Posted on 07/07/2011 3:03:05 PM PDT by NYer
I am going to answer in a simple, straight forward way what seem to me the main elements of the action taken against me by the Diocese of Corpus Christi and the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity.
Regarding my personal financial situation—From the earliest days (more than twenty years ago) the Founder of the Society of Our Lady, Fr. James Flanagan, encouraged me to support myself and the Church as well. He said they could not afford to support my ministry and me personally because of the unique nature of the mission. At every step of the way, through the entire past twenty years, the Society of Our Lady’s leadership knew of my financial independence. As Fr. Flanagan encouraged, I have supported SOLT and myself from ‘day-one.‘ I have never relied on the Society for shelter, clothing, transportation, medical care, or legal counsel and instead, using my history of success in business, set up my mission as any savvy business man would, meanwhile continuing to support the Society and many other Catholic Charities.
Regarding the charge of sexual impropriety—This song of greed has been sung many times before. I have never had any promiscuous or even inappropriate relations with her. Never.
Regarding the investigation—As standard practice, my legal counsel advised me not to cooperate with the investigation until I was able to determine that the Commission’s process was fair and I had adequate rights to defend myself. Questions that certainly qualify the validity of any legal case have never been answered by the so called “fact finding team.” They refuse to reveal, and therefore utilize, any of the so-called evidence perhaps because if ‘the bad guy’ were truly revealed it may be revealed that he is really not that bad. Clearly, as my legal counsel has portrayed, the evidence supplied by the accused (of which my counsel is not permitted access to) must not have any substance.
Regarding ‘hush money’—I never paid anybody off to remain silent. On two occasions there were standard severance agreements executed with former employees and independent contractors. These agreements contained very common non-disclosure provisions. Any attorney who would not include such provisions in such agreements would rightly be guilty of negligent and actionable conduct.
Regarding my resignation—I resigned because the process used by the Church is grossly unjust, and, hence, immoral. I resigned because I had no chance from the beginning of a fair and just hearing. As I have indicated from the beginning of all this, I am not extinguished! If I were to commit to the suggestion of the Society, then I would essentially crawl under a rock and wait to die. However, I can not deny this desire to share aspects of Truth and Hope with all those willing to hear. This is what I shall continue to fight for! Many are not going to appreciate this decision, and I respect that. For those who can accept it, onward!
Ping!
A non-responsive response. Once again, he skirts the issues...everything from “I gave SOLT a cut” to “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”
Where have we heard that before?
I think it’s time for me to stop paying attention and just pray for all involved.
I’m the kind that reads the ending before reading the book so I’ll take your example.
True, very Clintonesque i’m sorry to say.
For instance, SOLT said in their statement that “a woman, well known to Fr. John Corapi, mailed SOLT a signed letter detailing allegations of Fr. Corapi’s sexual activity with adult women, abuse of alcohol and drugs, improper sacramental practices, violation of his promise of poverty, and other wrongdoing.”
Corapi responds by saying he didn’t have an inappropriate sexual relations with her, with the accuser.....which at a glance seems to be a strong, unequivocal response until you look carefully again at the SOLT statement. The accuser alleged “sexual activity with adult women” which does not mean that she was one of the women. So his response does indeed seem nothing more than a clever skirting of the issue. Nor does he address the allegations of cohabiting with a prostitute or of abusing drugs.
And as to finances, it is one thing to be financially independent and quite another to have “legal title to over $1 million in real estate, numerous luxury vehicles, motorcycles, an ATV, a boat dock, and several motor boats” as the SOLT statement claims.
I remember going to his website a while back and seeing that he was charging something like $9.95 a month to be a subscriber so that you could hear a weekly sermon by him. In addition he was selling his tapes and books and other merchandise. Nothing particularly wrong with that except i looked around the site and never saw anything about how the money (at least some of it) was going towards charity or missionary work or something of that sort.
That and other tidbits i read about him at the time, such as perhaps exaggerating his military service, gave off warning signals to me about him. Then with the drastic change in appearance (coloring his beard and even his eyebrows) and a somewhat strange interview he gave on EWTN with Fr. Pacwa (sp?) a year or so ago — saying that he had spent a year as a patient in a mental ward when he was younger, and how he is now laying awake at nights bathed in sweat worrying about people trying to harm him, etc. — i can’t really say this has come as a great shock to me. Still it is sad especially since so many people (like my mother, for instance) looked up to him and received much spiritual nourishment from his preaching.
“As the dog returns to his vomit, so the fool repeats his folly.” (Proverbs 26:11)
Yup, that sounds about right.
I really have to step away from all of this and not allow it to distract me from Christ. That is exactly what this is doing to people. It is a huge distraction. I thought that Father Corapi would know better than to allow himself to stand in between the Lord and his followers and not worry about “his” followers so much!
I will say yet again that during his ministry, Father Corapi did speak so beautifully and did help the Church immensely. However, he is not doing that now, and that is a shame.
I just don’t know what else to say other than that I pray for his soul as it is in extreme jeopardy, and I pray for everyone else involved. What a mess!
he’s a saavy businessman don’t you know!!
what a sleazeball.
It is a huge distraction.You're right, Mrs. Frogjerk; it is a HUGE distraction. And in some respects, it would be good if folks could just walk away and pray, but it's like a bad accident; you keep looking back to see if you shouldn't fight the flames to try to save the victims, even if you get burned yourself.
“True, very Clintonesque i’m sorry to say.”
Carefully parsed and weak, to say the least. He seems to be trying to manipulate the situation, but he has no cards left to play. Sadly, it’s impossible to continue to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Sorry, Father, but it’s time for you to retire.
I never watched any of his shows..
It's just like I said, it is really turning into a big mess and it just isn't getting any better either. I don't think that Father Corapi is thinking rationally and clearly at this point. I don't think that he understands that he could be potentially harming people by reacting the way he is.
When I think back about this whole ordeal, I think it started to unravel for him(I could be wrong just my opinion)when he got that big pay out from that Heart Dr. lawsuit some years ago. And I think that his Corporation and his personal wealth got to be too much of a distraction for him and it led him right down the path to destruction as it had before. In other words, I think that him being wealthy again and immersing himself in the world and it's materialistic values just basically did him in. I really feel like he was seduced by it all.
I don't know, these are the things that I think could possibly be what is really going on.
1. He was in it for the money from the beginning. I doubt this scenario because I have listened to him for years and he was very sincere when it came to his preaching.
2. He became too wealthy and allowed it to distract him from the true goal of his ministry. He got sucked back into the same kind of destructive lifestyle that practically killed him many years before.
3. He has become so filled with pride that he cannot admit to #2. And God help him really if that is the case.
4. He is being falsely accused and because of his stubbornness in regards to the lawsuits that he has filed, he can't really defend himself without messing that up.
5. S.O.L.T. is out to get him and proved that by releasing their most recent statement. (doubt this)
A few things bother me about the S.O.L.T. statement however. I don't like that Father Sheenan released it and than could not be reached for almost a month after releasing it. I can compare it to throwing a grenade and taking off running. And I agree with them that he has acquired too much wealth for his own good, however, their vow of poverty doesn't necessarily relate to him as that was adopted 2 years after he joined the order therefore making him exempt.
The other thing that bothers me is that (God help his soul) they are most likely telling the truth. I wouldn't think that they would lie and possibly set themselves up for future litigation. And if what they are saying is true, than the man really needs help.
I think we all need to pray on it either way!
Given that all SOLT has in its several public statements is allegations they do not seem to bother to equally publicly prove, adequate response to evident slander.
#1 - the man has always exalted himself, not Jesus Christ. this is the sure sign of a false prophet.
check the man’s web site or you tube videos - everything has one purpose, bringing money to him. if his goal was to spread the good news, he would post free articles and videos of his preaching, but no, being the “savvy” businessman, he knows how to maximize profits!!
real estate, prostitutes, boats, hair dye, drugs, girlfriends are all very expensive.
2. He became too wealthy and allowed it to distract him from the true goal of his ministry. He got sucked back into the same kind of destructive lifestyle that practically killed him many years before.Myself, I'm going with your #2. And I believe SOLT when they say they stepped in to save the sheeple, or rather, bleeple.
He may be a prideful, avaricious man as well as an extraordinary preacher, but that does not mean he can be silenced against his will without evidence and due process.
“without evidence and due process”
LOL, THE MAN RAN BEFORE THE EVIDENCE COULD BE GATHERED AND THEREFORE STOPPED THE PROCESS.
this my friend, is called knowledge of guilt.
i am amazed this “savvy” businessman still has one defender. but some people still believe OJ was innocent, right?
Your innocent till proven guilty!! Whose emails do they have his or hers or both. I do not know whole story neither do any of us. You have statements from a man in an order accusing. It does not mean we know whole story. Because he charged money for items. Most religious outfits do likewise. Something is fishy on both sides on the way it is being handled. Does not add up. Both are afraid of real disclosure. Publicity proably. It’s like handling dynamite. Just one weird “show” for the hearts and minds of believers.
please console yourself with this thought -
the “black sheep dog” thinks all this publicity will only drive his book sales higher, which means greater profits for him, which means he can now afford more hookers, real estate and drugs, which means he will be a very happy man.
therefore if the “black sheep dog” is happy, all his fans should be happy. isn’t the world grand??
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.