Posted on 06/19/2011 4:43:03 AM PDT by ConservativeStLouisGuy
In the wake of being suspended over what he claims are unproven allegations, popular speaker Fr. John Corapi announced that after 20 years in ministry, he's leaving the Catholic priesthood.
“I am not going to be involved in public ministry as a priest any longer,” he said in an online post. “There are certain persons in authority in the Church that want me gone, and I shall be gone.”
In a June 17 post on a website with the title of his new ministry “Black Sheep Dog,” and a related YouTube video clip, Fr. Corapi outlined his reasons for leaving.
He said that he feels unjustly accused, that the process of clearing his name has been too sluggish and that there are authorities in the Church who are intentionally trying to oust him.
The news comes as Fr. Corapi had been placed on administrative leave since March by superiors within his religious order following allegations of misconduct.
Fr. Corapi claimed in a March 19 statement that 3-page letter submitted by a former, unidentified female employee was entirely “false.” The letter claimed that the priest took part in sexual encounters with several adult women and engaged in habitual drug use.
A previous member of Texas-based Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, Fr. Corapi is an internationally-known speaker and author who has appeared regularly on Catholic television and radio programs.
He gained a widespread audience with his conversion story. After a prominent career as a wealthy businessman, his life spiraled out of control due to a cocaine addiction, eventually leading to him living on the streets. He later came back to the Catholic Church and was ordained a priest.
On March 18, Fr. Gerry Sheehan, Regional Priest Servant for the society, issued a statement defending the suspension, saying that he and other authorities were “duty-bound to conduct an investigation in this accusation.”
Fr. Corapi said in his online post Friday that he's “been guilty of many things in the course of my life, and could easily and justifiably be considered unfit to engage in public ministry as a priest.”
However, referring to the woman in question, he said that the “present complaint that you have heard about is, as far as I know, from the one person that I can honestly say I did more to help and support than any human being in my entire life.”
“I forgive her and hope only good things for her. I am not going to get into a back and forth or argument with the Church or anyone else about this matter.”
He said that even though he loves the Catholic Church, the process used following the allegations “is inherently and fatally flawed, but the bishops have the power, apparently, to operate anyway they see fit.”
“I cannot give a lengthy explanation of what has transpired, but I can tell you that the most likely outcome is that they leave me suspended indefinitely and just let me fade away.”
“My canon lawyer and my civil lawyers have concluded that I cannot receive a fair and just hearing under the Church’s present process,” he said. “The case may be on hold indefinitely, but my life cannot be.”
Fr. Corapi said that he'll move forward by continuing with ministry within the Church and also outside of it.
“I shall continue, black sheep that I am, to speak; and sheep dog that I am, to guard the sheep – this time around not just in the Church, but also in the entire world.”
“Under the name 'The Black Sheep Dog,' I shall be with you through radio broadcasts and writing. My autobiography, 'The Black Sheep Dog,' is almost ready for publication.”
“My topics will be broader than in the past, and my audience likewise is apt to be broader,” he added. “I’ll do what I can under the circumstances.”
The Media will have a field day with this...
I have seen people go through this unfair accusations in the health field..it is a nightmare and the person is on their own.
“My canon lawyer and my civil lawyers have concluded that I cannot receive a fair and just hearing under the Church’s present process,” he said. “The case may be on hold indefinitely, but my life cannot be.”
“Fr. Corapi Has Lost It”
“I am not in any way unsympathetic to falsely accused priests or priests who feel that there need to be more stringent safeguards against false accusations. In fact, if Fr. Corapi were innocent (as he may be) then he could have chosen to make himself a test case to get better safeguards enacted.
But Fr. Corapi—or “the Black SheepDog”—or whatever he wants to be called—chose not to stand firm in the face of what he claimed were false allegations.
Instead, he chose to defy authority and strike off on his own as a “sheep dog” protecting the flock whose leaders he is defying.
Unless something very improbable happens, he has thus abandoned his priesthood in a way that will from here on out prevent him from serving as a Catholic priest.”
http://www.ncregister.com/fr.-corapi-has-lost-it.html
Just when was faced with adversity or test, in instead of relying upon God for strength, he abandons his vows in just 3 short months after 20 years in the priesthood? Something mighty fishy there.
Something mighty fishy there.His creepy video says it all; there's no mention of the Blessed Mother.
He does not claim that they are lies, but they are "unproven allegations." Serious word-smithing there.
Corapi also talks about his ‘fan-base’ on his website. What type of priest centralizes adoration upon himself versus God?
Bishop Fulton Sheen
I have seen Him speak, My thought’s afterwards , “bomb thrower” story’s with just too many strange twists that could never be “unproven” but I was to say the least suspicious.
The wordsmithing is by the author of the article - in both the video, which I don't find 'creepy', and in his own written statement (the video is just a reading of it), he says that he can't be proven guilty of the charges because they are false.
I still can't find any mention of whether he's asked for laicization, so 'leaving the priesthood' is also wordsmithing. I'm going to try to remember this very crafty author's name for the future.
He seems to be suspended, but not silenced-under-obedience, except in that specific matter.
Corapi announcing that he is quitting the priesthood effectively ends the Bishop’s investigation of the claims of his skirt chasing and drug use.
So we may never know the real story.
Sheen never did that.
I don’t think his announcing that he is leaving the priesthood stops the investigation at all. What he says he’s going to do is irrelevant to the actual investigation of the accusations.
Are you kidding????
He was the FIRST Televangelist...He had books, speaking engagements, met with famous people, and had the same Dramatic flair..People were crazy about him..He certainly wasn’t a modest, quiet little priest.
Remember that was Wayyyy before TV became cable, the internet, etc.
“something mighty fishy here”
ya think??
are we all supposed to suspend common sense, because the man is a Catholic priest?
he is high profile enough that it would be impossible for the Church to suspend him indefinitely without real solid proof.
his actions speak as though coming from someone who knows the real truth of what happened and he’s decided to get out of Dodge.
sometimes 2 plus 2 equals 4.
I have not blogged about this matter until now and this will probably be my only observation. Already on the social network sites, his fans are taking sides with him and attacking the Church. This has quickly become a very dangerous situation, another reason why cult worship of religious media personalities should be discouraged. Our faith is in Jesus and the Church, not in preachers with impressive rhetoric and militant attitudes.
This business has gone sour and Father Corapi, as much as I hate to say it, is speaking out of both sides of his mouth… that the bishops have a right to do what they are doing and then to malign them for violating his rights and daring to impose discipline upon him. He is a priest and cannot pretend to be anything else… like this ridiculous “black sheep dog” business. His failure to shut down his multimillion dollar business was an early sign that he would not obey the demand of the bishops to halt public ministry. Now he is taking it to the next level. Faithful Catholics have no choice, in tears and anguish, we must leave Father Corapi. Pray for him but do not participate in his pretense of obedience while he is disobedient. True humility would have him submit and accept the cross. But no one will tell him what to do… that was the trouble with his independence all along… and more grievous than any genuine or false indiscretion with a woman… it is the greatest possible failing for any priest. A suspended priest can neither preach nor teach religion, his intention to do so anyway will make him a Protestant, no matter what the message. Father Joe
I agree — the media WILL have a field day with this news, if for no other reason that the media has no accountability when it comes to faith and morals on anything.
I really respect what Jimmy Akin thinks/says (listen to him quite a bit on the Catholic Answers Live podcast)....so....I guess I have to weigh what I know has happened (thus far) with John Corapi versus what Jimmy/John have both said. Both have their merits....
I understand what you’re saying, but then again, just because he (intentionally or unintentionally) “left out” the Blessed Mother shouldn’t be a prerequisite for judging him one way or the other. (I’m Catholic too.)
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