About Fr. John Corapi with observations about our times (Fr. Z weighs in)

WDTPRS ^ | June 18, 2011 | Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

[NYer]

I haven’t written much about Fr. John Corapi, because I honestly don’t know much about what is going on. I don’t know the details. But I am sad to read that he is leaving active ministry. I am profoundly sad.

Fr. Corapi and I were ordained together, by John Paul II, in 1991. I didn’t know him at that time. After ordination I think I only ran into him twice, at conferences were we were both speakers. So, I don’t know him. I don’t know what is up with his life or situation and I won’t speculate. Nevertheless, by that tendril connection of our ordination, I have imagined a kind of bond with him and all the other men scattered across the world, even though I didn’t know most of them personally.

So, I don’t have much to say about Fr. Corapi. I do have a few things to say about the circumstances surrounding this sad announcement.

From the email I am receiving and a few blogs I have read reacting to Fr. Corapi’s video message, it strikes me that a lot of people are doing neither themselves nor Fr. Corapi any good. Charity requires us to consider the good of others. I can’t see how the way some people are talking about Fr. Corapi does anyone any good.

We are in difficult times right now concerning ecclesiastical relationships. The Church has sustained horrible wounds because of her own churchmen and, during this time of healing, there are bound to be painful moments. When you receive a blow upon a bruise, the pain can be great. I suggest that we avoid poking the bruises are much as we can.

Given what I have been seeing and experiencing, I believe the verse many priests pray every night during Compline in the older form of the Office (Tuesday in the Liturgy of the Hours) is being realized in a particularly intense way right now:

“Be sober and vigilant: because your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is roaming around seeking whom he might devour. Strong in faith, resist him knowing that the same affliction befalls your brethren who are in the world. ” 1 Peter 5:8-9.

This is certainly the case in my life right now and I think it is also going on in the life of many priests and bishops who are on the more conservative side of things. The attack is on.

This is one reason why I have been earnestly asking the support of your prayers.

The enemy hates priests and bishops. Let me say that again. The enemy hates priests and bishops. When priests and bishops start making inroads, they will be attacked with intensity.

But priests and bishops remain men and remain sinners. We need the support of prayers especially regarding the primary goal of saving our souls. We must, for the love of God, help each other.

I will keep Fr. Corapi on my prayer list, and will remember him in a special way, hoping that through the help of the Holy Spirit, who bends the rigid and heals the broken and consoles those who are in pain, he will have some peace whether he is able to return to active ministry or not, whether he wants to or not. He is a priest forever and he is my brother in that indelible mark received from Christ the High priest. And because he is a priest forever, the devil will not relent in attacking him until he dies. Nor will the devil relent in attacking anyone who has authority over him.

It is what we signed up for, but sometimes it can be very hard.

Please remember, please, that all priests are human beings and subject to the afflictions of the world the flesh and the devil. If you look at them in some other way, you do them and yourselves a disservice.

In these difficult times, when we are seeing the and hearing the lion roaring around even more, I ask for your prayers for myself and for all the priests you know, whether they are in active ministry or they are for whatever reason not active, whether they have been exemplary according to how you think they ought to be, or whether they have made mistakes and are suffering the consequences.

They have immortal souls and they, like you dear lay people, are working out their eternal salvation with fear and trembling with the additional burden of knowing that they will be priests forever, in heaven or in hell. Ask St. john Vianney for help. And, since St. “Padre” Pio has been on my mind with increasing frequency lately, perhaps ask him as well.

Please don’t write to me anymore about Fr. Corapi. Please. Even though I didn’t know him, right now for me this is like a blow upon a bruise.

Please find it in your hearts to pray, daily and often, for priests.

[NYer]

The enemy hates priests and bishops. Let me say that again. The enemy hates priests and bishops. When priests and bishops start making inroads, they will be attacked with intensity.

In a subsequent thread, posted shortly afterwards, Fr. Z writes:

---

Request

Posted on 18 June 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

May I please ask your prayers for the time being.

The devil is abroad.

Many thanks.

[NYer]

Chilling commentary.

[mockingbyrd]

Fr. Z never disappoints. Good words to think upon.

[SumProVita]

“The devil is abroad.”

Direct hit on nail head!!!!!!!!!

[Cicero]

Well said.

[Steelfish]

Yes, we must pray.

[Deo volente]

“Be sober, be watchful! For your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking someone to devour.”

1 Peter 5:8

[Salvation]

Do I need to say WHY I keep posting this prayer?

 

Jesus. High Priest

 

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem.  He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

[Jvette]

This is a sad situation, for Father Corapi and the Church.

Prayers for him and for us are all that we can do.

[annalex]

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle;
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray:
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen

[Biggirl]

Each June, being the middle of the year, early into summer, and to get my summer off to a good start I now go on a women’s retreat. This year’s women’s retreat, on the closing Sunday morning talk or homily given, the Passionist priest that gave it, said that there are times when he was tempted to take off his collor when he would go out, concerned about negivtive responses from everyday people, post-sexual abuse scandals-wise. Not surprised, sad reality to deal with.

[al_c]

I can’t see how the way some people are talking about Fr. Corapi does anyone any good.

Truer words were never spoken. People are carrying on about this as if they know everything there is to know about it. We don't. In fact, we know very little. Any sort of conversation about Corapi, the Church, or the accuser is nothing but speculation. And to criticize Corapi for his decision when we don't know exactly what he's facing over this situation is based only on that very little that we know.

That's all I'm saying about it. Instead, I'll keep Corapi and all our priests in my prayers.

[trisham]

I am very distressed about this.

[netmilsmom]

I’m not as depressed about this as some and I’m waiting to see how it turns out.

If Corapi left to start litigation against this woman, good for him. The Church takes ages to do things. He has a Statute of limitations to work around.

Lord love him and may He stand by his side.

[Salvation]

Are we overlooking a very bold fact here?

 

The Seal of Confession?

[lastchance]

Protect Your servant, O Lord and inspire his courage.

[HighlyOpinionated]

Looks like about half the respondents to The Black Sheep Dog dot org are supportive and half question Fr. Corapi’s judgment in leaving The Priesthood.

I stand with him ... there are a lot of loose cannons in The Church hierarchy. Heck, The US Bishops allow the likes of Pelosi and her ilk to spew their anti-life, pro-homosexual agenda in Congress without following canon law and excommunicating her in order to save her soul ... and I wonder if they’re ignoring The Pope or if he’s just silent on the issue ... it just makes it harder on us Catholics to be witnesses to The Faith.

I get fed up with The Catholic Church in America daily ... sometimes so often that I have to turn off “catholic” radio and turn on country music! And I’m not always happy with the snail’s pace that Rome walks, either.

I read the Catechism, but how many Catholics in the pews have done so? ... when a Priest stands up and preaches from The Catechism, he often gets blackballed because CINOs don’t want to hear anything that makes them repent, confess their sins, do penance AND AMEND THEIR WAYS ... there is a deadly ‘virus’ in The Catholic Church in America ... and only through the grace of God and the intercession of many saints will The Church here be renewed ...

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

[I was Lutheran and Assembly of God before I found the answers to Hebrews 6:1-3 in The Catholic Church and I echo St Peter, to whom the Keys were given, in his words in John 6:68.]

[fatima]

That’s my guess and he has a book and is gonna name names and not just the woman.The video is scary.I really pray things settle down for everyone involved.

[NYer]

And I’m not always happy with the snail’s pace that Rome walks, either.

Thank you for the post and ping. The Vatican is a governing body and moves at its own pace. It is careful in addressing issues, preferring to place resolution at the local level; i.e. the USCCB. All of this has been true throughout its 2000 year history. That does not mean that someone unfairly accused is without redress. But, such matters require time which is something many of us in contemporary society, are not ready to accept.

As an aside, I reside in a RC Diocese under a very progressive bishop appointed 30+ years ago. Over these decades, many catholics have left the church. Others, such as myself, have sought out and found communities where we can worship God in a manner we feel to be more appropriate. Is this frustrating? Absolutely! But, in the end, we need to ask ourselves one very important question? Is this the Church founded by Jesus Christ? Is this where I belong?

The answers to that question come to us through scripture. According to Scripture, Christ wanted us to be one (John 17:22-23). We are all as a Church to be of one mind and to think the same (Philippians 2:2; Romans 15:5). There is only to be one "faith" (Ephesians 4:3-6), not many. For the Church is Christ's Body and Christ only had one Body, not many. Also, since the Church is Christ's Bride (Ephesians 5:29), can Christ be married to more than one wife (essentially a spiritual form of the the sin of polygamy)? No, Christ can only have one wife (i.e., one Church, not many). We also need to remember that individual clergy may commit sins, even popes commit sins because in the Church there are both "weeds and wheat" (Matthew 13:30).

In his post today, Fr. Z. has given us great insight into the turmoil faced by those who have devoted their lives to serving Christ as priests. My pastor is very young, early 30s, and came to us from a monastic group of lebanese missionaries. He is a humble servant of God, one who from day 1 has sought only to spiritually feed the sheep of this parish. For whatever reason, Satan has singled him out and I have personally witnessed senseless attacks on this man from clergy and lay people. His response to these attacks remains consistent: "Please pray for them".

When I read the statement from Fr. Corapi this morning, the first thought that came to mind was from scripture. "If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first." John 15:18.

One beautiful aspect of the Catholic Church is the testimony of those saints who have gone before us. St. John Vianney, St. Padre Pio, even Blessed John Paul II were all attacked. They did not panic; rather, they prayed for their accusers. We need to follow that example and do the same for Fr. Corapi and those who have brought him down. More importantly, we recognize that the enemy of an outspoken priest is Satan who will use weaker individuals to take down these defenders of the faith. That is why I posted Fr. Z's 2nd message from today. Those 3 lines he wrote are chilling:

May I please ask your prayers for the time being. The devil is abroad. Many thanks.

Even Fr. Z is experiencing heat from the hound of hell.

Hold tight - have faith - and please pray for all priests!