SOLT Releases Statement Incriminating Corapi

Both EWTN and Catholic World News are reporting that the religious society that Father Corapi belonged to has made a public statement that he "is not fit for public ministry." The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) issued a stern statement warning that Corapi was misleading his followers with "false statements and characterizations." The press release, which can be found in it's entirety on SOLT's website, spells out the measures SOLT took to conduct a fact-finding mission in accordance with Canon law. The SOLT document confirms that their investigation revealed that Corapi had indeed engaged in inappropriate behavior.

I don't feel it necessary to post a play by play account of what they uncovered. The links above can provide that information. Instead, I think it's time for Corapi's "followers," "fans," etc. to move on. I put myself in that camp. I had a bad feeling when Corapi came out swinging, but I held on to a sliver of hope that the allegations were false. This latest information eliminated that.

This entire scandal demonstrates that we should not place our faith in men (or women). Our faith should be placed in Christ Jesus and the teachings of the Church he founded to be His teaching authority on Earth. It is good that the Church has talented teachers and preachers. Most of them will live out their lives faithful to Christ and His teachings, but our faith is not dependent on their holiness. It is only dependent on the truth which is Jesus.

I will pray that Father Corapi gets help, that he returns to SOLT and spends the remainder of his life as a cloistered priest. I do not judge him, for we are all capable of falling. He himself had said that a number of times in his talks. If he doesn't repent and insists on continuing as the black sheep dog, I fear he will become a clerical version of Charlie Sheen.

I experienced these same feelings of betrayal and sadness when I first came back to the Church. I discovered that Father John Bertolucci, a great preacher, televangelist (sound familiar?) and promoter of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the 1980's, had been forced to leave public ministry because of sexual abuse. I shared that with a friend who I knew from my years in the charismatic movement. He threw away all of his Bertolucci tapes. I don't think I will do that with Corapi's CD's. The teaching was sound, but like all of us are capable of, he fell short of executing it in his life. Father Corapi always said that God permits evil to exist in the world to draw out a greater good. I believe that. I don't know what the good that will come from this scandal, but I do know that all things are possible through Jesus, our Lord.