-255x255.jpg "Brian Mezzell photo")
Father John Corapi of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT), among the nation’s most popular Catholic evangelists, was placed on “administrative leave” following allegations of misconduct leveled against him by a former employee.
Announced on the priest’s personal website, the news shocked Catholics who have been inspired by his robust articulation of Church teaching, and his powerful personal conversion story.
He stated, “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.”
As Internet pundits reacted to the headlines, his supporters questioned whether the formal process of investigating such claims conveyed the impression that the accused was “guilty until proven innocent.”
SOLT, as well as the relevant diocesan authorities, affirmed the Church’s guidelines for responding to allegations of clerical misconduct. But an intense debate on the Internet testified to the priest’s iconic status among Catholics who relish his homiletic gifts and charismatic persona.
Critics, including Father Corapi in the past, have argued that the present framework for dealing with such allegations is a “one-size-fits-all response” that blurs distinctions between minor infractions and criminal behavior. That said, in the wake of the recent clergy-abuse scandal in Philadelphia, the U.S. bishops have been attacked for allowing priests “credibly accused” of sexual abuses against minors to return to ministry.
While the Catholic hierarchy struggles to tighten its implementation of diocesan child-protection policies, the public reaction to the treatment accorded Father Corapi underscores the equal priority of protecting the right of accused clerics to due process.
When Father Corapi announced his leave of absence, he noted that the allegations leveled against him did not include any criminal behavior or any improprieties involving minors. While promising to “cooperate in the process,” he criticized Church policies designed to protect the vulnerable from clerical predators.
“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,” Father Corapi stated in the March announcement posted on his website .
Clearly mindful of the priest’s national reputation, Church authorities stressed the presumption of innocence as the investigation moved forward.
Father Gerard Sheehan, regional priest servant of SOLT and Father Corapi’s religious superior, confirmed that he had “been placed on administrative leave from priestly ministry, in accordance to the Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church.” He referred to the allegation as “a manner unbecoming of a priest.” But Father Sheehan also noted that “this action in no way implies Father Corapi is guilty of the allegation.”
The allegations against the priest, Father Sheehan said in a March 18 statement, would be “investigated internally, and unless and until information suggests otherwise it will not be referred to civil authorities.”
In a statement, Bishop George Leo Thomas, the bishop of the Diocese of Helena, Mont., where Father Corapi resides, also underscored the importance of “due process” for the accused priest, while describing the case as a “very complex situation.”
In the statement released by the Diocese of Helena, Father John Robertson, the chancellor, clarified the priest’s status: “Father Corapi has a personal residence in Kalispell, Mont. He does not hold priestly faculties in the Diocese of Helena.”
While Church officials promised justice for the accused, many of his supporters were disturbed to learn that his upcoming public speaking events had been canceled. Tempers further flared when EWTN, which has long provided a forum for the popular evangelist, pulled his television and radio shows.
“We are aware that many of our supporters are disappointed in EWTN’s decision to remove Father John Corapi’s programs from the network during his administrative leave,” said Michael Warsaw, CEO of the global Catholic network and publisher of the Register, which was acquired by EWTN earlier this year. “We can assure you that it was made with much prayer and careful discernment.”
EWTN took action, Warsaw explained, after “Father John’s own religious community placed him on administrative leave from priestly ministry.”
Father Francis Hoffman, executive director of Relevant Radio — a radio network that broadcasts Catholic programs on 33 stations in 12 states — and a canon lawyer, said that Catholic media have a duty to support Church discipline.
“In the case of Father Corapi,” said Father Hoffman, “Catholic media outlets will assist the process by supporting the indications and intentions of his superiors with respect to his temporary suspension from the public ministry of teaching, sanctifying and governing.”
To do otherwise, Father Hoffman added, “may unintentionally undermine the authority of his superior by leading the faithful to conclude that the superior unjustly put him on ‘administrative leave’ because the allegations were not credible.”
Catholics unfamiliar with Father Corapi’s ministry may be surprised by the intensity of the debate swirling around the allegations against him. His admirers, however, view him as a source of profound inspiration and have been quick to rush to his defense.
Many Catholics know the story of his conversion and subsequent decision to enter the priesthood, after a rapid fall from grace fueled by drug addiction. Living on the streets and increasingly desperate, he returned to the home of his spiritually devout mother and allowed the power of the sacraments to heal his wounds.
“People love him because they feel they are listening to a man who has walked in their shoes,” said Joe Condit, the founder and chairman of CMG Booking, which once managed Father Corapi’s speaking engagements, and expects to collaborate with him in the future.
Father Corapi and Scott Hahn are the most requested Catholic speakers in North America, said Condit. He suggested that highly effective evangelists were likely targets of the devil, “the master of confusion. We have to be very hesitant and cautious to judge without knowing 99% of the facts.”
Condit spoke of Father Corapi’s ability to draw 10,000 people to a ticketed speaking event, as the priest did last summer at a Cincinnati engagement. This year, scalpers were already asking $140 and more for seats at upcoming events.
Now those events, including one this month at Northern Illinois University Convocation Center that drew co-sponsors like Catholic Charities of the Rockford Diocese, have been canceled.
Some commentators, including Elizabeth Scalia, who blogs at Patheos.com, and Patrick Archbold and Jimmy Akin, who both blog at NCRegister.com, have suggested it’s time to take a deep breath and wait for SOLT investigators to digest the facts of the case.
But many of the priest’s most loyal supporters and colleagues are apparently finding that hard to do. Santa Cruz Media, Inc., the small production company that distributes materials featuring the priest, has vowed to continue selling his products.
Bobbi Ruffatto, vice president of operations for Santa Cruz Media, confirmed that the company was “the owner of all of Father 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.”
She said that Santa Cruz Media would continue to make Father Corapi’s material “available as a service to the Church and the world for as long as we possibly can.”
Ruffatto stated that the company had “consulted with a number of canon lawyers. They have assured us that the actions of the Bishop [William Mulvey] of Corpus Christi, Texas, are, on several points of canon law, illicit.”
Her statement didn’t outline the contested points, and the reference to Bishop Mulvey was curious. While SOLT is based in that diocese, Bishop Mulvey had already acknowledged the responsibility of SOLT authorities to address the allegations against a member of the society.
Said Marty Wind, Bishop Mulvey’s spokesman, “The actions in this case were taken by the SOLT superior, and, in fact, administrative leave is provided for by canon law.”
Yet the accusation serves as a reminder that Church authorities navigate a minefield with unpredictable consequences.
“It is frustrating because the Church is criticized when we do take action, and we also are criticized when we don’t take action,” Wind said. “We have no choice but to investigate any allegations.”
Ruffatto alleges that the priest’s accuser is a former employee who, after losing her job with this office, physically assaulted her and another employee, and promised to “destroy” Father Corapi.
Her remarks echo the bitterness of many supporters of priests deemed to be unjustly accused. And as the Lenten season continues, the public spectacle of a beloved priest under scrutiny will likely test the faith of his devoted following.
Register Senior Editor Joan Frawley Desmond writes from Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Dan Burke: Call to Prayer: Seven Resources for your Lenten Journey
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It is also good to note that an email newsletter has also been sent to poeple, like myself, last week, where the head one of the company who sells Fr. Corpai DVDs and CDs stated that this accuser was a person that was let go at the company, attacked him/her (can’t tell, person is named Bobbi) and the accuser told them she would “ruin” Fr. Corapi.
With the behavior and statement made by this disgruntled employee, I am hoping these accusations will not even hold up and Fr. Corapi will be reinstated very soon.
Father Coropi we are praying for you and all involved. You have a special place in our hearts as an excellent teacher of the beloved Catholic faith. Your love for Christ and His church is obvious. May the Holy Spirit lift you up and give you strength and peace and may Jesus hold you in the palm of His loving hands. God love you and bless you.
Condemning priests at a time in history when priests are needed most is exactly what the enemy wants. Everything we know to be near and dear, beautiful and moral is being undermined the best way it can.
Father Corapi doesn’t deserve to wear the mantle of the “priests” who have been found (not accused) of molesting minors.
This is undeniably clear. If the molestation scandals had not happened for the past ten years, Father Corapi would not be treated in such a manner today. Unfortunately, he is a casualty in a bigger war. It makes you sick that anyone can be accused of anything today and immediately are condemned.
EWTN’s response makes me mad enough to seriously want to stop watching it. I know that’s not what Father Corapi himself would want but I just have a difficult time with that. And let me be clear, EWTN has been on 24-7 in my family’s house for the past two years, when I started to delve deeper into my faith. But if this is how they treat their own (regardless of undermining the “church authority”), it makes it a lot more difficult for me to want to watch it.
Maybe it’s time to find alternative avenues for my family and I to learn more about our faith, which is such an integral part of our lives, the very foundation of why we get up and live out every single God-given day.
I am confused by the author’s remark in this article that seems to indict Bobbi Ruffato of making an alleged statement out of bitterness toward the Church’s process and Father Corapi’s suspension.
The author’s remark reads as though Ruffato’s accusations about the accuser’s assault on her, another employee, and the accuser’s vow to “destroy” Father Corapi are prejudged by the author to be false, and have been concocted to get Father Corapi off the hook.
The missing piece here Joan is the actual ownership of Santa Cruz Media. It is not just a small distribution company run by someone else. It is Corapi’s own company. So Santa Cruz Media’s statment is not a third party statement. It is simply another denial coming from Corapi himself through a mouthpiece.
One should note - too - that the only mention of the Dallas Charter has come from Corapi himself. This process has nothing to do with Dallas and everything to do with canon law.
The whole “disgruntled employee” dismissal is worth less that it seems on paper. It is intended to imply that she is “disgruntled” because of some other cause and has fabricated these charges out of anger about that other cause. It does not necessarily have to be thus. The “disgruntled” part is certainly true but perhaps she is “disgruntled” because whatever the charges are actually did happen to her and she was badly treated in that context.
And how interesting that Corapi does not hold faculties in the diocese in which he resides. So he does not have a public priestly ministry in the place where he lives?
The Ruffatto allegation against the accuser puts this to rest for me personally though that doesn’t help the Church any.
Just the fact that the accuser stated that she was going to “destroy” Fr. Corapi should make all her allegations against him questionable and any attack a mere exaggeration, since she is acting out of revenge. Poor soul. It is a good thing though to have put him on leave so as to give room for the Church to do its work and the accusations to be disproved. Then Fr. Corapi will be able to go back to his ministry with peace of mind once all is resolved and this lady is proven wrong.
Teddy, I’m not sure someone is a self-confessed secular for-profit organisation not affiliated with the Church who stands directly to profit from these allegations being disproved is a good source of unbiased information. I don’t have any particular feelings about this case, but I will wait for what the Church decides and pray for all involved.
I personally work with individuals that go directly behind others backs to destroy other reputations. And they haven’t even got fired! They just do it because they can, i suppose. I can only imagine what they would do if they did get canned.
It’s also worth noting that Fr. Corapi appears to own the company Teddy is talking about, Santa Cruz Media, which means any statement by the company should be considered in that light.
We should do at the good Padre said and pray for all involved. I hope he isn’t guilty, but even if he is, isn’t the only criteria for being Catholic to be a sinner? Isn’t he right where he should be? May God have mercy on all our souls.
The only entity which says we are dealing with a “disgruntled employee” is Santa Cruz Media, of which Fr. Corapi is CEO. Two problems in this area: The comment lacks credibility, because the company making the charge is controlled by the man being accused. Secondly, attacking or blaming the accuser is a time honored tactic often used by the guilty. I would have thought someone like Fr. Corapi would be above that. Let’s allow the Church to investigate and tell us what the truth really is.
Um, we don’t know it’s a “fact” that the accuser vowed to destroy anybody. What we *know* is that the Veep of a company who a) lists Fr. Corapi as her CEO and b) stands to lose a lot of money *tells* us the accuser did all this. We also know that this Veep is urging us to take it to the bank that this is all caused by the “hatred of the devil”, that Fr. Corapi’s investigation is somehow violating justice, and that the will not be refraining from promoting him (as EWTN is very sensibly refraining from doing till the dust settles).
In essence, then, what we have is this: an accuser (about whom we know nothing. at. all except that she used to work for SCM) went through proper channels to level a charge and has remained silent since. She has not made a media spectacle of Fr. Corapi. She has said nothing in public but asked the Church to look into it and Fr. Corapi’s superiors apparently think there is enough merit to what she claims to do so. That does not, as they make clear, imply guilt. But it’s what we would do in any other circumstances with credible charges.
So why is there a media spectacle? Because Fr. Corapi has made a media spectacle by, not once, but twice (the second time through a surrogate publishing on his site), leveled completely unsubstantiated charges against his accuser, which devotees of Fr. Corapi are taking as gospel. His and Ruffatto’s charges *may* turn out to be true. But it is stealing three bases and home plate to turn these claims against his accuser, made through a sock puppet, into “fact”, just as it is to assume his accuser’s claims are “fact”.
The *fact* is we know no more about the details of the case than we did two weeks ago. What we know is that one side of the argument controls the media microphone and has done a masterful job, so far, of rallying the troops to presume the accuser is evil, motivated by the “hatred of the devil”, a “she devil” (as one comboxer memorable called her), etc. That fact is this side of the conflict has also done a fine job of rallying the troops to denounce the process of investigation of the facts as somehow prejudicial to him, even though the overwhelming majority of people responding to the controversy have not denounced him as guilty but have, instead, denounced his accuser and declared him innocent, based solely on his claim to be so.
All this may be true. But we do not *know* it to be true. What we know with respect to the accuser is that she is a former employee who has made a charge that Fr. Corapi’s superiors find credible enough to investigate. All the stuff we “know” about her motivations is pure unadulterated pseudoknowledge fed to us by Fr. Corapi and those in his employ, and then magnified in the echo chamber of a blogospheric fanbase that very much wants to transform this pseudoknowledge into “fact”.
Why not just mind our own business, let the Church do the investigation and let the chips fall where they may? If he’s innocent, the facts will bear him out. If not, well, he’s not our Savior and turns out to be another mortal and sinner like the rest of us. That’s not exactly a shock.
If we take the mind our own business route, then whatever the investigation turns up, we can be happy. If he turns out to be innocent, then we can be happy about that. If it turns out his accuser is telling the truth, then we can be happy that we did not allow ourselves to become part of a mob of pitchfork wavers who were manipulated into ignorantly denouncing an innocent person who told the truth. As former ardent supporters of Maciel can tell you, that’s something you don’t want to have on your conscience.
So: wait for the investigation to finish—or even start. You and I don’t know anything about the merits of the case. Period.
EWTN is in a no-win situation…
It is so hard for me to believe the accusation made against Fr. Corapi.
I pray it is not true. I have seen him in person and when his talk is finished he leaves the podium. He never hangs out with his fans.Satan
has a freedom on earth given him by God. The closer you are to God, the harder he works to destroy you. We are not strong enough to do combat with him.But he does flee at the name of Jesus. I am praying for Fr. Corapi and if he has fallen, like we all do, I pray God will pick him up
and put him on his feet.If he is sorry and repents God will forgive him and so will I.God be with you Father. God is humbling you.
I will wait for the conclusions of the investigation, although I find it hard to believe the charges. Father Corapi and I had the same upbringing, background, life experiences with the military (21 months Vietnam) and conversion back to the Faith. I can see where a person would be tempted to do the things he is accused of doing, but, in my heart, there is no way he would. I have a fairly stable life and there is nothing I would do to damage it. Father Corapi has found his vocation and there is nothing he would do to damage it. Pray for all those involved. I hope he is having a relaxing time with his dogs (hopefully he has a new pup to fill in for
Sage) and is spending his time fishing, praying and catching up on the many things he is behind on. Peace and God bless, Father.
Joan Frawley Desmond - Father Corapi owns the ‘secular’ Santa Cruz Media. A point you left out of your story.
Montana - Santa Cruz Media records
https://app.mt.gov/cgi-bin/bes/besCertificate.cgi?action=detail&bessearch=F041446&trans_id=besa11084173103446c00
Nevada - Corporate Registration records.
http://nvsos.gov/sosentitysearch/CorpDetails.aspx?lx8nvq=rUBhP9bw3h0dhAERCNJOJg==&nt7=0
It is interesting that in this day and age of “easy” celebrity that this “disgruntled employee” who has been demonized in much of the blogosphere has not yet made her way onto the talk show circuit. Certainly, it is conceivable to believe that a person who has leveled such base charges against one of the foremost Catholic preachers in this country would be seeking to sell her story for top dollar. So far, the only person making public accusations against anyone is Father Corapi and his employee, Ruffato. Both, SOLT’s superiors and the women herself are playing this thing very close to the vest. I pray for a positive outcome of this scandal, for our Church does not need anymore black eyes. But,I’m not so naive to believe that Father Corapi isn’t human and isn’t capable of falling into sin.
Any public figure is open to things like this, especially a well beloved Priest in our secular society. I have questions though: why does a Priest have a private residence? That is a clear temptation, I would think. And the profits from Fr. Corapi’s holdings - are they his or do they belong to his Order? I though an Order priest took vows of poverty. If the picture of Fr. Corapi shown above is recent, then the accusation that he dyes his beard and eyebrows would seem to be true -a Benedictine Nun once told me that falsehoods mixed with truth are bound to be believed. She said if someone accused someone who had a limp saying: “That man with the limp stole from me.” - the fact that the man had a limp was true could make the accusation of stealing seem true although it may be false. In today’s society of hostility towards the Church and suspicion of Priests, it is foolish for a Priest to go about the country alone or to have a private residence-aren’t there Priests in Fr. Corapi’s Order who could accompany him so this kind of thing doesn’t happen again? We are all human and the kind of popularity Fr. Corapi has and the enormous sums of money he draws in, place him in a very vulnerable position - and the devil will mix in all of this and create confusion and temptation…I am praying for Fr. Corapi that the truth will be made know, whatever it may be -
An allegation is not a fact. The whole disgruntled employee assaults Bobbi R. is no more than an allegation from an individual with a lot to lose if (note I said if) Father Corapi is guilty. Ms. Ruffatto is not doing Father any favor by throwing more fuel on the fire.
Fr. Corapi was scheduled to hold a conference in Boston this summer entitled, “The Church Persecuted.” Advertising has been pulled from The Pilot, the diocesan paper. There has been no statement issued by Cardinal O’Malley, who may have been a recipient of one of several letters sent out by the accusers. It is becoming obvious that the Church has begun its persecution of Fr. Corapi.
Having passed out $100s of millions in settlements in order to not be subjected to the public spectacle of a judicial proceeding, the bishops are using the bludgeon of Zero Tolerance as their public defense. It takes little imagination for those with a grievance to settle it with the hierarchy’s cooperation. Taking out Corapi proves this strategy works. Since the Long Lent of 2002, the bishop’s lawyers and insurance advisors have made the decisions for the Church in America, and apparently, always effusive with their apologies before the public, the bishops have abandoned any smell of charity toward accused priests.
Again, this Lent, we are reminded of the false accusations born on Calvary.
Mark Shea…
Thank you for synthesizing the situation and putting all this into context. You’re spot on.
Dcn. Greg
I am really torn here. I was a member of Regnum Christi and went to the wall for Fr. Marcial only to be burnt. Now, another orthodox voice is being accused. If the left gets away with silencing Fr. Coropi, it will only be a matter of time until every orthodox bishop and priest will be silenced by these types of charges.
Thks. Joan. But what’s been clear to me all along is that this story has been fanned into flames by Fr. Corapi himself beginning w/his online announcing his innocence of misconduct, and accusations of the Church and his Superiors (indirectly) of being guilty of misconduct themselves. What really is terrible in this is that Fr. Corapi is causing division among the faithful; something that is more in line w/the tactics of the enemy. Let’s recall that Fr. Padre Pio was put on administrative leave for 10 yrs w/o a murmur against anyone. In the end Fr. Pio was canonized. The divisions being created here by Fr. Corapi’s viral complaints and self-justifying remarks are ominous. EWTN was correct in complying w/the stance of SOLT and should leave it at that w/o any further intrusion into this quagmire. EWTN owns the Register.
How do you know “the left” is trying trying to silence Fr. Corapi? With this claim I mean. Sure the Left hates him. But how do you get from that to the notion that this accusation is some sort of machination of the Left? What evidence is there of a massive conspiracy on the Left to bring false charges against orthodox priests and bishops? Who is behind it? How does it work? How do you make the charges stick if there is no evidence for the charges? Did “the left” destroy Maciel? Obviously not. He destroyed himself and a lot of innocent people too. So why bring it up?
Accusing the “left” of trying to “silence” Fr. Corapi is ludicrous. I understand the accusation, because Fr. Corapi’s preaching is based on an “us against them” mentality, as he speaks constantly of spiritual warfare and the battle between good and evil. It would only be natural to those who appreciate Fr. Corapi’s preaching to see the world in much the same way. However, I don’t believe it is either helpful or true. The publicizing of this accusation has all come from Fr. Corapi or his company….I don’t see any evidence of a group or organization on the “left” who is trying to silence him. I’d certainly expect to see the mainstream media or the leftist media or whoever is supposedly out there trying to silence orthodox priests and bishops to have picked up on this and made a big deal of it…I don’t see that happening in any way, shape, or form. It’s always nice to be able to lay the blame on others, or to create common enemies we can all rail against….I think people are blowing in the wind if they attempt to do that in this case.
Sign the “Support Fr. Corapi” petition at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/frcorapi/
This will be sent to Bishop Mulvey in support of Fr. Corapi.
Anyone can make any accusation and have a priest suspended—and make lots of money in the process. It’s become quite a cash cow. In Fr. Corapi’s case there is no indication that anything illegal was done. immoral perhaps, but we don’t know that. My hope is that if Fr. Corapi is found innocent, the Church will prosecute the defamer. If he is found guilty, the Church ought to defend its bank account. The Church ought not to have to pay for the actions of every priest who breaks his vows. We need a system in the United States similar to that used in many European countries where the initiator of a suit must pay the legal fees of the defendant is the case is lost.
I guess people just can’t find anything to write about these days. Since the first notification not a single bit of new information has come to light and it will not until the process runs its course. So stop beating a dead horse. Nothing is gained and it is booring, booring!
First off, I fail to see how a dyed beard and a tanned appearance indicate some kind of moral failing. What the man does with his skin and facial hair is totally his business. Second, the “isn’t it interesting” comments work both ways and only adds fuel to a fire burning on unsubstantiated rumors to begin with. If Father Corapi is innocent, he has my prayers. If Father Corapi is guilty, he has my prayers. Just like he had my prayers the day before this mess burst onto the scene (and the day before that and before that and all the way back to when I first began to hear him preach). I’m not going to jump to conclusions about his guilt or innocence based on his popularity, his ownership of property, or endless dissections of each word in a written statement. I will continue to draw inspiration from his evangelization of the gospel because it is not HIM that inspires me (since I don’t know him personally at all), it is his inspired message, delivered by a sinner like me.
Does anyone really believe that Fr. Corapi would make the claim that the accusations are false in such a public way if indeed they were not? If Fr. Corapi is deceiving us that would make him the biggest fraud then if he remained silent about the accusations made against him. I’m giving the presumption of innocence to Fr. Corapi based on what he believes and how he has acted on those beliefs in the past.
I quote Mark Shea,
“Why not just mind our own business, let the Church do the investigation and let the chips fall where they may?”
Mark, I think you’re absolutely right and that you should practice what you preach.
I will be keeping Father Corapi in my prayers….I have watched him on TV for over a year now and he has inspired my relatives, friends, and myself…as he has said many times in his talks, there is a much greater war than the one presently in the Middle East, there is the war between good and evil and against those who serve in the Catholic Church….God Bless you Father Corapi and I pray you may come back to us soon….
“Orthodox”? What does that mean? “Left”? What does that mean? We’re all pilgrims on a journey and it does none of us any good to start using these sorts of labels. As faithful members of the same Church, we may relate to God in different ways…but that’s not so farfetched with an infinite God! Let’s give each other the benefit of the doubt and move away from the “us vs. them” mentality, where everyone is trying to “win”, which seems to characterize so much of the antagonism in the Church today.
To Shea and Michael in particular and to all in general. The bishops receiving the letter from the anonymous accuser should each have simply replied to her as follows: If you think that Fr. Corapi is guilty of criminal behavior, take your allegations to the appropriate prosecuting attorney. If you think you have grounds for a civil action against Fr. Corapi, consult with an attorney of your choice and proceed accordingly. That would require her to lose her anonymity and would get to the truth in adversarial proceedings if in fact any grounds exist. That is preferable to the easy path of extortion and blackmail while keeping her identity secret. The Church has been too easy a mark for opportunists. Since when is an accused to be tarred with guilt by denying such claims - or doing so twice???? Come on Shea, get real.
Mark P. Shea wrote:
Because Fr. Corapi has made a media spectacle by, not once, but twice (the second time through a surrogate publishing on his site), leveled completely unsubstantiated charges against his accuser
All the stuff we “know” about her motivations is pure unadulterated pseudoknowledge fed to us by Fr. Corapi and those in his employ
If it turns out his accuser is telling the truth, then we can be happy that we did not allow ourselves to become part of a mob of pitchfork wavers who were manipulated into ignorantly denouncing an innocent person who told the truth
Shea’s hostile tone toward Fr. Corapi and Bobbi Ruffatto seems to contradict his sermon to us: mind our own business. Seems that Shea is making conclusions about Fr. Corapi being the puppetmaster of Ruffatto. Does he know this is true? Maybe he told her to shut up and in her loyalty she wanted to save his reputation. Isn’t that a possibility? Is defending oneself “feeding” the public? Pretty judgemental tone there, Mr. Shea. And why are supporters a “mob w/pitchforks”? Pretty judgemental tone there, Mr. Shea.
I concur with the “mind thy own business” schtick, but let’s do it fairly. Let’s take everybody’s words as true, and let the truth roll over the lies.
Here’s an actual fact, Mr. Shea, the heretofore unsubstantiated allegations made against Father Corapi have come from an anonymous individual.
I wonder if you’ll be as loquacious in helping Father Corapi regain his reputation if he is deemed innocent of these accusations.
Obviously, the Register and its parent company, EWTN, are proceeding with prudence here, since the money trail beginning with Santa Cruz mEdia and showing up on several campaign filings of some less-than-Pro-Life candidates, calls much into question aabove and beyond the current sexual harassment investigation. My prayers are that all proceed with the same modicum of prudence.
Mark Shea, Thanks for the sanity.
I guess as far as i’m concerned, the question is not black or white. Not did he have a relationship with the accused, but we should also ask was there a crime committed. As i look at it, it is possible something was going on, that was a mutually agreed relationship. Now that the accused has been dismissed, she. i assume she..wants retribution. If this is the case, Father may need to go to confession, worst cast scenario in my opinion, thats between him and God. And i will always stand beside Father John, not matter the circumstances, if he has fallen, i will offer him a hand to help him up. I guess i’m not a cradle Catholic, and still have a lot to learn, but as far as i am concerned, in my heart, i see Priest as still having the curse of man, in so much as they have the ability to sin, and with that being said, In my heart, they must also have the ability to ask, and receive forgiveness of their sins. When i read about the allegations against Father, something i read come’s to mind ” To the degree you judge your brother, is to the degree that you shall be judged”.
Father John, when i see you i see God, when i hear you preach, i hear god, God bless you, I will pray for a speedy conclusion.
There is a common issue that when there is a good person in ministry, all it takes is a few contentious people—who want a parish or church organization to work the way they see it—to take a Church servant out. Professional lay ministers tell me that there is injustice throughout the American church.
But when it comes to the bad ones, the fraudulent ones, the molesting ones, it takes so many complaints to the point of lawsuits to remove the offenders.
The bottom line is that so many times, it is ego politics, the loss of money, and the perceptions it can cause that decide, and not the Church upholding the standard of Christ.
I hope that whatever the facts are in this case, that Christ’s will reign.
Professionals, such as teachers, military, police, athletes, rock stars, CEOs, and registered nurses (I am one), like priests, are in positions to be accused of sexual misconduct. It is “EXPECTED” that these allegations be investigated administratively at minimum, if not criminally, each and every time. Father Corapi’s placement on administrative leave for alleged sexual misconduct is an expected routine procedure, even if it produces public shock and temporarily/permanent discredit to his image. Much more as a seasoned priest, Father Corapi knows (or should know) the system that the Church must take to clear him of sexual accusations. I expected him not to resist or raise protest, but to be humble and allow the process to take place; else he worries more about his pride than what is right and just. I can’t help but recall when Joseph in the Book of Genesis was falsely accused of sexual misconduct and was wrongly imprisoned for it. Joseph humbly trusted God and knew God had a plan much better plan for him (see Genesis Chaps 39 to 45). I can also recall various Saints that followed this routine of humbleness, forgiveness, and unwavering love despite a wrongful accusation. I am also troubled by Catholics and the Corpus Christi bishop for making a routine procedure into an innocent until proven guilty issue; or let’s keep this hidden until allegations are investigated to protect an image of a priest. Father Corapi knows he is an icon-mentor priest in massive public image. Asking that Church authorities keep the matter silent to protect his image when the accuser is on a letter writing campaign against him is not at all sound. In this instance, accepting the process humbly is and will be his only real choice. I will pray for all involved as Father Corapi requested.
The larger issue is the Dallas charter which Father Neuhaus and others saw as suggesting (although not intending) that the accused was guilty until proven innocent. As we know the initial headline trumpeting allegations against anyone leaves a stain that can’t be removed even if the person is cleared. Furthermore many of us were upset that the Bishops never investigated and dealt with the many culpable Bishops who knowingly transferred pedophile priests and who remain voting members of the USCCB. They instead leapt to the chance of showing the New York Times, the Boston Globe and others that they were going to take a strong stance by removing the accused from priestly suties while under investigation. Too bad, Father Neuhaus is not alive to comment on this new twist in the tale.
PED
I can see above that Doug Rohrbaugh thinks highly of Father Corapi. But I am taken aback by some of his statements. Doug pastes concepts that if Father Corapi is in a mutually agreed relationship that Father Corapi only has to go to confession, and that it is a matter between him [Father Corapi] and God. First, mortal sin is a scandal not only to the Holiness and Righteousness of God, but to the Church and also to unbelievers we try to witness the Holy Faith. Second, I would not only expect Father Corapi to go to confession, but to apologize publicly for any wrong actions (if any) since it is a public matter now. Doug also brings up that it should be asked whether a crime is committed. It is not clear to me whether Doug is referring to a state crime or a church crime? State crimes change depending on state and country. Is Doug wanting the police authorities involved to investigate in addition to Church authorities? In Saint Paul the Apostle’s time, a lot of Gentile sexual immorality was not a state crime, but was spiritually wrong for the gentile-convert to participate in. Another thing he quotes is the degree of judging your brother? Is Doug meaning judging one’s salvation which only Jesus will do, or is Doug meaning judging fruits, which Jesus exhorts us to do? I agree with Doug that priest are tempted and do require forgiveness (praise God for forgiveness in Christ Jesus), but the sinner has responsibilities to amend their faults. If Father Corapi has been recently abusing drugs and involved in sexual immorality, I would also disagree with Doug that I see God in Father Corapi under those circumstances. Thanks for allowing me to make known where I disagree or am not clear with Doug’s statements.
What I find absolutely hysterical is the people on here who leave comments about how Ruffatto’s claims are totally baseless and can’t be believed and yet they won’t make the same claim for the person who’s accusing Fr. Corapi in the first place!
This is the chance “liberal” Catholics have been chomping at the bit for. They want this so bad, it’s absolutely blinding them.
If you want to have a neutral position and say something along the lines of, “At this point, we don’t have any facts at all, nothing is proven, either for or against Fr. Corapi, his accuser or Ruffatto”, well then that makes sense. But defending his accuser and not defending Corapi doesn’t make any sense. That just proves your true agenda right there.
As I said before, there’s more than plenty of Catholics who have an agenda and they look at people like Fr. Corapi (and those who listen to him) as roadblocks to “progress”. The fact that EWTN is taking him off the air without any type of proof of the allegations is interesting enough as all that means is that you can make any type of hysterical claim against anyone on EWTN and then they’re going to get pulled off the air.
Corapi’s just an easy target because of 1, his past and 2, his charisma, which happens to deeply anger and infuriate pro-Abortion Catholics who have an incredibly fortified hatred of hard-line Magisterial teaching. It doesn’t surprise me in the least to see many people on this article posting accusatory and judgmental comments, as these people have obvious presuppositions.
I’d even venture further to state that these people know they’re wrong in doing it but at the same time, they don’t care because they WANT it to be true. It just makes you sad that anyone would WANT someone to be accused of “improper conduct” in the first place.
Fr.Corapi Thank you for all your wonderful and inspirational teaching. You have helped me very much in my spiritual life. I don’t believe these allegations. I will be praying for you.
I also voice that these allegations do NOT appear to have originated from a visible, organized anti-Corapi establishment of sorts (liberal vs conservative, socialist vs capitalist, USCCB, free mason, Jesuits, Salesians, protestant vs catholic, etc.). A former employee means its origin is within Father Corapi’s own close circle, who professes other adult women are involved. If Father Corapi has a million dollar ranch in Montana and stacks of money earnings like has been mentioned, then money would be a crucial root of evil temptation for Father Corapi and his employed/friends. Hopefully, his ranch is not portrayed as playboy mansion and Father a Charlie Sheen, else the issue becomes another Maciel-like case and Rome should have oversight/review of this matter. I can see now 60 minutes, Time magazine and/or 20/20, and/or some book authors will also publicize Catholicism as in continued moral decay. I remember EWTN also took off the air years ago Father Roberts the “Playboy to Priest” when he was accused of sexual misconduct. And most recently in Hispanic Television Padre Alberto who was caught affectionate with a latina in a Miami beach. I praise God in Christ Jesus through Mary that I am a Traditional Catholic during these post-Vatican II times.
What has been fascinating to watch over these past few weeks is the admonishment by the “good” Catholic bloggers to those within their own provided com boxes about “minding your own business” etc. while providing the very space over and over again that encourages all the misinformation to be spread and thus for the “sides” to harden over time. IOW, providing just the place for more division and temptation to break the commandments. They lecture the faithful about being wary of “priest celebrity types” and not to make them idols, etc. while they encourage folks to believe that certain of their admired colleagues should NEVER be disbelieved or criticized, as in some little cliques of a mutual admiration society. “Their” canon lawyers should always have the last say on a problem because of their own individual established celebrity. So their own individual names become rather “sacred” and beyond doubting simply because they too have become popularized. They beg for votes to make their status more advertised and well known when its time for the competition. Sooo silly and childish when supposedly standing for the truly sacred that has already been trivialized so greatly over the past decades. And so they keep writing that “no one really knows all the facts” while making obvious defense for one side by criticising the approach of the other - and that still says nothing re: the real facts. Just facilitating more gossip and hardening of sides. Not only are they unable to understand human nature in general but they can’t or won’t even see that they too are also victims of their own human and sinful natures.
If there is ever some new facts coming forth then communicate those. Meanwhile do what you lecture everyone else of your lecture weary Catholic “peon” groups to do and keep quiet yourselves!!
I have read that the closer one is to God the more Satan will attempt to destroy that person.
It’s difficult to understand why Mr. Shea would say “All the stuff we know about her [the woman who made the complaint] motivations is pure unadulterated pseudoknowledge fed to us by Fr. Corapi and those in his employ….”
What was said by Fr. Corapi and a member of his staff was that the woman who made the accusation was dismissed from her job, and that she stated that she would ruin Fr. Corapi, and that she hit an employee.
There is nothing in Fr. Corapi’s or the his employee’s comments that are a matter for psychological interpretation.
Mr. Shea has become shrill and I wonder why. If Mr. Shea has a problem with Fr. Corapi and his ministry, he should say it up front instead of suggesting things that are merely figments of his imagination.
Mark Shea, thank you.
I try to remember maybe the bigger picture is, in the end, that God will never ask me: “Anne, what has Father Corapi done?”
He will only ask me, Anne, to account for my own sins.
Praying and Trusting in His Mercy in all things.
Since when is an accused to be tarred with guilt by denying such claims - or doing so twice????
Since when is saying, “Fr. Corapi’s superiors apparently think there is enough merit to what she claims to do so. That does not, as they make clear, imply guilt.” tarring Fr. Corapi with guilt? Fr. Corapi has every right in the world to deny guilt (assuming he is not guilty). However, making baseless assertions about his accuser and trying to poison the fanbase against the investigation via sock puppets writing on his site does not establish pseudoknowledge as “fact”. It merely establishes that a lot of comboxers have no idea what a “fact” is.
Seems that Shea is making conclusions about Fr. Corapi being the puppetmaster of Ruffatto.
Ruffato, an employee of Fr. Corapi, published baseless allegations calculated to poison opinion of the accuser and the investigation *on Fr. Corapi’s site*. If you can persuade yourself that this all happened without Fr. Corapi’s knowledge and approval, then I salute your credulity. That doesn’t mean he’s guilty of the charge his accuser is making (which, by the way, we don’t know either). It does, however, mean that what many here are gullibly asserting as “fact” is nothing of the kind.
It’s difficult to understand why Mr. Shea would say “All the stuff we know about her [the woman who made the complaint] motivations is pure unadulterated pseudoknowledge fed to us by Fr. Corapi and those in his employ….”
No it’s not. It’s actually rather easy to understand. The fact is, you don’t know a thing about the woman except that she used to work for Fr. Corapi and has filed a complaint against him that his superiors find credible enough to investigate. You don’t know if the accusation is true or false. You don’t know that she offered an unsubstantiated rant. You don’t know that she threatened oR physically assaulted Ruffato. You don’t know that she vowed to destroy Fr. Corapi. You don’t know that she is motivated by the hatred of the devil for him. All you know is that a very interested part who works for Fr. Corapi told you these things. So my point—my entire point—is “stop talking as though you know things you don’t know.”
What was said by Fr. Corapi and a member of his staff was that the woman who made the accusation was dismissed from her job, and that she stated that she would ruin Fr. Corapi, and that she hit an employee.
There is nothing in Fr. Corapi’s or the his employee’s comments that are a matter for psychological interpretation.
Quite right, which is why I never said there was. What I said is that you have no idea whatsoever whether any of these claims are true. So don’t treat them as “fact”.
Mr. Shea has become shrill and I wonder why. If Mr. Shea has a problem with Fr. Corapi and his ministry, he should say it up front instead of suggesting things that are merely figments of his imagination.
Please. A calm rehearsal of the fact is not shrill. I am, as I have made abundantly clear, agnostic about Fr. Corapi since I know nothing of the facts of the case, just like you, and am here only interested in seeing that the pitchfork wavers in the blogospheric comboxes don’t keep going off half-cocked denouncing a woman about whom they know virtually nothing. The extent of my knowledge of Fr. Corapi’s work is a couple of fragments of talks I’ve caught on the radio (seemed pretty good to me) and that’s about it. The instant assumption that the only reason I could question the Combox Star Chamber proceedings against his accuser and the investigation is because I must have it in for him is, alas, a typical example of the sort of kneejerk tribalism that so often typifies American Catholic discourse.
It is more and more eveident that The Catholic Register and it parent company, EWTN, are not and will not be supporting Father Corapi. The information they are holding close to the vest warrants this action.
And was no doubt solidified at today’s Board of Governor’s meeting at EWTN, presided over by Archbishop Chaput.
Soon, all will be made known. In the meantime time we all spent time on our knees.
Thanks, Mark, for repeatedly making those simple points. I don’t why it is so difficult for some to understand this or why they don’t understand that the damage to Fr. Corapi’s good name is only exacerbated by repeatedly starting uninformed discussions in comboxes.
Father Corapi is a true blessing to the Faith and my family and I are praying for him and all involved.
It’s becoming more evident that Register and its parent company, EWTN, after reviewing information (they as yet have made public), will not be supporting Father Corapi, now or in the future.
It’s certain that all the new information regarding Santa Cruz Media and its money-trial, must have eclipsed discussions of the sexual harrassment situtaion at today’s Board of Governor’s meeting at EWTN, presided over by
Archbishop Chaput.
Divesting themselves of father Corapi is sending a clear message.
I wonder if you’ll be as loquacious in helping Father Corapi regain his reputation if he is deemed innocent of these accusations.
I will be delighted to do whatever I can, should the investigation Fr. Corapi is attacking find him cleared of the charges against him.
Conversely, I wonder how many people who are taking as gospel the claim Fr. Corapi’s camp is making against a woman about whom they know nothing will publicly apologize should it turn out she is telling the truth?
At present, I see little evidence to suppose that Fr. Corapi, should he prove innocent, will have much to overcome in terms of his allegedly damaged reputation. Most comboxers appear ready, not only to exonerate him, but to canonize him. We read of the “passion” he is undergoing, see “Support Fr. Corapi” petitions from mentalists who know, by their mystic arts, that the charges are baseless and the woman is either a liar or a nut. If I saw any evidence of the massive groundswell of Corapi persecution breaking out that people are constantly keening about, I would worry more about the allegedly massive damage to his reputation that everybody is so certain of. But, in fact, what I see is massive and enthusiastic support for him and condemnation of his accuser. So: should it happen that the investigation does, in fact, exonerate him and show his accuser to be a liar and/or a kook, while I will put in a good word for Fr. Corapi and offer him a virtual pat on the back as a Christian who has been vindicated in his innocence, I doubt my ministrations will be terribly necessary since the universal shout of acclamation from his supporters will more than suffice to wipe the mud off his good name.
However, if the woman turns out to be telling the truth, I am reasonably certain that there will be no mass movement of Corapi enthusiasts to hoist her on their shoulders and parade her through the streets as one who underwent public humiliation for the sake of the truth of Christ, will there? Her reward will come from Christ, not from the shocked and disappointed fanboys who spent months in comboxes denouncing her as a she devil who had vowed to destroy an innocent man.
Those are the stakes you are playing for. Which is why it’s better to just mind your own business than take sides in a conflict about which you know not one damn thing.
Fr. Sheehan said Fr. Corapi has…” been placed on administrative leave from priestly ministry, in accordance to the Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church.”
Can someone or Fr. Sheehan himself, if he’s reading this, please inform what the specific Code(s) of Canon Law are that he is referring to as I would like to read up on them.
Thank you.
So, IOW, M. Shea insinuates that Ruffato is a liar. Who knows? But such an implied assumption at this point is pretty hot headed indeed. You don’t know the facts so oh, “why don’t you mind your own business”!! Oops! Did someone else say that before?!
More than likely Fr. Flanagan might assess your talent as being able to talk out of both sides of your mouth. We thinkist thou just might protesteth too much.
And for those who are soooo scandalized about being a “for profit” org. rather than the not type, at least, and for the rather logical reasons he cites, Fr. C loses a heck of a lot of that profit to Unc Sam. Whereas there is an over abundance of so called “not for profit” stuff out there - and by lauded Catholics - that are nothing more than personal scams for their personal profits. They use the Church ... can you believe it??!! Another shocker for the isolated! Even some of the well known carriers of the Blessed Mother’s statues demand a certain number of “guests” and proper “set ups” for all the “not for profit” stuff to be displayed for a heavy portion of the event. The “seraphic” commenter above also might get his facts straight about any vows of poverty taken by the subject in question here before he adds more fuel to the gossip fire.
Heck, every diocesan priest, esp. if he’s savvy, can profit in the market, accept vacation homes, own or contribute to a “getaway” place ... on a lake or in the woods or other ways of freely saving/spending. And these days most of them live in isolation on their down time - a very lonely existence often. Why wouldn’t it be just as important then for these guys to also live in community? Are they some kind of exceptional human beings? Oh well, just say goodbye to another important section of Catholic history ... the great hermits or the “unsociable” types who did stuff like merely translating the bible or contributing great in depth writings of Catholic truths.
One of the great sins of our particular times is somewhat like the Pharisees but is better classified I think as “fastidious” purity!!
So, IOW, M. Shea insinuates that Ruffato is a liar.
No. I do nothing of the kind. I make the obvious point that sensible people do not treat as gospel the testimony of a highly interested party.
Shea isn’t “insinuating” anything, much less that the person in question is a liar. He is merely stating that WE JUST DON’T KNOW and, therefore, we should refrain from stating our conclusions about what we don’t know all over the blogosphere. There is both a moral basis to that—avoiding the sins of detraction and calumny—- and a practical one—- it doesn’t give those who have the opposite opinion the excuse to go out and post their own detractions and calumnies, which, of course, are adverse to the effect we wanted to have.
Mark Your Statement: If Father Corapi has been recently abusing drugs and involved in sexual immorality, I would also disagree with Doug that I see God in Father Corapi under those circumstances. I agree hole heartedly, when i stated i see and hear God in Father Corapi, I was referring to when i have seen him at the pulpit. I would not see God in him if what is accused to have happened is in fact true. I personally do not know Father John, but I chose to believe him over the accuser. Just me.. And i chose to stand beside him, and defend him, and If in fact, he is guilty, I will still be beside him. As for Judging Father or any other person, I still stand by my statement. Let the investigators prove or disprove the allegations, let the proper authorities decide the guilt or innocence, and pray God have them do it without bias, or pressure from any outside pressures. I support Father John Corapi, and I believe him to be a better man, and Priest then what these accusations would incur. And I will try and make more of an effort to pray more for all Priest, from this point on.
Posted by Mark Shea on Friday, Apr 1, 2011 4:20 PM (EDT):So, IOW, M. Shea insinuates that Ruffato is a liar.
No. I do nothing of the kind. I make the obvious point that sensible people do not treat as gospel the testimony of a highly interested party.
===================================================
and “sensible people” don’t dismiss it either nor attempt, for no known reason, to suggest it is irrational speak of some “sock puppet”. There’s quite a difference in approach to same as one awaits any proof of your unsubstantiated interpretation. Your approach is to prematurely decide that those who simply observe without overweighting either side are some how treating such statements as “gospel” .... just by their silence. What a manipulator yourself! No one as yet can control the outcome, so hold your horses!
Mr. Shea, you portray Fr, Corapi’s rebutal to the woman’s claim as “unsubstantiated charges”. Your emphasis is perhaps misplaced. The woman’s accusation is also unsubstantiated. You are attacking the defender for attempting to defend, but appear pretty calm about the possibility that the original charge is false.
You see all kinds of machinating going on when all the man did was tell his side of the story. We have a sense of who Fr. Corapi is by his work, but who is this media protected woman? To believe this “victim” we need to also believe that Corapi and his ilk have fabricated a tale about the woman’s ouster from her position when there is surely a paper trail to follow. (Did she apply for unemployment insurance?) It really is not difficult to know whether she was dismissed or not. Would Fr. Corapi really make up events about things that can easily be determined? I don’t think so.
You imply that you are merely fighting the battle against popular speculation, but you have taken it a step further, and have become a de facto defender of the woman. From the responses to your posts here, it is abundantly clear that you are throwing gasoline on burning embers.
Canon Law and Vatican II’s Presbyterorum Ordinis, state that the priest, “although not having assumed poverty as a public promise, must lead a simple life and avoid anything which could have an air of vanity (CIC 282.1), voluntarily embracing poverty to follow Christ more closely (PO n.17d). In all aspects (living quarters, means of transportation, vacations, etc.), the priest must eliminate any kind of affectation and luxury (PO n.17e)”
Personally, I like the comment by Brian Joseph that seems to imply that EWTN is either part of the liberal conspiracy against Fr. Corapi, or caving into it. Mother Angelica is smiling somewhere.
I also would like to point out how divisive, in many ways, and perhaps through no fault of his own, Fr. Corapi appears to be. A true saint of our time, someone like Mother Teresa, does not provoke such a response.
And PLEASE, no one compare Fr. Corapi to Jesus by saying that Jesus could be divisive as well.
Your approach is to prematurely decide that those who simply observe without overweighting either side are some how treating such statements as “gospel” .... just by their silence.
No. My approach is to say to people who write things like, “Just the fact that the accuser stated that she was going to “destroy” Fr. Corapi should make all her allegations against him questionable and any attack a mere exaggeration, since she is acting out of revenge” that they are not actually in possession of the “facts” they claim to have.
Mr. Shea, you portray Fr, Corapi’s rebutal to the woman’s claim as “unsubstantiated charges”.
No. I don’t “portray” them as unsubstantiated. They *are* unsubstantiated. We have no evidence for Fr. Corapi’s rebuttal except his word and that of a highly interested employee posting on Fr. Corapi’s site.
The woman’s accusation is also unsubstantiated.
Yes. A fact I have repeatedly pointed out. Your erroneous perception that I have not done so is due to the fact that you have allowed yourself to adopt a prejudiced opinion against the woman. You should correct that.
To believe this “victim”...
We don’t know she’s a victim. We don’t know if we should believe her. We. don’t. know. anything. So stop talking as though you do.
Would Fr. Corapi really make up events about things that can easily be determined? I don’t think so.
You don’t know whether or not Fr. Corapi is making up events (or denying truths). You. don’t. know. anything. So stop talking as though you do.
What I find absolutely hysterical is the people on here who leave comments about how Ruffatto’s claims are totally baseless and can’t be believed and yet they won’t make the same claim for the person who’s accusing Fr. Corapi in the first place!
This is the chance “liberal” Catholics have been chomping at the bit for. They want this so bad, it’s absolutely blinding them.
Could you document who these “people” are who are doing this? I haven’t seen anybody say what you claim. For myself, I’ve made clear that we have no idea if Ruffato *or* the woman’s claims are true. I’ve merely pointed out that the rush by Combox Star Chamber members to take Ruffato’s claims as gospel is without foundation. If you find any Star Chamber members rushing to take the accuser’s claims as gospel tell them for me that we know nothing about the accuracy of her claim. Indeed, we don’t even know what her claim is since, once again, the only information we have on it come from Fr. Corapi. The discussion of it from the investigators has been much more vague. “Conduct unbecoming a priest” is not very specific.
Similarly, your strange and absolutely evidence-free insinuation that anybody who does not instantly credit the denunciations of the accuser must be a liberal who is champing at the bit to destroy Fr. Corapi tells us rather a lot about your Manichaean mental universe and the shadowy forces of evil with which you populate it. But it tells us nothing at all about those who maintain that we don’t really know anything about the merits of the case.
I think all Mark Shea is trying to say is:
make no assumptions about anything.
This saddens me. I found and still find comfort in Father Johns sermons. Soon we will have picked apart everyone who is good and holy. All we will have left is the looneys in Hollywood. They seem to get away with everything and still come out smelling like a rose.
I like most people want to believe Fr. Carpi is innocent. I don’t know what took place between him and the former employee. I must trust the Holy Sprit to work through today’s apostles (our Bishops) to investigate the situation. What is happening with Fr. Caripi is a reminder, that all of our priests need our prayers daily. Every priests can fall. Our prayers are a net that can catch them and bring them to confession. The best thing we can do is pray.
This attack against Fr. Corapi (and our beloved Catholic Church) is proof that the devil is very much alive and working hard to destroy any & all those who help bring us closer to God. We pray for all those involved.
Does anyone know why the woman was fired?
I am completely neutral in this matter; my interest is only in due process and I write from experience, as an attorney who has had to investigate inhouse sexual harrassment claims. Putting all of the known facts together and trying to see where “fairness” lies, I wonder if
the reaction of Fr. Corapi and his loyal staff may not be due to the perceived injustice of having the accuser remain completely anonymous (she must have asked for complete confidentiality from the order and the bishops) while his reputation would have been tarnished (surely no one can deny that no matter how you cut it, once such an accusation is made, one’s reputation would be tarnished-I am thinking of that article in which a link was created to his picture and comment made about his dying his beard). Fr. Corapi’s public statement may have been suggested by his attorneys to limit the damage (for after all, he is a public figure and all his scheduled appearances had to be cancelled which in the absence of a statement from him as to his innocence, would have promoted wild speculation and done irreparable damage). Seems to me 1) an accused has the right to self-defence, and impugning self-defence as somehow beneath the standards one should expect of an accused (holiness) is in itself an injustice; and 2) the investigation should be completely open and transparent; and 3) the process should have long begun (justice delayed is justice denied.)
I can’t believe all the bickering here. That to, is Satan’s work. Let’s just shut up about it, pray, and mind our own business until there is some resolution, either way. What good does all the bickering do?
I’m absolutly not surprised that Mr. Shay seems to be hoping Fr. Coripi is quilty and praising his accuser, it comes down to politics, Shay has the opposite viewpoint of Fr. Coripi who has stated correctly that it’s a sin to vote for a pro choice candidate over a pro life candidate.
Please check out the interview with Fr. Frank Hoffman along with the memo at
Relevant Radio’s home page. It ought to put to rest the whole left-wing-demons-in-league-with-EWTN=the-bishops-and-SOLT-to-destroy-the-Church-.Fr. Corapi-and-all-that-is-holy scenario.
God is with you Father as well as our beloved chuch! The St. Michael prayer is constantly on my lips as we witness so much evil & deception in this world.
One cannot fully rely on catholicemployees simply because they are catholics. Some are extremely selfish they will ruin th priests and religious and even the Church if they fail to get what they aspired. The priests should therefore keep some distance from them. They never think that they are christians and they do not believe in forgiveness or repentence. They are happy to see the name of the priests are tarnished
I am praying for Fr. Corapi and all priests to have to deal with this problem. Also for the one making the accusation. I have been to see Fr. Corapi, I watch him on EWTN and listen to him on Catholic Radio. He has changed my life by helping me to understand the Catechism of the Catholic church, I admire him for pulling himself up and if God can move a mountain for this man, then I AM SURELY not going to question HIM (God).
I also saw the HATE from people picketing his conference. He didn’t let it phase his mission to the people there. Catholics are Bashed constantly, and it is so easy to compromise a name by a single statement.
Jesus told us we would be persecuted. Also, some of Fr. Corapi’s funds go to pull Holy Order people out of the drug houses etc. that sadly they find themselves in too. Remember, they are human too. Fr. paid all their debts and took them out of those places. Repeat: HE PAID THEIR DEBTS AND TOOK THEM OUT OF THERE, and took them to treatment. How many of us have taken our own money to help another out who is in deep trouble. And they were not 25.00 debts-some were thousands! So please, lets pray and hope this is a false accusation and let our hearts mend and not judge!
“I will be delighted to do whatever I can, should the investigation Fr. Corapi is attacking find him cleared of the charges against him.”
But in the meantime you have no problem joining the mob and engaging in gossip.
“Which is why it’s better to just mind your own business than take sides in a conflict about which you know not one damn thing.”
If only you’d heed your own counsel.
Have you personally read the “three page letter” this anonymous woman sent to several Bishops? If not then by all means do the decent thing and shut your piehole.
What is dreadfully evident by the many posts in this comment thread is the lack of charity by many posters, including Mr. Shea, who writes many excellent books about the faith and scripture, who contributes to this site, and who seems like a jocular, self-deprecating fellow of good wit and humor (I reference my impression of Mr. Shea after viewing his recent appearance on EWTN Live with Father Pacwa, who looks exactly like Norm from TV’s The New Yankee Workshop, by the way.)
This is an emotionally charged circumstance; I understand. If Father Corapi is guilty as charged, many faithful followers will be spiritually crushed. I pray for a quick end to the investigation because I will be one of the crushed if Father John is guilty.
In the meantime, let’s stop hurling insults back and forth and wait to see who speaks the truth.
I think that most people cannot believe that Father Corapi could be guilty, and the faithful don’t want to hear anyone give the accuser the benefit of doubt. This, too, is understandable, but not right.
Pray for a quick conclusion, wait to see what happens, and, like me, have abundant hope that Father Corapi will be exonerated.
I’m absolutly not surprised that Mr. Shay seems to be hoping Fr. Coripi is quilty and praising his accuser, it comes down to politics, Shay has the opposite viewpoint of Fr. Coripi who has stated correctly that it’s a sin to vote for a pro choice candidate over a pro life candidate.
I have said no such thing. Nor do I hope Fr. Corapi is guilty. Nor have I praised his accuser (about whom I know virtually nothing). Nor have I ever said you should support a proabort candidate. You have borne false witness against your neighbor. You should repent and go to confession, Robert R.
AA: I have engaged in no gossip whatever. I have attempted to quell gossip from people who recirculate as fact gossip about Fr. Corapi’s accuser. Nor have I taken any side. It’s precisely *because* neither you nor I have seen the letter from the accuser that I keep pointing out to people who imagine the “know” something about the situation that they know nothing.
Steven: Please document the “lack of charity”. Since when has stopping a cyberlynching by a mob of people ready to condemn a woman about whom we know nothing been uncharitable? Contrary to the repeated *lie* that I am assuming Fr. Corapi’s guilt, the fact is, I am assuming nothing since (as I have to repeat umpteen times) we know nothing. That includes “we know nothing about the accuser” too. But people are ready to condemn her and have, in fact, already condemned her, despite the fact that they *know nothing*. Indeed, they are so ready to condemn her that they feel threatened by anybody who suggests that they know nothing about her and are acting like a mob of pitchfork wavers. So they condemn the person who points that fact out to them too and tell him to shut his piehole while manufacturing the complete lie that he is a gossip. Oddly, there is no hand-wringing about *that* sort of lack of charity.
What a farce.
“lack of charity”
Hear, hear! Faithful Catholics are making this a win-win for Satan. Not only does he have the joy of silencing one very loud voice for Christ, but he can sit back and watch the show at his leisure while faithful Catholics stab and slash at one another in their pride of having the “correct” view.
I’m right! No, I’M right and let me show you how wrong YOU are! You’re an ass! You’re worse! And on and on and on and on
I don’t want to start accusing others but the accusations Shea’s made about Ruffatto’s possible monetary motivations are more reflective of how he thinks/is and his mental state rather than Ruffatto or Fr. Corapi.
As for me and my “Manichaean mental universe and the shadowy forces of evil with which you populate it”, this is just another absurdist example of the internet blogger elite trying to humiliate anyone who disagrees with them.
Unfortunately, this page has become Shea’s back and forth battle in support of his supreme opinion and anyone who disagrees is just an uninformed moron who lives in a delusional mental world.
As for Micheal, I find his talk of “real saints” to be pompous over anything else. I’m glad he can enlighten us all as to who the “real” saints of our time are, because of course, he’s an expert. And of course we’re all rushing to say that Fr. Corapi is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, being nailed to the crucifix? I mean come on, how ridiculous is that?
Like I said before, there are people on here, and I certainly question Shea, who have a specific pre-supposed perspective that find this situation a good opportunity to impose that very perspective on everyone else.
The question of monetary motivation obviously just doesn’t come up out of nowhere, this is easily an issue that people held about Fr. Corapi before any accusations ever existed, as someone else stated about him donating money to not-so ProLife candidates, etc. As I said before, this is just an opportune time for these people to really attack.
I think the bottom line is that someone like Fr. Corapi and the way he goes about doing things makes you either love him or hate him. For Mr. Shea, it obviously rubs him the wrong way.
Whether or not the accusations are some type of plot by “the Left” doesn’t change the fact that “liberal Catholics” and “progressive Catholics” are of course having a field day with these accusations. As I said before, Fr. Corapi and people who agree with him are simply looked at as roadblocks to progress in the church, keeping women away from being priests, hating gay people, etc. etc. That’s not part of any kind of fragmented dualist world view, that’s simply a fact. To deny that is to just want to stick your head in the sand and believe that everybody in the church “just wants to get along”.
There’s a difference between saying Father is guilty, (which I have seen no one do), and voicing an opinion about matters of public record. Matters of public record include Father’s words, the words of his employees and supporters, and public records related to his business. These are all open to question even if Father is, (as I hope he is), innocent as a newborn babe regarding the accusations leading to his suspension.
One of the things I’d actually like to do is retract one of my statements I made early on.
I think it was absolutely asinine of me to make the comment I made earlier about EWTN; “Maybe it’s time to find alternative avenues for my family and I to learn more about our faith”. I feel incredibly guilty for saying such a stupid thing. I love EWTN. It’s such an integral part of my life, I listen to the radio, I watch it on TV, it is such a vital resource for me and my family.
I really think people are saying a lot of things out of anger. I know that my previous posts (even the one I just made about 30 minutes ago) are completely and totally tinged with anger.
Why are we taking sides and yelling at each other?
What I really believe to be the absolute truth, as I see it, is that this is a test of faith. This is a test of faith for everyone on this article, whether they admit/know it or not. Being first or being last, acting or reacting, hurling opinions at one another and insulting one another isn’t right. Where’s the humility in that?
I can’t believe some of the things I’ve written and some of the things others have written and still some of the things that have been written about ME, personally. Where is the humility in us insulting each other?
I think this is a test of faith because this situation begs the question, when the chips fall, where do you stand?
I, for one, am not going to turn my back on Fr. Corpai. I’m not going to turn my back on EWTN, as I implied before, either. That’s ridiculous. Past my anger, I’m not going to turn on the other people leaving comments on this article. I know my previous comments speak otherwise, but I’m glad they’re written because they’re evidence to myself about how poisonous anger can be.
I know for a fact that this is certainly a test of faith for Fr. Corapi. To anyone who’s listened to him for any length of time, knows that he’s thought about quitting hundreds, if not thousands of times. And think about this. Fr. Corapi is married to the church. I mean that figuratively and literally. He’s as married to the church as I am to my wife. And if my wife accused me of adultery and infidelity and those accusations weren’t true, I’d be in an immense amount of hurt, an immense amount of pain. I’d feel like quitting. This is obviously a test of faith for him, as well.
We talk about the “facts” on here in this case as if we can say what’s for certain and what’s not for certain. One “fact” that’s just a proven reality as the nose on my face is that Fr. Corapi has traveled millions of miles around the world and has spoken to thousands and thousands of people.
Whether or not you want to say that he does so for profit (which I think certain people are ostensibly implying) is your own personal opinion. I, for one, don’t think that he does it for fame or fortune or anything like that. But I know that when you work extremely hard for something or someone and then they seem to turn on you, that’s just devastating. Whether or not Fr. Corapi thinks that the church is turning on him is nobody’s guess but his own and I haven’t the slightest. But I can certainly imagine that he might feel deeply hurt, maybe even to the point of saying things in anger with knee jerk reactions, as I’d say most of the people on this blog/article, placing myself at the front of that list, have done so.
Fr. Corapi isn’t perfect, as many of us aren’t. The difference is we know a lot of his struggles, if we believe what he tells us. Being a saint doesn’t mean you’re perfect either.
I, for one, would like to apologize for insulting any person/people I have on this page, Mark Shea and Michael being the two names I previously mentioned. I said what I said in the blindness of anger and I am truly sorry. While I didn’t “curse anyone out” or anything like that, I think that in times like this, religious people should stand together with humility rather than argue and insult each other.
My thoughts and prayers goes to Father Corapi. The accusation against Father Corapi is, putting it kindly, garbage. I’m not believing any of it. I’ve seen Father on EWTN countless times and on his website as well. I know Father would not do what ever he is accused of in a negative way. He is very committed to our Catholic Faith. I, as well as numerous other people I’m sure, are behind Father Corapi 1,000,000%. I pray Father will be strong. We need he and his messages to continue.
I am praying for Father Corapi and for a quick conclusion to this….Father has said on numerous ocassions that everytime he preaches he is aware that it may be his last since he fully knows how people can be….none of us know the details of this and I don’t think we should speculate….what I am sure of is that Father Corpai has taught me so much about my faith that I never knew, because of him I say the rosary mostly every day, my brother and I watch Father every Saturday night and my brother has returned to the church because of the inspiration and teachings that Father provides….we await the day that we can see him again and enjoy his sermons…God Bless him…
Father Corapi’s supporters are disappointed. The people who like him do so because he tells the truth. He does it in a straight forward manner & he never deviates from Catholic teaching - period. Father Corapi is human and it is possilbe that he would fall into sin, but he would not lie about it. He would tell the truth. That being said, if he said he is innocent, then you can take that to the bank. I get a little tired of hearing how EWTN had to take him off the air. “Possibly” that would be true of any new material, but it certainly cannot be true of his older material, because it simply teaches in a bold way what the Church teaches. Even if he was guilty of anything, all of his preaching is truthful, accurate and reflects the truths of the Catholic Church. It makes no sense not to air these programs. How can there be anything wrong with that? It is the teaching of the Church! I can say with pretty much certainty that Mother Angelica would have stood by Father Corpi. She is another person who values the truth and sticks to it. I hope you will keep the readers posted about the status of this case. There are many people who value Father Corapi’s honest teaching of the Catholic Faith and we miss his influence. Please post any information as it come available. Thanks You, Linda Guelker, St. Louis, MO.
It is my understanding that the woman who is presenting these allegations against Father Corapi, SOLT is also a former employee. It is also my understanding that she “vowed” to destroy Father. I would like to think that Father’s life and testimony stand for themselves. NO ONE, in their right mind, who, as Father has said, has “shaken hands with the devil” goes back to that lifestyle once conversion has been made. The experiences that Father had prior to his coversion would be enough to cure ANYBODY once and for all. I think his superiors and his Bishop need to take a VERY serious look at the background and the intentions of the woman in question and draw their own conclusions. This is nothing more than a case of ” a woman scorned”. Not in the scenario of romance but employment. She is bitter and she intends to take it out on Father one way or the other. To my understanding, the more determental the damage, the better. Father Corapi is one of the few solid and unimpeachable priests the Roman Catholic Church has right now. He should be restored to full powers immediately PERIOD.
@Mark Shea. Thank you for the clear headed analysis.
Shocking as the allegations are, I am perhaps more shocked by some of the hysterical reaction virtually baying for blood or at least passing thinly veiled attacks on the “poor soul” who has made the allegations. “Charitable” remarks made in snarky fashion are not charitable at all. I do not understand the calls for a public outing of this woman. Other than satisfying idle curiosity or providing a target to take a shot at, this would serve no purpose whatsoever. I do dread to think that anybody who has been violated by a member of the clergy might be reading some of the commentary on this case. It would certainly not encourage a person in an already vulnerable position to come forward.
I recognize that Fr Corapi has a powerful ministry but I am sorry to say that I do believe a more discrete response to the allegations might actually have worked in his favor. Instead, it seems to have added fuel to the fire.
RM has made the best post of all. Thank you.
I am very disappointed with the action taken to remove Father Corapi from the tv schedule. I lived the life he lived and came back to the church.G od forgave us. May God bless Father Corapi on his new journey. The Lord will prevail.
The Truth is the Truth, regardless of the sins of those proclaiming Him.
I don’t believe Father Corapi is guilty of the accusations made by the allegedly disgruntled former employee of his publisher, but even if He is guilty, even of all the accusations, that doesn’t alter the Truth of what he has taught, which is the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, the fullness of the True Faith of Jesus Christ.
As a former protestant ( I was received into the Catholic Church on Easter of 2008 ) I watched many of those who had placed their faith in men and women ( back during the televangelist scandals of the 80’s ), rather than Jesus Christ, struggle to maintain their relationships with the Lord and, in some cases, didn’t bother to try to continue at all. I hope and pray this won’t be the case with anyone should the allegations against Father Corapi turn out to be true.
Likewise, should the allegations prove to be false and the apparent motives and alleged threats made by Father Corapi’s accuser end up having the light of Truth expose them instead as the real wrong-doing which transpired, I also hope and pray that the response by those of us who profess to be disciples of Jesus Christ will be to treat Father Corapi’s accuser like Jesus would.
Brian Joseph:
Don’t sweat it. I forgive you. Thanks for having the moxie to say you were sorry.
In my opinion, this “discussion” has gone on far too long. It’s getting redundant and is serving no purpose. What we need to do is start posting prayers. Let me be the first.
Lord God, font of mercy, love, and truth, look upon us sinners and help us to have charity in our hearts. Let rancor and judgment be removed from us.
Lord, fill those who are involved in this case with your grace, your patience, and your understanding. May it work for the good of each one’s soul. May your truth be known. I ask this in the name of your precious Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
While we do not know the truth about Fr. Corapi or his accuser, it’s naive to declare that someone with a conversion experience like that of Fr. Corapi could ever go back to his former way of life..we are all human, all vulnerable to temptation - including Fr. Corapi…Popes have sinned, sinners have converted - we just need to pray that God’s will be done…
I stand by what I said Mark Shea, prior to the last Presidential election, you repeatably stated falsely that Republicans support torture; which you put as the same level as Democrats supporting abortion. You did not support the Pro-Abortion candidate, but you were supporting third party. Which is only going to help the Pro-Abortion party and I became convinced that was your goal.
Brian Joseph, I loved reading your last post, God Bless you.
Humility.
May we all look inside our own poor hearts in this very same way.
@Mark Shea
Mark, I will admit that my sloth-like qualities outweigh my ambition to enact the due diligence you request of me, to show examples of a lack of charity on your part. However, I will say that your initial post possesses a sarcastic tone, i.e., the repetitive use of the word “facts” emphasized with asterisks, as though other posters don’t understand the word. In general, posters in this thread do react emotionally, not objectively, but I think you could make your point about facts to the “pitchfork”-carrying people in a more charitable way.
Plus, I see you are in a spitting contest with a particular poster who has criticized you and who you say populates a “Manichaean mental universe” with “the shadowy forces of evil.”
Perhaps you are joking, but I submit that people don’t like being called evil in any manner of meaning and to describe someone in that way is, indeed, uncharitable.
Steven:
In translation, what you are saying is that you bore false witness against me and don’t have the stones to either back it up or apologize. Now you add to it with the lie that I have called somebody “evil” when I have done no such thing. What I have done is refute the false impression that people are in possession of “facts” about the accuser—and even about Fr. Corapi—when they in fact know virtually nothing about the merits of the case as they pronounce innocence and guilt.
I extend forgiveness to you for your false witness about me and hope you will receive it.
Robert R:
The GOP faithful did and do support torture. So-called conservative Catholics support it in higher percentages than the average American. These are simply fact. However, that’s not why I voted third party. McCain did not support torture (having been a victim himself). But he supported ESCR, so I could not support him. Therefore I voted for a third party candidate who did not support any grave intrinsic evil. That you are too thick to understand this and opt to believe stupid conspiracy theories is a function of your refusal to think, not of some shadowy plot I am engineering against your political tribe. My position is really quite simple: I will not vote for a candidate who asks me to support some policy that is gravely contrary to Catholic moral teaching. Both major candidates did (and likely will again). If that is the case, I will vote for somebody who does not ask me to do so. Voting for somebody who is not Obama is not voting for Obama, not matter how many conspiracy theorists like yourself say it is.
And, by the way, you are diverting the conversation *very* far from the subject—which is that you do not know, in the slightest, what is an is not the truth about Fr. Corapi and/or his accuser. Stupid conspiracy theories attacking those who point out that fact tells us much about the mental world of those who embrace such silly theories, but nothing about the facts of the case. These are known only to Fr. Corapi, his accuser and (soon) the investigation. Comboxers like you and I know nothing. So why not shut up, stop bearing ignorant and malicious false witness and wait for the investigation?
Mark, these words appear in a post in this thread by Mark Shea. Is that not you?:
“... tells us rather a lot about your Manichaean mental universe and the shadowy forces of evil with which you populate it. But it tells us nothing at all about those who maintain that we don’t really know anything about the merits of the case.”
In a more accurate translation of my post to you, what I do is try to provide a bit of self-deprecating humor with a remark about my sloth-like quality. I believe I fulfilled your request in citing why I think you posted without charity. You may disagree that your tone is uncharitable, and you may deny posting the words I cite again here; have at it.
But, do you not see the irony of your defense against uncharitable responses by falsely accusing me of lying and insulting me by calling me a liar and not having “the stones” to admit it? Perhaps I misinterpreted the meaning of your “Manichaen universe” comment, but you asked me to show you why I thought you have acted without charity, like other posters in this thread. My citation of your quote (if you have the stones to admit you are the Mark Shea who posted it here) and the tone with which your posts read to me should suffice.
If I am wrong about the meaning of your quote and tone of your posts, you could tell me so without insulting me, bearing false witness against me (to use your inaccurate phrase), and, essentially, proving my point.
Steven:
Yes. It was me—refuting the baseless claim that this case is somehow the creation of shadowy Liberals who are out to get Fr. Corapi. Which is, you know, a baseless claim. As to the facts: I did not, in fact, call anybody “evil” so your statement that I did was, in fact, a lie. What I pointed out was that Brian (who has, by the way, since apologized) was attributing the current brouhaha to shadowy “liberals” who have no discernible connection to the case, yet whom he was denouncing as the authors of an evil slander against Fr. Corapi. You wrote, “people don’t like being called evil in any manner of meaning and to describe someone in that way is, indeed, uncharitable.” I described no one that way. I pointed out that Brian was insinuating that shadowy “liberals” were the alleged authors of the evil being done Fr. Corapi. He’s got no evidence for that, just as you have no evidence that I called anybody “evil”.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the devil has his hand in this false accusation against Father Corapi. Father Corapi is a devotee of Divine Mercy. If you read the Diary of St. Faustina, you’ll see the the devil truly hates St. Faustina and Divine Mercy. It’s a powerful spiriuality! The devil doesn’t want people to know that God is good and merciful.
Mark Shea and Steven:
There may come a time when making our point really
doesn’t matter anymore,
but extending an olive branch (for real) does.
“Yes. It was me—refuting the baseless claim that this case is somehow the creation of shadowy Liberals who are out to get Fr. Corapi. Which is, you know, a baseless claim. As to the facts: I did not, in fact, call anybody “evil” so your statement that I did was, in fact, a lie.”
Mark,
A lie is a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive. I contend that my citation of your Manichaean comment was my misinterpretation of your meaning, and not an attempt to deliberately deceive anyone. My conscious is clear that I did not lie about anything.
I read Brian’s initial posts and apology before responding to you earlier today. In his apology post, Brian states that people were hurling insults back and forth. Do you think he means that he was insulted by comments you made to him? I know that you and he were engaged in conversation here.
Further, thank you for explaining the meaning of your “evil forces” reference. But I have to ask you this: Is it uncharitable to call someone “too thick to understand” and then direct them to “shut up?” Is it uncharitable to tell someone that “stupid conspiracy theories attacking those who point out that fact tells us much about the mental world of those who embrace such silly theories, but nothing about the facts of the case”? Couldn’t the recipient of that remark think that his abililty to think rationally and intelligently is questioned?
I ask you objectively if you think those words - your words - are harsh, uncharitable words. I think they are and I think that kind of tone is uncharitable. Is it possible that people can be insulted by having language and words like that directed toward them?
Again, I first saw you on Father Pacwa’s EWTN Live show. I came away with the impression that you are a witty, humorous person, who isn’t afraid to criticize himself. I don’t think that is the same tone or demeanor I read in some of your posts here.
If you agree that some of your words lack charity, I, too, can offer forgiveness if you are willing to receive it.
Hmm.. doesn’t take a rocket scientist. Any bets the New York Times breaks the story at the beginning of Holy Week? They aren’t very original but very consistent at being anti-Catholic. Pope Benedict was their target last year. A united front might be an option for us, conservative or liberal.
I also would like to point out how divisive, in many ways, and perhaps through no fault of his own, Fr. Corapi appears to be. A true saint of our time, someone like Mother Teresa, does not provoke such a response.
==================================================================
That’s why Christopher Hitchens’ book was so popular, became well known, and often quoted by the media and drew so much interest!! And discussed to this day, even after her death. LOL!
Posted by Mark Shea on Friday, Apr 1, 2011 4:20 PM (EDT):So, IOW, M. Shea insinuates that Ruffato is a liar.
No. I do nothing of the kind. I make the obvious point that sensible people do not treat as gospel the testimony of a highly interested party.
=========================================================
Well, I’ve only seen “sensible” people looking at that one part of the public puzzle, so far displayed, without dissing it or not giving it consideration along with the rest.
Perhaps, using Lent as an excuse, you might begin a lessening in the use of your habitual hyperbole within your protests.
In response to Ms. Desmonds comment “And as the Lenten season continues, the public spectacle of a beloved priest under scrutiny will likely test the faith of his devoted following”, I want to say that I, and all beleiving Catholics do not put our faith in Fr. Corapi, but rather in Jesus Christ. So my faith is not tested by what has occurred regarding Fr. Corapi. My belief in the existance of Satan and the weakness of human nature is, however, confirmed by these allegations. I still hold to the Constitutional Right of “Innocent until proven guilty”
why is it only priests and not bishops and cardinals be porsecuted eg: as LAW and archbishops THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED, I BELIEVE etc. LAW RAN TO ROME AND ONE OF HIS BISHOPS WENT N.J.? under LAW AND HIS BUDDIES WERE IN COMMAND OF THESE PRIESTS, WHO WERE INVOVLED IN MANY OF THE SEX CRIMES AGANIST CHILDERN AND WHO WERE PAID MANY THOUSAND $, TO RELIEVE THEIR MINDS OF ANY GUILT.———THEY ARE DISPICABLE PERSONS———WHO EMBARRASS THE MANY,MANY FAITHFUL PRIESTS,BISHOP,CARDINALS . I AM STILL A CATHOLIC WITH ALL THIS ABUSE. I NOW NO LONGER LISTEN TO CATHOLIC LEADERS. I DEAL DIRECTLY TO ——- JESUS——-MARY AND JOSEPH… TPS
And why wouldn’t the devil attack Father Corapi? He has become one of the devil’s most vocal enemies and as such has waged war against him. Padre Pio was also the victim of a horrible accusation and the Church issued sanctions against him as a result. Not long ago St. Pio was canonized - the devil lost tht one, and we hope and pray that soon he will lose this attack against a priest who has done so much for so many people. Our weapon against him is prayer!!!
I am praying for Fr John Corapi today and every day. I hope he will be soon exonerated from all of these accusations. Thank you Mary
As a survivor of clergy abuse as an adult, here are some thoughts I’d like to share.
I have a great deal of admiration and respect for priests and women religious in general. Those who have abused their power, like all of us, are sinners in need of prayer. Most likely, they themselves have been abused at some point in their lives.
Several studies of clergy abuse estimate that the majority of such cases involve the abuse of adult women. From an article in the Independent dated March 2001, the Vatican admitted at that time that priests in at least 23 countries had sexually abused nuns.
I think it is admitted and accepted by the whole Church that priests have abused children. It is rare to hear about the abuse (and I am not talking about consensual love affairs) of adult women. When I read the comments about the unknown accuser in this case being engaged in ‘devils work’ or an attack against the Church, it is not a surprise that women keep such horrendous experiences a secret. I have no idea who is at fault in this case, but I ask that all parties be treated with respect and charity.
Is it just me or does Mark Shea seem like an arrogant liberal elitist, is this the same Mark Shea who has an occasional column at National Catholic Register ?
Christ could have let “this Cup pass,”
yet He chose the Will of the Father.
He could have avoided His flesh being torn apart
and His Bloody Head Crowned with Thorns.
And not to carry His Cross
that bore deeply into His Shoulder Wound
(The humiliation He must have felt).
And avoided the Nails
that led to His dying
on a Cross.
For us.
Who can comprehend the Love and Mercy that He has for us?
Jesus, Meek and Humble of Heart,
make my heart like unto Thine!
Cody:
It’s just you.
His innocence will save him
I am praying for Father Corapi. This to me, obviously is a brutal attack of someone who has earned and worked hard with love and adoration for the people. He is a man of God and these accusations are an attack what for I would imagine $$$$ and the fact that Father is an easy target because his past life experiences before he came into the ministry. Shame on the persons for doing this. God is watching and I pray that God will bring out the truth.
We love our Father Corapi, he is our guiding light, bringing his logic, love and spiritual guidance, into our homes every week. I pray he comes back stronger and better, filled with grace from suffering this cross.
Father Corapi is, undoubtedly, endowed with awesome speaking gifts of the Holy Spirit. He touches many souls. He came into his ministry with brilliant business gifts, too, that are being used within Santa Cruz Media, of which he is C.E.O. ... to fund his speaking ministry. Unfortunately, it is said that we cannot serve to masters and I think Father Corapi’s decision to fund his ministry by being a C.E.O. of his own company allows him to place himself in a position of grave vulnerability to issues of being a C.E.O. (which include false accusations by disgruntled employees). It appears that Santa Cruz Media is losing the direction that the Holy Spirit is the speaker, within Father Corapi. They are accentuating Father Corapi in a manner unbecoming of our Church. The Holy Spirit Media (which is what Father Corapi is) needs to be easily accessible to individuals of funds and those without funds. Father Corapi should figure out how to fund his ministry in a different manner, I think, and lay his brilliant business gifts down - for God. I think. This is my opinion, from what the Holy Spirit has placed in my heart. God bless him for his work for, of, and in God.
Ginny,
Very good letter, most especially that it must be the Holy Spirit who speaks…
It is also clear that Jesus would want us to make available His Words to everyone, especially the poor.
All for the Glory of God and the conversion of sinners.
I miss seeing Father Corapi weekly and I, like everyone else here, are waiting patiently for his return….I just wish we could get some news….in any case, we are praying for you, Father, and await your return….
There is a new update from a Rev. Michael Sullivan J.C.L. You can read it on Father Corapi’s website. I received it in a newsletter and it is available on Father Corapi’s Facebook page.
Father Corapi is one of Lucifer’s worst enemies. That says it all!!!
Father Corapi on Administrative Leave - An Update from Rev. Michael Sullivan, J.C.L.
Fr. John Corapi has been suspended from priestly functions because of an accusation against him from a former employee. There seems to be a great deal of speculation and confusion regarding what this entails.
When an accusation arrives at the desk of a Religious Superior or a bishop, the procedure calls for a quick, confidential assessment as to the veracity of the accusation. With the advent of the Dallas Procedural Norms the necessary pieces of information required before imposing administrative leave varies from diocese to diocese and Order to Order. In most cases, if an accuser knows the name of the priest, the location at the time of the alleged incident and the year the priest was serving, the accusation is considered “credible.” The accused is supposed to be provided with the opportunity to respond to the accusations in a face-to-face meeting with his Superior prior to the imposition of suspension or administrative leave. In Father Corapi’s case, this never happened.
When a priest is on administrative leave he is to refrain from any public actions as a priest, such as offering Mass or hearing confessions, or from dressing as a priest in any public forum. The decree from his superiors clearly spells out limitations upon Fr. Corapi, but does not preclude him from speaking publicly provided he does not dress as a cleric and does not offer Mass publicly. Fr. John Corapi has observed these directives. Church bodies are to observe these limitations, though the order does not apply to lay organizations or Church organizations beyond the scope of what has been decreed.
Several Catholic media sources have removed Fr. Corapi from their outlets. This is over and above what is required by canon law and the Dallas Norms. Nothing in the order placing Father Corapi on administrative leave precludes distribution of previously recorded materials. Santa Cruz Media is in full compliance with Canon Law and the administrative leave under which Fr. Corapi is functioning.
Fr. Corapi is doing all in his power to cooperate and work with his Religious Society to see that this allegation is quickly cleared up and he is allowed to return to full ministry. The length of this administrative leave is strictly up to the Society and their process of inquiry before a decision is rendered.
We continue to ask everyone to pray for Fr. Corapi, for the accuser and for a quick resolution to this matter.
God bless you,
Rev. Michael Sullivan, J.C.L.
I have loved Father Corapi ever since I saw him preach many years ago on EWTN. I believe in him and his innocence. “Please Father Corapi! Go back to the humble, obedient priest, subject to the churches authority.” Not the wealthy, businessman priest. Can you really serve two masters ? I am poor, disabled and on a fixed income. I have seen all of Father Corapi s sermons on EWTN but cannot afford the fees on Father Corapi s website. Do you preach to the poor anymore Father ?
So, is the woman upset because she was fired? Or because he was fraternizing with other women too, and not just her? (According to her claims.)
How is she going to prove her claims? Secret videotape? What does Montana law say about that?
When her claims fail, will SCM sue for slander and libel resulting in lost business, and own every red cent she’ll ever earn and own? The church won’t countersue, but SCM isn’t the church. About time a false claim (if it is) is made to pay for its crimes (perjury) and torts.
These priest-chasing women are Jezebels of Satan. Saddle up the Beast and go for a little ride.
She’s already an admitted liar—she hid her illicit alleged relationship until it didn’t go her way. Proven liar, either way.
Lots of little “judges”, one why or the other, and without a shred of proof, one way or the other. If he’s guilty…E-gads! If he’s not guilty…E-gads! Either way..it’s E-gads! Nevertheless, I’m with Mark Shea: wait and see what the investigation yields, and I add…BEFORE shooting off at the mouth.
Father Corapi is a unique one-of-a-kind Priest whose ministry and manor of preaching is of significant and far-reaching value to many Christians and non-Christians alike, especially in todays troubled world. He is always straight-forward and frank about himself, and the gospel. From watching his sermons, I can not imagine him ever being any different! I’m sure God has a special purpose for him and his good works and that the Holy Father will continually guide him through this difficult situation, by quickly revealing the truth, and restoring him back to his special place of service to God and mankind.
I am very disappointed regarding how this was handled by Corapi’s Church superiors. Far be it from me to tell them how to do their job, but I thoght that a person was innocent until proven guilty.
I would expect this highly charged and possibly false accusation and the ensuing investigation to be handled confidentially, behind the scenes, quickly and that life would go on for Fr. Corapi until a determination could be reached, at which point he would be either deemed innocent or asked to step down.
Instead, they chose to publically take this man apart before any judgement is in, destoying his livelihood and hanging him in the court of public opinion….Very much in the time-honored tradition of TMZ.com and Lindsay Lohan. Not what I would expect from Church administration.
Jumping on the bandwagon, EWTN choses to race to their own judgement of him and dumps him from the air. ( I will no longer be watching that network, by the way )
And now, here we all sit. He is off the air, speculation running rampant and of course, the wheels of church justice turn notoriusly slow, so I am not expecting to get any real resolution on this for months or maybe even into next year. His career will be ruined, many followers will be lost and a good man brought down before the evidence is even in.
Very sad. Very satanic.
To TJF - what is the difference between a ‘career’ and a ‘vocation’ - the Priesthood is not a career and Fr. Corapi’s ‘career’ is not essential to his Priesthood nor to the Church. None of us is indispensable…I don’t know the truth about what Fr. Corapi did or did not do but I do know he does not need a career - his prime call is to the priesthood and whatever he does that flows from his vocation is done by permission of his superior and he could be asked to step aside in obedience whenever his superior deems it necessary.
A real American Hero, and he’s being attacked by the DEVIL. Father Corapi will rise to occasion and his accusers will have to hide in shame. God Bless Father Corapi- REAL AMERICAN HERO
I am so sorry to hear about these accusations. I miss Father on EWTN and I will be praying that this will be cleared up soon. The Devil attacks those that speak the word of God. God Bless you Father, the truth will be known soon.
To Florin: Thank you for your comments….I understand where you are coming from on this, however it is not necessarily his ‘career’ that I am concerned with and perhaps I should have clarified this. I am concerned that a great priest will lose a public platform that has affected the lives of many, which is what I meant to say.
I, for one, left the Church twenty years ago ( a fact I am not proud of, but its a fact ) and was channel surfing one night several years ago, saw one of his shows, started watching on a regular basis to his inspiring talks and as a result, I returned to the Church and have been a regular attendee for about six years.
So he has affected me personally, and this is a fact that will not change even if the investigation renders him guilty. He opened my eyes to a lot of things that I had missed for many years and for this I am grateful.
Why don’t all of us who love and admire Father John Corapi and believe what he says about this allegation take up a petition to send to his Bishop , Ewtn, and the Pope, The Manhatten Project affirming life and family got 500,000 signatures! I don’t personally know how to get it started but there must be some computer savvy people who want to see him vindicated who could start it up.
People seem to be blind to whom Father Corapi was outside of the Pulpit. He amassed private (personal) wealth for himself using the pulpit. No different than protestant preachers who use preaching of the Word of God for economic wealth. As a religious priest who did NOT take a vow of poverty, Father Corapi had a history of womanizing, illegal drug usage, and luxuriant living on wealth (having a fast sports car). He admitted this in his preaching. I think highly of those who serve God in word and deed, such as Father Solanus Casey, Padre Pio, and Mother Theresa of Calcutta, who did not seek treasures on earth but in Heaven. The Bible says money is the root of all evil; one cannot serve both God and money; and recall the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke’s Gospel lived a plush life, and the rich man who obeyed all the commandments but could not give up his wealth and follow Jesus. Folks, you should know them by their fruits, so test the motives of Father Corapi and hold firmly to what is good. I can’t help but see Father Corapi as a successful business man in priest clothing.
Father Corapi we love you & believe you, We don’t believe the harsh lies told by your former employer, me & my husband look for your show every Saturday. We pray for rude people in
this counrty to see the actions of there wroung doing & that god has you in the palm of his hand.
—-Jr
Actually the Bible says that the *love* of money is the root of all kinds of evil. It also says not to pass judgment, especially when you don’t know anything about the people you are judging, as is the case with both Fr. Corapi and his accuser. So instead of Mark condemning him on the basis of his ignorance of the facts *or* Mary sending petitions off demanding his exoneration of the basis of her ignorance of the facts, why not just remain silent and let the people who are actually investigating the facts do their job and let the chips fall where they may? In addition, how about we pray for accuser and accused and let God handle it since he knows the truth and we don’t?
To TJF…I appreciate your response. I’m glad you have been inspired by - not so much Fr. Corapi, but Christ speaking through him. In a sense, the Holy Spirit can use any instrument - or none. Anyone who becomes famous and powerful and wealthy is in danger of great temptation - especially one committed to God. It’s only human. That’s why I honestly believe it’s best not to live alone - but to live in community of some kind. With the sexualized culture we live in, it’s more important than ever. And i personally don’t believe Priests should be able to amass such wealth- keep what is needed, but no Priest should amass millions of dollars…the Lord Himself did not charge for speaking or healing or teaching…I know one cannot go exactly that way but there are just too many traps in a Priest living alone, amassing great wealth and fame. Look what Mother Angelica did…she raised millions - but kept nothing for herself. I pray for all involved in this situation…someone wants to send petitions to Rome, the bishops - everyone, on behalf of Fr. Corapi…that’s not the way it’s done. Prayer is the best way to help Fr. Corapi and all involved…prayer goes straight to the Heart of God who knows the truth and who knows what best needs to be done…peace and good will to all, florin
Mark, you had mentioned that ( to paraphrase your statement ) Fr. C. “didn’t take the vow of poverty and had a history of illegal drug useage, womanizing and luxuriant living on wealth” , as if this was going on right now.
Are you aware that you are describing the stories he tells in his talks, about his life BEFORE he got into recovery from drugs and alcohol and BEFORE he was ever a priest to begin with?
These stories are very much public knowledge and he has used them for teaching principles of forgiveness and spiritual awakening. In fact, he attributes the Blessed Virgin for saving him from this life of debauchery.
You need to check your facts, because the lifestyle you are describing is the very life of sin that he reports he lived PRIOR to his finding sobriety and returning to the church, years before he became a priest. And it is this very rise from the depths that it such an inspiration to so many of us.
You will find out what I am talking about if you listen to his DVD’s on addiction and recovery.
I don’t pretend to know what his life is like now, but please don’t twist the facts in an effort to condemn him.
To Mark, Florin and TJF….I support your comments 100%! You covered it all and no more need be said.
I’m thankful that it’s God who will judge us. He alone knows our hearts and sees the complete truth. As Mark Shea said, we need to leave it up to Him and to pray for all involved.
I am truly disappointed in the way Father Corapi is being treated. Several years ago our beloved former pastor was unjustly accused and was removed “pending investigation”. The allegations were proven false, but some people still “wonder”. He was re-instated, thank God. I have decided to stop watching EWTN because of this situation.
While I certainly respect EWTN’s right to adhere to authentic Catholic teaching (and boy! am I ever glad they do!), I’m not sure I understand why a public “stepping back” from Father Corapi is appropriate or truly reflects the love of Christ.
Stop showing his videos because someone said something bad about him? It wouldn’t be my choice, but I understand where they are coming from. There is scandal, there is a need to be faithful to the Church authorities and there may very well be legal considerations as well. But their only public comment on the situation (until there was such a large outcry from their supporters….financial and otherwise) was to step AWAY from Father Corapi during this dark night. There was initially no publically expressed plea FOR prayers for Father Corapi. I’m not sure I understand what could be wrong with asking for prayers for a priest accused of sin? If innocent, he truly needs those prayers. If guilty, he needs them even more.
So, I guess what is bugging me about this situation and is the question I would ask is….why? Why would EWTN make such a public step AWAY from Father Corapi without a corresponding step TOWARDS encouraging him in Christ? If one of the apostles were accused of sin, would Christ have walked away from them? Kept them out of “the group”? Told the other apostles not to mention the accused one?
EWTN and the national Catholic Register are using prudential judgement when it comes to carrying water for Father Corapi, because, as Santa Cruz Media is not affiliated with the Catolic Church, Father Corapi, when all is revealed, may also no longer be affiliated with the Catholic Church—sad as it may be.
Does the end justify the means?
To directly or indirectly destroy an innocent person’s reputation in such a way is always wrong, evil and a sin which beckons the question, does the end justify the means? The church’s moral teaching has always said you can’t do an evil act for a good end. Therefore to allow any person’s reputation to be mortally damaged based on accusations that are not credible is eternally incompatible with our faith. The “just in case” defense has no moral authority here. Given that harboring guilty priest in serious offenses or anyone will always be a grievous event, though we have now gone to the other extreme and it needs to be avoided as well for we have a duty to protect the innocent, not even if they are a priest, but most especially.
Are the allegations credible? Two witness saying contrary:
“There is no evidence at this time that Father 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,” Ruffatto said.
Lastly, I think many missed the point of the outrage. Forget that it’s Father Corapi who was slandered because it could have been you!
So….the appropriate response to an accusation of sin is to shun someone? No prayers offered; no encouragement in Christ? Just make very sure that everyone sees you step away from the accused? Sounds a lot more like how the Pharisees operated than how Jesus operated.
There is a difference between showing prudence and being a fair weather advocate. There is a lot of ground between ignoring official Church proceedings and a very deliberate, public turning away from someone during a time of trial. A trial, I might add, that does not offer facts….only accusations.
My prayers are with Father Corapi at this time. The only facts we know are these: If he is innocent he desperately needs those prayers. If he is guilty, he needs them even more.
I do not believe these allegations against Father Corapi. I am praying for him as his mother would. Please end this soon we miss him terribly. The only crime here is that he cannot reach the people with his words from our Heavenly Father.
Thank you,
LaVonn
Are you aware that there are over 50,000 who have expressed concern for Father Corapi, on the Santa Cruise Site? We beg heaven for speedy resolution and are certain of his innocence.
Does anybody writing here know why Father Corapi left St. Mary’s Parish in Hudson, New York? Was it his decision? Perhaps called by the Holy Spirit, he discerned a greater role in saving souls? Why from here to Texas, then California? We’ve always wondered? Does anybody here know? I thank you in advance for helping to clarify this. Peace and Blessings.
My husband and I are soon to start taking instruction to become members of the Roman Catholic Church. We are senior citizens and have been Protestant all our lives. During the time the Holy Spirit began the work in our hearts to begin this process of change, Fr Corapi’s messages were a vital tool the Lord used to inspire us in the faith. I have been writing postings on Fr Corapi’s site, and have been told by a number of the faithful that, “You are already more Catholic than you know.” Many Protestants do love this Catholic priest and are puzzled by the way this situation has been handled by the hierarchy of the church. I respect the authority that is vested in the Catholic Church, and I cannot help but wonder, “Has this situation gotten the attention of the Vatican?” I have read that Fr Corapi was ordained into the priesthood by Pope Paul II.
Don:
Father was ordained to be a SOLT priest. His initial assignment in Hudson may have been out of some sentiment or a need to care for a family member, but it would seem an assignment outside of the community to a diocesan parish. Apparently St. Mary’s was since consolidated into Holy Trinity Parish. Robstown is where the SOLT community is headquartered in the diocese of Corpus Christi TX, so it would seem a normal place for him to be assigned. From there it seems the bishop of Sacramento requested him to work there and SOLT agreed to it. Since leaving Sacramento he seems to have worked on his own, presumably with SOLT’s okay.
Father Corapi is a decent and just priest and I am forever in his debt for all he has taught me and done for me.
I BELIEVE FR. CORAPI IS INNOCENT.THE REASON IS THAT IF YOU EVER HEARD ONE SUNDAY HOMILY OR HIS FAMOUS"SPIRITUAL BATTLE” CD’S YOU KNOW IMMEDIATELY THAT HE IS A NO-NONSENSE PRIEST WHO SPEAKS THE TRUTH.THE PROBLEM IS THAT SOME PRIEST AND PEOPLE DO NOT,REPEAT, DO NOT WANT TO HEAR THE TRUTH.YOU KNOW GOOD CATHOLICS THAT THE TRUTH IS JESUS CHRIST,AND NOTHING CAN CHANGE THAT.REMEMBER WHEN OUR LORD “HUNG” WITH PROSTITUTES TO CONVERT THEM AND THE PHARESES HAD A FIT.COULD YOU IMAGINE THIS HAPPENING AGAIN TODAY ? LET,S PRAY FOR FR. CORAPI AND HIS ACCUSER WHO NEEDS EVEN MORE PRAYERS.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
EWTN know very good a father Corapi and we know he is innocents he is decent and just. My prayers are with Father Corapi this time I pray to heaven for speedy resolution!!!!
If it wern’t for Father Corapi I would still be a pagen. I pray for him every morning and night.
Why isn’t this woman’s name been made public? Only a coward writes letters behind a person’s back. In court the defendant is allowed to face his accusor. What is she afraid of? I mean, what does she think he could do to her? If she truly believes the statements she is making why not say so in public? EWTN is taking the coward’s way out, too. Not guilty until proven, isn’t that how it goes? The rest of you are overthinking the issue. Who cares where he gets his money from. The church blew it the first time & now they are swerving in the opposite but also wrong direction.
Karen, why do you call the woman a coward. From what I understand, she wrote ONLY to the Bishops. She could have gone to the mainstream media and blasted Fr. Corapi’s name all over the place. It is Fr. Corapi and his company who are making public statements and accusations. It seems the woman/women have left the situation in the hands of the Bishops and, for all we know, Fr. Corapi and the woman/women ARE meeting together with the Bishops to straighten all this out…
Having a family member being unjusly accused of such an act, I believe that females make such accutations because they know they can get away with it. It is amazing how convincing their lies can be mixed with tears that females can turn on at the drop of pin, and their lack of the fear of God in breaking his eighth commandment (you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor) I believe that Father Corpi is innocent of these charges. There is just too much of this sort of thing going on any more and these lying females getting away with destroying someone’s life. People are so fast in believing these lies and in doing so are also helping in the lies. May God have mercy on them when their time on this earth is done. I loved watching Father Corpi on EWTN he has helped me to get stronger in my catholic faith and opened my eyse to many many of my faith’s teaching. I pray for Father Corpi, for the pain he must be feeling right now. May God give him the strength to get him through this. I also pray for the female who caused this, she is in need of many prayers doing this to one of God’s priest. May god have mercy on her soul.
Regarding Santa Cruz Media statement posted Friday May 6th
To anyone with doubts. I see this as their way of being proactive in providing income for him and his employees now and in the future, if it happened once it will happen again. Right now they have no outlet, time to further separate his talks from the church and eliminate their control. I love the church but remember it is being run b…y humans. We all sin and make mistakes. That is why Jesus picked Judas as one of his apostle. He knew he would be betrayed but it is his way of warning us there would always be discord in the church. Just because the bishops have authority over Father Corapi doesn’t mean that what they do is right. The fact that this started on Ash Wednesday is also a clue to us that God is allowing Father to suffer for a greater good. I’m expecting this ‘new chapter’ to be the greater good. No longer will the church be able to silence him the next time Satan attacks.
Sandra - so the Bishops may not be right but Fr. Corapi is assuredly right…the Church may sin because it is run by humans, but Fr. Corapi cannot sin because…? And the fact that this started on Ash Wed. means that God is allowing the heroic and perfectly pure and just Fr. Corapi to suffer for the greater good???? and the Church will not be able to silence Fr. Corapi because ...? Because Fr. Corapi is greater and more holy than the Church???? Can you not see how absurd your statements and conclusions are? Fr. Corapi may indeed have not done what he has been accused of…but you have no absolute insider’s proof that he has not done these things…you are making him a martyr and if, God forbid, it turns out that these allegations are true, how will you deal with it? Will you leave the Church…? We need balance here - none of us know the truth of the allegations…so let’s just pray that the truth will be made known.
It’s tuly amazing how ALL tese postings say more about those piosting than the subject tey seem to wish to address. These revelationa are truly gifts of the Holy Spirit! (If, in fact, any of those posting would head their own messages…)
I am thoroughly disgusted with the Catholic Church for their persecution of Fr. Corapi. They are treating him more harshly than they would treat a homosexual pedafile priest. We all know how the Bishops have protected the homosexual prieats, and they still continue to protect them today. This is because many of the Bishops have themselves been proven to be homosexuals. I think, the Bishops are using Fr. Corapi as a convient distraction. I have faith that Fr. Corapi is innocent, but even if he is not innocent, the indescretions that they accuse him of are NATURAL as opposed to homosexual behavior.
Is there any new information about the investigation? Is there any information about how Father Corapi is doing - spiritually, mentally, emotionally - now? Father Corapi spoke about his fears of being unjustly accused as a priest. He spoke of the persecution that all priests suffer because of the sins of some priests. When he spoke about these issues in the past, he seemed to know the scope of this problem (sinners justly accused and the unjust persecution of other priests). It is impossible for us to know God’s will in all of this, but Father Corapi is gifted by God with brilliance. Everything works together for good for those who love God. Father Corapi loves God. This will evolve into good in some way beyond our perception or perspective. I have faith in Jesus, in Our Holy Catholic Church, and in who we all know the Holy Spirit is within Father Corapi.
God bless all of you
He’s the real thing. We need him.
fr coropi brought me back to confession and the catholic CHU;RCH which he saved me sold from hell & now and forever i pray remember farther oh blood and water gushed forth form JESUS heart as a fount of grace for you father my prayers are for you every dAY & i beleive in you
GOD BLESS YOU RON BOURG
Please assure Father Corapi that he is in our prayers on a daily basis, and to remind him of his father’s advice: “never stop fighting”.
Father Corapi spoke the truth before these allegations, and he’ll speak the truth after they are long gone. Whether Father Corapi sinned is irrelevant - we are ALL sinners. To remove Father Corapi’s programming from EWTN and suspend him following these allegations implies the rediculous assumption that Father Corapi was somehow thought to be, or expected to be, perfect, and that now that we’ve suddenly discovered that he MAY have actually fallen into sin, he should be condemned. Whether or not these allegations are true, the following remains the same: Father Corapi is a wonderfully effective teacher who has saved many souls, and he is a human being that is tempted and falls into sin despite his best efforts to avoid it. Father has done nothing that his Merciful Father in heaven will not forgive him for. Let those without sin cast the first stone.
Dear Father Corapi like you always told us, offer it up. Remember that even our Lord Jesus Christ was falsely accused and of course the evil one is out there trying to destroy you because you have brought so many people back to their faith and satan is terrified of losing his battle that he needs to attack one of our Lord’s finest (you), but don’t forget that with our Lord Jesus Christ next to us, we can defeat anything and anyone. Please don’t give up and rely on our Blessed Mother, that with God nothing is impossible. God bless you always.
If the superiors of Father Corapi say that they do not consider him guilty until proven otherwise,than why did they forbid him say mass even in private!It’s clear hypocrisy on their side.Even Padre Pio was not denied this priestly privilage and duty.It is clear that some liberls want to punish him for speaking the truth.
I think it’s clear to Fr. Corapi’s superiors, as it should be clear to us, that he has not practiced as a priest in a long, long time. That’s why they are forbidding him to say Mass even in private.
fr corapiis a dynamic speaker and i miss his talks very much. he has deepened my faith AND I HAVE GROWN, which to the point is how ironic it is that during the lenten season that he was silenced. it just goes to prove that when you influence millions of people that someway, somehow satan will find a willing subject to temporRAILY BRING HIM DOWN ESPECIALLY DURING THE MOST HOLIEST TIME IN THE CHURCH. I HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR FATHER JOHN AND HIS ACCUSER.HE HAS ALREADY ADMITTED THAT HE HAS EXPERIENCED THE Dark side,climbed himself out of a hellhole. so why would he even go back. father corapi always has said in past speeches about why evil happens he says because sometimes out of evil something good happens.
i cant wait to see him back to giving his speeches again.
Fr Corapiu has not been afraid to list his sins, so why would he not do so now if true? Just saying
I find it hard to read things about the employee that say she assaulted people (but no charges filed in that regard) and was disgruntled when she or anyone on her side, said that. There were also other people named in the 3 pages that no one knows about. This investigation has been going on since Ash Wednesday, a long time for just a weak case. If would help quell some of the questions to say it was “nothing” but time and silence will start to speak volumes if they don’t update soon.
I hate to read about any priest or religious who is in the news and not in a good way, it helped me leave many years ago and I came back in spite of it which was hard. I pray that everyone will be kind to both sides and whether he is guilty of anything or just needs a rest, realize he is not the church and to not elevate him to a place only God has.
He was not a parish priest, a priest that worked with the poor, sick, etc., he preached and preached well, but also had a secular side, his company, selling himself in books/DVD’s for profit, and the more you let the world in, the more you set yourself up to be situations like this.It’s very hard being a priest today and a Catholic, let is pray for them and us…we all need it.
Why does everyone believe a sound bite from one side, when there has been silience on the other? The woman or women have no motive to be silient, this isn’t a court case, but the flimsy charges are still having him out of the limelight. It’s been over 2 months, I fear flimsy is not the case or they are just dragging their feet because Father needs some time to re-group.
If he didn’t do it, the support and prayers are wonderful, they must lift him up, but if he did do something, the denials and anger toward anonymous people,the “he would NEVER do this” would make it harder for him to make a statement. Charity would have followers of his say they support him if he has sinned (and who doesn’t daily) and not put him up so high, that it is harder to come down.
Deb, I am curious…how do you KNOW that ‘charges have not been filed?” Can you cite where you researched this info ? How can you be so sure?
To the people who think that this case is valid somewhow because it hasn’t been resolved by now…...PLEASE! We are dealing with the Catholic Church here, remember? They take an eon to do anything and if you would think for a moment, I know you will agree with me on this. We will probably be reading about this thing in the fall and possibly until the end of this year, if they are going true to form on ‘investigating’ things. I don’t mean this with any disrespect, and I am not saying ‘guilty’ or ‘innocent,’ just stating the facts as I see them.
People love to put their own spin on things when there isn’t enough solid information to go on.
Bottom line: we don’t know anything….for or against Father Corapi. The length of an investigation has absoloutely no relation to the guilt or innocence of the accused.
The only thing we know for sure is that God is in charge and He will turn all things to good, even when human eyes cannot see it or human hearts refuse to believe it.
I think we pick our destiny’s sometimes, although God can steer if we let him. I wish he could change all evil or bad things to good, free will is a pain sometimes. ; )
I don’t research things like that,charges filed, I don’t really want to know. All civil and criminal cases in my area are online, divorces, felonies, house sales, I think most things are open to the public unless sealed for minors, etc.
I will always say I don’t understand how an accusation without merit can keep someone out, unless it involved children or criminal act. If half of the spin on one side was true, and he was still out, there is something wrong with our church and how it works. You have to admit, it doesn’t make sense. I trust they know what they are doing until they show otherwise.
Father doesn’t run a parish, have masses every week, most of his EWTN shows were taped and repeats, I don’t think he is missing much except some appearances. His business can be run behind the scenes. This is one of the reasons they can take their time.
I have been a strong suporter of EWTN for many years. However since EWTN is “throwing Fr. Corapi under the bus” I am dropping my financial support of EWTN. Fr. Coropi was the best program on thir station.
Yes, it’s time we chose between the National Catholic Reporter and EWTN and father Corapi, who gave his heat soul and mind on the hill of the martrys in Aureiesville!
I love ETWN, it brought me with the help of John Paul 11, back to the church. Fr. Groechel and his order are so holy and I love watching him and meeting his friars and brothers. They preach and preach without speaking, something not many can say. I doubt you will hear much of anything from that group that is bad because of that. Father Corapi wanted to be alone at first, his group wanted him to preach and I’m sure money was a small factor. I feel he knew what was best for him overall. I hope he can recover, but fame brings many bad things with the good.
I don’t blame EWTN, they might know more than you do and time will tell. Fr.Francis had a lot of support and they knew more at that time also when they pulled his items “temporarily” at first. Scandal is something they want to avoid, don’t hurt all the good they do because they did something you don’t understand. They reach MANY more than Fr. Corapi could ever and brought back many souls. Don’t idolize Father to the extent that you act irrationally toward others. You don’t really know him, anyone involved or anything behind the scenes. If he would want this, he isn’t the holy soul who preached on that station.
I agree with Deb
I miss father corapis teaching very very much and am anxious for him to return to doing God’s work.That was the best that was on ewtn. I believe that he is innocent and it will be proven.
How long will it take for Fr. Corapi’s name to be cleared. This is a disgrace. He should be able to have a speedy resolution to this bogus charge. How long will his name be left out there in a pile of manureI do not believe these lies and will not lose faith. Our church needs Fr. Corapi so bad. So many priest are wishy washy about sin. Father tells it as it is. God, our Heavenly Father,Do not allow Satan to win. If this woman needs mental health care, see that she gets it. If she has made this up, she should be punished. My brother has been away from the church for a very long time. He listenes s to Father Corapi and is saying the Rosary. He misses Father John as we all do.
I hope it does end soon, it’s hard when you don’t know what they are doing, but they said they would start immediately. It must have needed some time.
The woman might not need mental care, she might be just fine but I agree, I hope all involved get the help they need. Please, if Father did do something, don’t let it hurt your faith or your brother’s, he’s a MAN and only a man, he preached God’s word but had a life off the pulpit no one knows about. Don’t let an image of her or him or anyone else involved be set in stone or be a replacement for Jesus and his words. One doesn’t have wings and another a tail.
If Father’s group is doing the investigation, they wont say anything until it is resolved completely because they wouldn’t want any gossip coming out afterward. I don’t know anyone involved but I do appreciate the women didn’t come out to the paper but took the proper channels and still hasn’t spoken.Whether she is crazy or just angry at what she has seen, she had the sense to do it the right way and no one else has gossiped except some people that say they work at SOLT. Since you can’t prove whether that is true or if they just have alligience to one side, I disregard that also.
Just remember, as others have stated, your faith isn’t in him, but our Lord, don’t put everything on a fragile man.
Just because one supports Father Corapi through this trial does not mean that there is a corresponding lack of faith in Christ. Certainly, Father Corapi is a man and certainly (in fact, definitely) there will be times when he fails. If this is one of them, so be it. It has nothing to do with my faith in Christ and my security in the Church as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Since I don’t have any facts other than 1. Father has been suspended from active ministry and 2. there has been an accusation of wrongdoing, I will consider him innocent until he is proven guilty. Either way, he has my prayers and my support.
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