Catholic News Agency
05 July 2011
Robstown, Texas, Jul 5, 2011 / 03:13 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Father John Corapi’s religious order has found him guilty of substance abuse, sexual activity and violating his promise of poverty.
A July 5 press release from the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) said that while Fr. Corapi was involved in public ministry he had “sexual relations and years of cohabitation with a woman known to him, when the relationship began, as a prostitute.”
The investigative team also found that he “repeatedly abused alcohol and drugs,” “recently engaged in ‘sexting’ activity with one or more women in Montana,” and holds legal title “to over $1 million in real estate, numerous luxury vehicles, motorcycles, an ATV, a boat dock, and several motor boats.”
His religious order said it is concerned “Fr. Corapi is now misleading (many) individuals through his false statements and characterizations.”
“It is for these Catholics that SOLT, by means of this announcement, seeks to set the record straight.”
A fact-finding team created by the order “acquired information from Fr. Corapi’s emails, various witnesses and public sources,” in response to a signed letter from a woman who is well known to Fr. Corapi.
The Society said in the news release that Fr. Corapi, under his vow of obedience, has been ordered to “return home to the society’s regional office and take up residence there,” and to “dismiss the lawsuit he has filed against his accuser.”
The order added that its “prior direction to Father John Corapi not to engage in any preaching or teaching, the celebration of the sacraments or other public ministry continues.”
As the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity sought to carry out its investigation into the allegations against Fr. Corapi, it found that its fact-finding team was hindered by a civil lawsuit the priest had filed and by sweeping non-disclosure agreements he had negotiated with his accuser and other witnesses.
The civil lawsuit argued that his principal accuser had committed slander and breach of contract.
Fr. Corapi refused to dismiss the lawsuit and the team discovered many other contracts that prevented “key witnesses” from speaking.
“Many of these witnesses likely had key information about the accusations being investigated and declined to answer questions and provide documents,” the order said.
The fact-finding team was composed of a priest-canonist, a psychiatrist and a lawyer, two of whom were members of religious orders and one a lay Catholic.
The statement notes that two were men and one was a woman, all with a “national reputation and substantial experience in ecclesiastical processes related to priest disciplinary issues.”
Fr. Corapi expressed his desire to leave the Society and the priesthood in a June 17 statement. He said he felt he was being “unjustly accused,” and that “(t)here are certain persons in authority in the Church that want me gone, and I shall be gone.”
Fr. Corapi has not yet been released from his vows.
“Catholics should understand that SOLT does not consider Father John Corapi as fit for ministry,” the statement concluded.
Comments
Isn’t that an odd way to put this? Somewhat slanted, perhaps? “Order finds him guilty…” SOLT’s statement didn’t say that. They’ve issued a press release, not an investigative report. Neither SOLT nor any other Church administrative entity has made formal charges, or done anything official which the accused priest could appeal or respond to on record. No one has found anybody guilty of anything, and it’s a little misleading for CNS to say otherwise
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this really sucks
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When we say we love the sinner but hate the sin, I think that is true as far as it goes, but it does not go quite far enough: We hate the sin -because- we love the sinner. Genuine love means wanting what is good, and eternally good, for another, and sin is never good for anybody. We don’t know what the investigative team or what Fr. Corapi know — they know the situation far, far better than anything we’ll find on the internet. It would not be wise to set ourselves up as the judge between Fr. Corapi and his order based on such limited knowledge (not to mention our personal lack of jurisdiction over any of the parties involved). Pray, pray, pray.
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KazimierzSorry, I do believe Father Corapi… He is a genius, that’s why they accused him…
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Jose
OK-what does cohabitation mean in this religious order–sharing the same bed in a hotel room, sharing the same hotel, staying at the same house on a business trip?? What was drug and alcohol “abuse”–taking too many cold pills or taking sleeping pills or, perhaps, having a glass of wine at lunch during one of his talks??? And he “had sexual relations while in public ministry” but was this when he was a priest?? And so what if he first knew the lady when she was a prostitute–she is not one now–maybe because Fr. Corapi helped her change her ways–is that so bad. Well you see where I’m going–maybe we don’t trust the claims of religious groups so much anymore, especially a group that has an ax to grind with one who questions its ways of dealing justice. I’ll wait to see if they have specifics–I think even priests deserve due process-who knows, if the Church had been more fair and objective, we might not have had so many victims in the sexual abuse scandal. And by the way, who is guarding the collection box–who pays for all the vacations and retreats to such “holy” places as Las Vegas etc. A little more openness would sure help to curb the cynicism..
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Pachacuti
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TimLet us offer prayers of reparation to Our Lord and Our Lady. As much as this news saddens me, I’m sure no one feels it like them. And let us not condemn Fr. Corapi (there but for the grace of God go I) but pray for his sincere repentance.