I was going to post something about St. Maria Goretti this morning, but found this appalling information about Fr. Corapi. This is not someone's opinion - it is the result of an investigation undertaken by his congregation - The Society of Our Lady of The Trinity - and it is serious! No doubt, in the coming days, there will be many comments on the net about this sad business. How do we make sense of this man's abilities and orthodoxy as a preacher of the Gospel whilst he was living what is virtually a double life? What on earth was going on in this man's head? I have to admit to something now; when I began to read part of his testimony I had a sense that something was seriously wrong with him. I do not mean the "black sheepdog" nonsense, but a letter he wrote before his ordination claiming that he had had some kind of special grace and calling through Our Lady. It just did not ring true somehow because contained within it was a "smell" of spiritual pride. Now we know! It is enough to send shivers up and down the spine! How easy it is to be fooled by satan - how we need to be both on our guard and careful of religious "gurus". How many times have we seen those who exalt themselves brought down by the truth? It is a warning to all of us, and especially to clergymen.
I recommend reading Fr. Gobbi's last letter to the members of the MMP (see comments below). There he warns us - using Our Lady's words - about the need to be little. Even in the Church we can find ourselves becoming ambitious, wanting recognition, hoping for titles of some kind. To me there is no greater title for a priest than "Father". When John Corapi gave notice that he was prepared to surrender this - for what? - he revealed something about himself that set many of us wondering who this man really is. I suppose we will never get to the bottom of him. He must have the kind of problems that can only be dealt with through much prayer, penance, counseling and deliverance prayer and over a period of years. God help him and God help all of us.
You write:
ReplyDelete"...how we need to be both on our guard and careful of religious "gurus"..."
We are all sometimes taken in, all guilty of being impressed by the powerful voice, the dramatic gesture, the seeming humility.
I'm not sure television lends itself to evangelism because it is bound up with profit.
Perhaps Billy Graham will always be the exception.
The following audio recording rings very hollow now:
Fr.Corapi on Scandal in the Church.
http://youtu.be/rISUh1173D8
I'm listening to the Youtube audio that Terry posted right now.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I've never been a fan of his rather grandiose and self-consciously macho style, here he sounds completely sincere and authentic.
I can't imagine how crushing this is for those who really loved him and put their faith in him.
This is grim. It feels like a loss of innocence.
I don't want to be cynical. But after this, how can we recover a sense of optimism, confidence and trust?
We also had a local priest recently whose name was splashed all over the local press because he was had up for drink driving. Well, he was proved to be over the limit with blood tests and there was no doubt he was guilty, but the media had a field day. I don't excuse DD and if you cause a fatal accident your guilt must be terrible, but to do what Father Corapi has done , or has been proved to have done, is I think different and if anyone does child abuse that even worse. Frankly though I do get fed up of people writing books about their terrible parents causing it all. Thankfully I was never abused physically but having said that I did not have a nice loving childhood, I did have deeply inculcated weird ideas in my head when I was younger--which still may linger---but if you have the least intelligence--not to mention common sense, sadly very lacking these days, you have to take responsibility for your own behaviour,,
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