Thanks to the Register, finally we have some answers about Fr. Corapi’s relationship to Santa Cruz Media and SOLT.
So much has been made of that Santa Cruz is a for profit business. The Register SOLT interview explains that.
Initially, Father Corapi was allowed to live an eremitic life in a cottage on a compound with a community of sisters. Father Corapi stayed there for some time, conducting parish missions. Ultimately, he moved into his own home.
His preaching had tremendous results and many people were converted to the faith, while others came back to the Church. Many vocations came from his preaching. Subsequently, he began producing tapes that showcased his presentation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the subject of his doctoral dissertation.
He made Santa Cruz Media a for-profit company, he told his superiors, in order to have the proper freedom to proclaim the Gospel without any fear of raising issues that might threaten the company’s tax-exempt status.
He said he would pay his taxes and proclaim the Gospel fearlessly. Father Flanagan allowed him to manage his own funds. No one knew it would become so big.
That doesn’t sound so nefarious.
And as to why Fr. Corpai has so much independence from a society of apostolic life?
Has SOLT evolved since Father Corapi became a member of the society?
In 1994, our new constitution made SOLT a society of apostolic life. The founder’s arrangement with Father Corapi was established before that time, when Father Flanagan believed that every mission should take care of its own needs.
Now, according to our constitution, a different way of life has been established for members. All the money we make is turned over to the society, which gives us an allowance.
These are important answers as the lack of clarity on some of these issues leads some people to speculate the worst. The National Catholic Register and Joan Frawley Desmond has done a good service by getting answers on these questions.
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