep Dog” was not odd either – it was simply a moniker, or a stage name that he explained thoroughly prior to using it. He considered himself both a black sheep ( because he wasn’t politically correct) and a sheep dog that protects the innocent sheep from attacking wolves. Fr. Corapi is a saint. I pray God comes to his aid and forces EWTN et. al. to apologize for ruining his good name.
Amen. What he faced 4 years ago, is what we’re all facing today and eerily parallels B-16’s abdication. Coincidence? Just a thought…
Wonderful. Have lost number of falls I’ve made. An Ave for Fr. Corapi and may his future will clear and untroubled by those clergy and laity who would like destroy Catholicism.
Oh come on. A PRIEST was secretly living with a prostitute. He was a gigantic frraud. Honestly. Some people will defend the devil himself. Now, if Corapi has renounced all of his sin, good for him. But don’t pretned the guy was a victim.
My church used his tapes in their RCIA classes and I had watched him often on EWTN. If the accusations had been false he would have defended himself vociferously. His case reminds me of another sociopath, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcial_Maciel. Our current president is also such a one. They can lie to us without blinking an eye. I doubt they know what truth is. All of us need to learn from this or we’re doomed to repeat it…as in the synod coming up. There are people who are really good at lying. Jesus said :
“Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves”. Don’t be fooled again.
I have noticed, over the years, that the more faithful and public a priest is, the more of a target he becomes. Remember Fr. Ken Roberts? He was very public for a while, and then fell. Whether Fr. Corapi is guilty or not really doesn’t matter that much, except with regard to his personal salvation. As he said, time and again, we’re in a war against principalities and powers. The fallen angels still have angelic intelligence and powers which make them far more powerful than us. And they are smart enough to go after the leaders. Strike the shepherd, scatter the sheep! It’s not a sin to get wounded in war. That’s what the medics and hospitals (priests in confession) are for. It is a disgrace to desert, though, as many in the hierarchy have with regard to the Church’s teaching.
I wish Fr. Corrapi God’s grace to come back to the priesthood.
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