Mike Voris on Fr. Corapi and the Attack of the Catholic Bullblogs

Go, Mike, go! We saw the same thing with the tsunami of vitriol against Fr. Tom Euteneuer. Even after Fr. Tom confessed his sin publicly and publicly repented, they heaped it on thicker with innuendo of more to come and hints of inside knowledge. But Fr. Tom is old news now and can't increase their blogcount so they've laid off him to go after a new target. Fr. Corapi's story is definitely of interest to many people. The best we can do is pray for all involved that the Lord will bring about the best outcome.

Jailed Priest Comments on Fr. Corapi Case

Fr. Gordan MacRae is priest convicted of abuse and incarcerated for years. He insists he is innocent and is a victim of an unjust system. It's hard to believe he isn't innocent in view of the fact that he refused release 14 years ago because it would require him to admit guilt. He would rather face an ongoing jail term than swear to a lie. Fr. MacRae knows what it is to be falsely accused and to suffer because of it. I think his comments on Fr. Corapi's situation are particularly valuable from the perspective of a man living the cross of unjust accusation.

Here's part of what he says:

If [Fr. Corapi] is to defend himself at all, he must be able to do so publicly with statements that clearly and decisively refute what is claimed of him. That is not only his right under both the U.S. Constitution and Canon Law, it is also what Catholics expect of him.
But if Father Corapi is barred from presenting himself publicly as a priest, then he is effectively barred from presenting himself publicly at all. Does anyone really expect that Father Corapi is to offer a defense and address this case in public as “Mr. John Corapi” as though Catholics won’t know who he is? Does anyone really expect him to treat the accusations against him as unconnected to the fact that he is a priest? It is, today, his very priesthood that makes him and all priests vulnerable to false accusations. Being forced to pretend otherwise is to be effectively silenced.

I have heard from several people that they are concerned at the lack of “anything new” on this subject. They point out that [until this week] Father Corapi has remained silent since his initial statement, and there is a growing, uneasy feeling that his silence itself gives credence to the claims against him. I believe it is a mistake to interpret his silence as anything more than acquiescence to the bishops’ policy, but in effect his silence leaves him vulnerable to further false claims. A rolling stone gathers no moss, but administrative leave requires Father Corapi to be more like a sitting duck than a rolling stone.

I commend Father John Corapi for his obedience and fidelity to legitimate authority in the Church, but that authority must also recognize Father Corapi’s “Catch-22.” If he is a priest falsely accused, he also has a moral obligation that may be commanded by a higher law. He has a moral obligation to the truth....

There are only two people who know the truth in the “she said / he said” situation faced by Father John Corapi, and one of them has been effectively silenced. If Father Corapi cannot present himself as a priest, then he cannot defend himself as a priest. If he cannot defend himself within the very context in which the accusation against him arose, then he cannot defend himself at all. That’s what makes this case a “Kafkaesque Catch-22.” It is one person’s word against another’s, and one of them now has no word at all....

By being placed on administrative leave, and barred from presenting himself as a priest, Father Corapi is prevented from participating in his own defense in public. This fact causes too many people to interpret silence as guilt. It is sad, but true, and will only worsen over time.

Fr. MacRae brings a perspective to the table that needs to be heard. Fr. Corapi is in a no-win situation at present. Many of those who believe he's innocent recommend that he go to the cross without defending himself. Others support what he's doing. I've vacillated on both sides of the debate. And those who presume his guilt have attacked him for everything from dying his beard to driving a BMW to living an opulent lifestyle (Gosh -- The second two points sound like most of the bishops!) At any rate, read what Fr. MacRae wrote and pray for our poor battered Church and for the priests who serve her. They are all vulnerable to false accusations from those seeking to silence their voices or get revenge for some real or perceived slight.

Read the rest  of Fr. MacRae's article here.

Bishop Gracida's Blog Post on Fr. Corapi

I have great regard for Bishop Rene Gracida, so I think his comments on Fr. Corapi's situation are
worth reading. Let us continue to pray for God to use this terrible situation for good.

A FEW THOUGHTS ON FATHER CORAPI’S ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY

More on Fr. Corapi: Bishop Rene Gracida, Comments on the Unjust Procedures Used Against Accused Priests

The procedures being followed by the bishops against accused priests are unjust as Bishop Emeritus of Corpus Christi, Rene Gracida, points out in this post. He brings up a number of issues that relate to the injustice against accused priests that has resulted from the bishops' desire to deflect attention from their own irresponsibility in dealing with the sex abuse crisis.

Update on Fr. Corapi

Statement of Santa Cruz Media, Inc.
Relative to Fr. Corapi’s Suspension

Santa Cruz Media, Inc. is the owner of all of Fr. John Corapi’s intellectual property and the DVDs, CDs, and books that flow from it. We are a secular corporation and not affiliated with the Catholic Church in any way. As such, we are not under the jurisdiction of any bishop or other official in the Catholic Church, although we have the utmost respect for Church authority.

We fully support Rev. John Corapi in this terrible trial, not surprisingly having begun on Ash Wednesday. Through the sacrifice and struggle of the desert and all of the dark moments that this entails, we are confident that the glory of the risen Lord will shine forth from the power of the Resurrection and Easter.

We have consulted with a number of canon lawyers. They have assured us that the actions of the Bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas are, on several points of canon law, illicit. It is our fervent hope that The Dallas Charter will be changed because of false accusations like this. There is no evidence at this time that Fr. Corapi did anything wrong, only the unsubstantiated rant of a former employee, who, after losing her job with this office, physically assaulted me and another employee and promised to "destroy" Father Corapi. We all continue to pray for this person, and we ask you to do the same.

We sincerely believe that the work Fr. Corapi has done is of greatest value to the Church, hence hated by the devil. We fully intend to make Fr. Corapi’s material available as a service to the Church and the world for as long as we possibly can.

The Church provides no financial support to Fr. Corapi. He has to pay for his own legal representation, medical costs, food, housing, etc. We have never accepted donations or charitable contributions of any kind. We are supporting Father’s efforts to defend himself. Your purchase of products from Santa Cruz Media helps provide the funding for Father's continued work as well as the legal expenses he continues to incur as a result of these malicious allegations.
Father Corapi and all of us here at Santa Cruz Media, Inc. greatly appreciate your kindness, support, and prayers. Please continue to pray for Father Corapi and his accuser, as well as all priests who find themselves in this unfortunate situation.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Bobbi Ruffatto
Vice President of Operations
Santa Cruz Media, Inc.

Pray for Fr. John Corapi and his Accuser

A former employee has accused Fr. John Corapi of wrong-doing. Pray for a speedy resolution to the scandal. Unfortunately, as Fr. Corapi points out, guilt is immediately assumed. But in a world filled with troubled people, false accusations are certainly not unlikely. We've become so cynical that accepting an accusation as trial and verdict is common.

“The resultant damage to the accused is immediate, irreparable, and serious, especially for someone like myself, since I am so well known.”

Join the Rosary Crusade for Life!

Fr. John Corapi is calling for a rosary crusade like the one that defeated the Islamic assault on Europe in 1571 at the Battle of Lepanto. If you aren't praying the rosary daily for the election please at least join the crusade for the last nine days, October 27 to November 4.

Fr. Corapi says:

"The moral demise of a nation results in the ultimate demise of a nation. God is not a disinterested spectator to the affairs of man. Life begins at conception. This is an unalterable formal teaching of the Catholic Church.

"If you do not accept this you are a heretic in plain English. A single abortion is homicide. The more than 48,000,000 abortions since Roe v.Wade in the United States constitute genocide by definition. The group singled out for death unwanted unborn children.

"No other issue, not all other issues taken together, can constitute a
proportionate reason for voting for candidates that intend to preserve and
defend this holocaust of innocent human life that is abortion.

"I strongly urge every one of you to make a Novena and pray the Rosary to Our
Lady of Victory between October 27th and Election Day, November 4th. Pray that God's will be done and the most innocent and utterly vulnerable of our brothers and sisters will be protected from this barbaric and grossly sinful blight on society that is abortion."