A video is out that seems to be from Fr. Corapi saying that he’s quitting the priesthood. New Advent has the link above the fold. This would be a heartbreaking turn of events.
Some suspect that this isn’t actually Fr. Corapi. There does seem to be some issues with the audio. But check it out. Let me know. If it’s a fraud, it’s a pretty good one that someone went to a lot of trouble to put up. If it’s true it’s really sad.
Update: Yeah, it seems like it’s him. There’s a link to his new site from Fr.Corapi.com
His new site is theblacksheepdog.us
Update2: I gotta’ tell you watching it again I can’t help but think it’s kinda’ icky that he used this message to plug a new venture -this blacksheepdog thing. Am I right? Isn’t that a bit icky after all this talk and prayer to have this.
I feel kinda’ like Ralphie from a Christmas story who after waiting forever for a message from Annie all he got was a crummy commercial “Be Sure to drink your ovaltine.“
June 18, 2011 at 8:12 pm
HOW DARE YOU JUDGE FATHER CORAPI. Responding to the accuser..The Prince of Lies steps forward, but Our Blessed Mother will protect FATHER CORAPI for she wears combat boots! Draw a line in the sand and wait…you who are without sin, step forward and throw the first stone. Defenseless Corapi stands without knowing his accuser or the charges of the one who hides in the dark..like the evil one, who vowed to bring him down. Consider the many conversions that have come about because of Corapi's many spiritual talks. Does that sound like the work of satan?
You are assumed innocent until proven guilty. How many times Father Corapi said the devil works in many ways. And here is an example.
Jesus also stood accused and defenseless. Humiliated, spit upon, lied about. You Hypocrites. An accused person is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. You have no right to judge another man. Only God has that right. Accept that reality! I will continue to listen to the "Word" of God as Blacksheepdog continues to watch over the sheep that scatter when the wolf comes. Do not let the evil one scatter you. Blacksheepdog dispenses truth and hope! We need it. Look around you.
June 19, 2011 at 3:50 am
Amen to what Anonymous above just said!
June 19, 2011 at 4:15 am
Anonymous said…
Hmm, Mr. Corapi is building a fan base, hard for him to give up the spot light.(What would Padre Pio have done?)
June 18, 2011 10:41 AM
_________________________________________
Oh yeah …. definitely unusual …. just take a look at our examples of JPII, Bishop Sheen, or even, for that matter but with no disrespect of course …. Fr. Z!!!
June 19, 2011 at 4:45 am
Because of the accusation, Fr. Corapi is not suspended. He may not wear clercial garb in public, he may not use the title "Father" or "Rev", and he may not administer the Sacraments or preach.
As a result, Corapi has not "left the priesthood" rather he is now forbidden to exercise his priestly ministry. He is not "defrocked" at least not yet anyway. If his enemies are really determined to do so, they will see to it he is defrocked. Most of the time, these folks are satisfied to leave the man in ruins as is the case with Corapi.
The abuse racket now is out of control and is deeply flawed. Please note the US Bishops exempted themselves from the Charter since they answer only to the Pope. Meanwhile, it they are accused of abuse, the diocese pays for the attorneys, they remain in office, and continue to live off the church as if nothing has happened.
As a priest, the danger we all face now from any nut charging us with abuse is very real. When priests die, it is now common for charges of abuse to come forward with the diocese and estate sued. It doesn't matter these charges may be anywhere from 30 to 50 years old. Of course, no charges were leveled while the priest was alive.
What has happened to Fr. Corapi can happen to any priest. We are not all vulnerable now.
June 19, 2011 at 5:34 am
Our Bishops have led us down a terrible path of liberalism that included admitting hundred and hundred of homosexual men into the seminaries several decades ago. The sexual abuse perpetrated has been largely isolated to molesting boys and adolescent young men. This was done by the militant homosexuals that have infiltrated the highest levels of our church. Father Corapi has undoubtedly ruffled some gay feathers in the wrong places.
The best way to react to this unfortunate mess is by judging the fruits of the tree. Father Corapi is first a man–an aggressive, sensitive, but strong and warlike individual. He is the antithesis of the insipid, milquetoast, closet gay community of priest and bishops who are in positions of authority now. The fruits of father Corapi have been conversions, healing and a return to the Catholic church–yes, a return for many and he has taken none away. Listen to his magnificent sermons. They do one thing. They bring a focus to Our Lady, the Eucharist, obedience to the Magisterium of the Church, and a renewal of a traditional and conservative perspective.
So, good fruit means a good tree. Conversely, look at the fruit of liberalism that is pervasive within our church now. People have left in droves. Homosexual priests molesting our children. A divorce rate–and probably abortion rate–equal to or worse than our secular counterparts. A disastrous loss of credibility with the rest of our protestant brothers and sisters. For this, we can blame the horrendously bad leadership of the bishops and their rebellion against Rome.
The man known as Fr. Corapi did not annihilate his manhood or humanness by taking vows. He has all the weakness and human failing we have. He is bolstered by grace from his Holy Orders, but he still fights with his humanity as we all do. Give the poor guy the same consideration you would a neighbor down the street. There is no evidence open for public examination yet, and no church or civil authorities have offered to make anything available.
Last, and this is a big one, if you think Sara Palin is Mama Grizzly, you haven't seen our Holy Mother in action then. Fr. Corapi has a huge devotion to her, and from what I've heard, has made a very formal and public consecration to Her. So, she takes care of Her own. You'd do well not to criticize him lest you arouse the ire of his Holy Mother and she comes to protect her child. Everybody I've every known who has tried to hurt one of Her children has been treated to a very painful and ignominious defeat.
Sorry for the long ramble, but he is being decimated in the blogs right now and not being offered even the courtesy of Christian charity and love. Remember the man–a military man with a military man's perspective on combat, whether temporal or spiritual. He is a warrior for Our Holy Mother who is now badly wounded. Love Fr. Corapi and pray for him. The fruits of this tree have been magnificent. Our Holy Mother will work things our with and for Her son.
-Winterhawk
June 19, 2011 at 10:29 am
Scripture says, “there is a way that seems right to a man, but that way leads to death.” For all the wisdom Corapi appeared to have in the past, I'm surprised he would so readily abandon the vows, (poverty, chastity and obedience), that he made to Jesus, in order to follow his own plan for the future.
Whether he is guilty or innocent of wrongdoing, Divine Providence put him in the perfect position to change the way the Church handles the cases of priests being accused of wrongdoing. He said that the system is flawed but instead of using his high-profile and notoriety, as well as the finances that God allowed him to acquire, to force the Church to reform this broken system, not necessarily for his sake only but, for the many priests who will continue to be accused in the future, he's decided that the world and God needs his superior intellect even though what he will now be teaching people is that being disobedient to our divinely commissioned authority is okay, as long as you feel like it's the right thing to do.
By leaning on his own understanding, and deciding that he knows better than God what he's supposed to be doing, he has missed a golden opportunity to help those of his brother priests that Satan will be attacking through false accusations. Shame on him for his pride. He said that he was not ready to,"fade away," so it obviously hadn't occurred to him that the Lord may have removed him from the limelight for a reason. God had a plan, which Corapi's pride has completely removed him from. I pray that, for the sake of his soul, he will seek repentance and reconciliation with his Bishop, if reconciliation is even possible at this stage.
Regarding his new chosen vocation; we already have divinely ordained leaders, the faithful don't need fallen priests steering us away from our true shepherds, those bishops and priests, faithful to their vocations, in full communion with the Church. I will be praying for him, that he will seek wisdom.
June 19, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Why would he file for a trademark for "The Black-Sheep Dog" almost a full year before he was accused?
http://www.trademarkia.com/the-blacksheep-dog-85009403.html
On Thursday, April 08, 2010, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for THE BLACK-SHEEP DOG. This trademark is owned by Santa Cruz Media, Inc., Kalispell, MT 59901. The USPTO has given the THE BLACK-SHEEP DOG trademark serial number of 85009403. The current federal status of this trademark filing is NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE – ISSUED.
US Patent and Trademark Office http://tess2.uspto.gov/
Search for Black-Sheep Dog
June 19, 2011 at 3:29 pm
Anon-
possibly because a large part of his preaching has been about how he did bad things in the past?
IrisQuad-
How, precisely, do you think he should have "fixed" the system? Maybe refused to accept the Bishop's order to stop public ministry? He's sure calling a lot of attention to the system's problems– at least, when folks can stop mind-reading ill intentions into him long enough to read the announcement.
June 19, 2011 at 6:04 pm
Several years back, a good friend of mine who is an exemplary priest was falsely accused of molestation. How Fr Corapi lays out his treatment was exactly the same as my friend. My fiend was publicly humiliated and left to drift in the wind for 9 months. His parishes stood beside him and rejoiced greatly upon his return. Hr still carries the pain of what happened, but has repeatedly told me he united his sufferings to those of Christ on the cross. He was bound and determined to live the vocation to which Christ had called him come what may. I see him as heroic and a true symbol of bloodless martyrdom.
Fr Corapi had this same chance to exemplify heroic virtue and a willingness to embrace his suffering as for the good of others and took the easy way out. IN taking shots at a bishop and the church as he leaves, it is cheap and NOT in line with our Christian virtues. Now some might talk about the treatment he received..but as my friend told me, he would not allow the sin of another to be the cause of his own sin. While I have agreed with the content of his preaching, like many other examples of priests, he started buying his own press. If he hadn't he would have never dreamed of abandoning the priesthood when it became difficult, that he did does not speak well for him as a man nor a priest and makes one wonder if the ministry was about him or about Christ…were it about Christ, he wouldn't abandon the cross anymore than Jesus or Mary did.
June 19, 2011 at 7:35 pm
I can only imagine what a field day all of the pharisaical commenters of our day would have had re: John the Baptist. The religious powers of the day would like to have his head!!! as well as silence him by locking him up in one of his caves. How dare someone who smells to high heaven, wears animal clothing, with matted hair and bugs crawling over him EVER be allowed to speak for or against them???!! Yet speak he did – in a roar – against the false authority of men who would later be described by Him as placing overwhelming burdens upon their own while not lifting a finger to make sure real justice is given out fairly to all.
Today there needs to be more real dogs of war/spiritual warfare unafraid to protect the complacent sheep against the wolves within who destroy from within and their minions, the elitist pharisaical self-anointed living in "catholic" blog pomposity.
The real world black sheep dogs from whom Fr. C has witnessed for his example:
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2008/12/the-sheepdogs-b.html
June 19, 2011 at 7:40 pm
I've listened to the announcement and read the transcript – odd that what I see is disputed by so many people/fans. I see a man who got fed up with the process in a mere three months – while things are still in what would be called Discovery in a civil case. What's more, he gave the equivalent of the British Workers Salute to all and sundry – using the same venue for promotion of his franchise products.
Look – there IS recourse according to canon law. I have been told that by a canonist who is very concerned at the misrepresentations in the announcement.
And in the announcement – at first he says he knows who his accuser is – someone he's done a great deal to help. But then he says they're not telling him who the accuser is. The announcement is full of similar contradictions.
As for fraud – if it were, Corapi or someone from his staff would have landed on this and issued a warning within an hour of its release.
I am offering my Office and all my prayers for Corapi and for all priests who are tempest-tossed. This is truly a grievous situation for us all.
St. Michael the Archangel, Defend us in Battle…
June 19, 2011 at 7:44 pm
I also want to point out that, because of Corapi's celebrity status, it doesn't matter what he calls himself, he's still universally known as a Catholic priest – he can't get away from that identity.
And isn't it a denial of the very nature of the ordained priesthood to try to split oneself off from it, to operate with one foot in the world as a secular/private individual?
June 19, 2011 at 9:17 pm
Look – there IS recourse according to canon law. I have been told that by a canonist who is very concerned at the misrepresentations in the announcement.
Really? What is it?
I ask, because the guy they had on the local Catholic Radio talking about the Bishop's conference– I didn't catch the show's name, but the conference was up here in Seattle, and they introduced him as one of the guys who helped write the original policy– mentioned that he was upset about the way that there isn't any recourse in the policy, to enforce it or to adjust problems.
He was also very upset about problems in how general accusations are handled, calling the entire thing an over-correction from the prior lack of policy.
I'd guess that Corapi's timing has a lot to do with the results of the conference– given that he'd been talking about the issue before, it's reasonable to figure he's been talking to others concerned about these issues. Given the timing, I'm surprised nobody else has considered this.
June 19, 2011 at 9:18 pm
Argh, meant to type "mentioned this" or "suggested they considered this."
June 19, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Winterhawk, great post! I could not agree with you more. The condescending and filthy things said about him in the "bloggosphere" are mindnumbing.
A good one I have been quoting often from Fr. himself: "Every once in a while the fight between good and evil breaks through the veil for us to see"……………..this is definitely one of those times.
To those who are name calling and treating him with complete disdain I say this: "Those of you without sin cast the first stone."
June 20, 2011 at 1:14 am
This type of reaction by a well respected priest is not good for most good catholics. I disagree with Fr. Corapi/black sheep's reaction to his cross. Most people who are considered saints are asked to carry a cross for their entire lives, Fr. Corapi should know this. I doubt very sincerely that I will follow a priest that cries sour grapes and leaves the priesthood and then goes after the hierarchy that put him on his cross. I'd say just suck it up for the glory of God and what happens, happens. Fr. Corapi sounds like a spoiled child in his YouTube presentation and I for one do not appreciate it. I dislike some of the shenanigans the American Bishops have perpetrated in the past, and still continue to do so, but they are between a rock and a hard place with the sexual proclivities of our priests and other catholic leaders. I doubt there is a fair way of handling sexual problems in the catholic church. Fr. Corapi needs to recognize that all of the sexual problems of the past will have long-lasting judicial problems for the future.
June 20, 2011 at 4:51 am
Whether he is guilty or innocent doesn't matter to me. Its his attitude that is getting in the way. We all sin and fall short….so perhaps IF he is guilty, admit it to the world, make a good confession and move on. What concerns me is that he could move on in the Protestant realm and preach and teach and sell books etc… I have seen this before. Hurt and bitterness can sometimes make these injured men do things that they would not have done prior to the injury or personal attack. I hope and pray that he doesn't become a loose canon and play the victim role to a Protestant community of believers. I used to work in Christian Radio and some of these dear injured ex-priests found their home doing ministry work as Protestants. Anger, hurt, bitterness and lonliness can alter their perception and change them forever and while they may be helpful to some, they can do added damage to the Catholic Church. We have a wonderful Church, but there are flaws for sure. We all need to soak Fr. Corapi in prayer!
June 20, 2011 at 4:52 am
Anyone else get a weird "Dog, the Bounty Hunter" vibe from the new site?
June 20, 2011 at 5:21 am
We have a wonderful Church, but there are flaws for sure.
Truth.
One of the flaws– which, from the meeting that finished this week, isn't being addressed– is that we're hurting our priests in this way, and the main response is "shut up and take it."
Not exactly loving.
What kind of person sees a systematic wrong and says nothing about it? What kind of person who's spoken about a specific wrong, then becomes a victim to it, decides "oh, time for me to stop speaking about it."
Look at all the comments here that say "yeah, I know a great guy who was wrongly accused, but they shouldn't do anything to try to fix this problem."
If we know there's a wrong, we should try to correct it. If someone is warning us of an abuse, we should investigate it.
It's ironic that the child abuse scandals lead to this– some people turned a blind eye when they were told of a wrong, some victims were even told to shut up so they didn't make the Church look bad, and now we've got folks saying that more victims should just bear it because… it's for The Children ™ or something?
June 20, 2011 at 6:40 am
Eric….Yes! Weird Vibes for sure! The whole thing sounds a lot irrational! Again, deep hurt, anger, bitterness and lonliness can change people forever. Father needs our soaking prayers and it wouldn't hurt to soak the Bishop in prayer as well! We need Fr. Corapi to stand strong and focus on the Lord and off of people and the cruel things that may have been done and said.
I have been reading and reading and I feel that there is a huge piece of this puzzle missing. What is Fr. Corapi all dealing with? Whats it all about?
It is not an uncommon event to hear about a priest sinning and having to go on retreat for a time. What is making this story so much different then the rest?
If the message is truly Fr. Corapi speaking..it sounds as if he may need medical treatment. I get a major tilt in my spirit when I listen to it. He is not sounding one bit balanced.