Corapi Update: From: Rev. Gerard Sheehan, SOLT Regional Priest Servant Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Robstown, Texas

But Father!  But Father!  Misleading the public?
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So anyway - I just got back from doing many, many very important errands and I'm all sweaty and over heated.  While pouring a glass of delicious tap water, I was just going to put on the recording of Penny singing "Soft Kitty" and for some reason I thought, "Maybe I should check my email."  And so I did...
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Breaking News:  From: Rev. Gerard Sheehan, SOLT Regional Priest Servant Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Robstown, Texas.
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Fr. John A. Corapi submitted his resignation from the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity ("SOLT") early in June. SOLT is a Society of Apostolic Life of Diocesan Right with its regional office in Robstown, Texas.
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While SOLT does not typically comment publicly on personnel matters, it recognizes that Fr. John Corapi, through his ministry, has inspired thousands of faithful Catholics, many of whom continue to express their support of him. SOLT also recognizes that Fr. Corapi is now misleading these 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.
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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.
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After receiving the allegation, SOLT formed a three person fact-finding team to ensure that it handled this matter in accordance with canonical norms. The team included a priest-canonist, a psychiatrist, and a lawyer. Two were members of religious orders, and one was a lay Catholic. Two were men, and one was a woman. All three have national reputations and substantial experience in ecclesiastical processes related to priest disciplinary issues.
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As the Society was engaging this team, Fr. Corapi filed a civil lawsuit against his principal accuser. He contended that she had defamed him and breached her contract. The contract, according to Corapi's lawsuit, contained a provision binding the woman to silence about him. He offered the woman $100,000 to enter this agreement.
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SOLT's fact-finding team subsequently learned that Fr. Corapi may have negotiated contracts with other key witnesses that precluded them from speaking with SOLT's fact-finding team. Many of these witnesses likely had key information about the accusations being investigated and declined to answer questions and provide documents. - Read the rest of the sordid mess here.
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SOLT's prior direction to Fr. John Corapi not to engage in any preaching or teaching, the celebration of the sacraments or other public ministry continues. Catholics should understand that SOLT does not consider Fr. John Corapi as fit for ministry. - Fr. Sheehan 

H/T Jimmy Akin for the SOLT link.  And DB Cooper for the tip.

Links:
National Catholic Register
Spirit Daily

More Corapi Crap.

Why it is important to know what happened.
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First off, why is it important for Catholics to know the details of what went wrong with Corapi?  Because there is a hierarchy within Catholicism and because priests are the ones with the power to forgive sins, to baptize, to marry, to confirm, to direct and counsel and teach - in union with their bishops.  Because if they deceive or seduce us or just one member of the faithful, they weaken the faith of the weakest and repel many of those just beginning to look to the Church for salvation.  Because to know how the wolf got into the sheepfold is to know how to be more vigilant in the future.  And because it looks as if Corapi and his lawyers are not telling the whole story - and setting up obstructions to those who want to do so. 
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Agree with me or not, the stuff coming out now is confirming quite a lot of what critics have speculated since the news broke last Spring.  National Catholic Register has published some key details about the case which reflect negatively upon Corapi's claims. 
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A few important details:
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Father Gerard Sheehan, regional priest-servant of SOLT and Father Corapi’s religious superior in the U.S., confirmed June 19 that the order’s investigation faced complications created by a civil suit filed by Father Corapi against the former employee who had accused him of sexual misconduct.
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“When she left the company, she signed a contract that she would not reveal anything that happened to her while she was at Santa Cruz Media. Father Corapi paid her for this. Father was suing her for a breach of contract,” said Father Sheehan, though he did not specify why Father Corapi had initiated the non-disclosure agreement.
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Obstruction of justice?
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The civil suit against the former employee created a problem for SOLT investigators.
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“In canon law, there can’t be any pressure on witnesses; they have to be completely free to speak. The investigation was compromised because of the pressure on the witnesses. There were other witnesses that also had signed non-disclosure agreements,” said Father Sheehan.
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The investigation was halted after Father Corapi “sent us a letter resigning from active ministry and religious life. I have written him a letter asking him to confirm that decision. If so, we will help him with this process of leaving religious life,” said Father Sheehan.
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He expressed disappointment that Father Corapi chose not to remain in SOLT and to refuse the order’s invitation for him to live in community, leaving his Montana home. Father Sheehan said he had tried to arrange a meeting with Father Corapi before any final decision was announced, but had not heard back from him. Father Sheehan said that SOLT would issue a statement shortly.
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“We wanted him to come back to the community, and that would have meant leaving everything he has. It would have been a drastic change for him,” Father Sheehan said. “We will continue to move pastorally and charitably, taking steps to protect his good name.” - NCRegister, Joan Frawley Desmond
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Links:

So far the best coverage and analysis I have found is here:
The Deacon's Bench
The Anchoress
Te Deum Laudemus
Caelum et Terra

So far the best thing about the Fr. Corapi story:

Some questions regarding his business and religious life have been answered.
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1) Fr. Corapi was given freedom to conduct his ministry more or less independently of SOLT.
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2) Though wearing a habit of a mendicant for a time, it appears he was permitted to have his own private company and residence.  A report from the National Catholic Register:
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"He made Santa Cruz Media a for-profit company, he told his superiors, in order to have the proper freedom to proclaim the Gospel without any fear of raising issues that might threaten the company’s tax-exempt status.  He said he would pay his taxes and proclaim the Gospel fearlessly. Father Flanagan allowed him to manage his own funds. No one knew it would become so big.
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Nevertheless, the vice president of operations of Santa Cruz Media, Inc. described Corapi's for-profit production company as 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.” - Fr. Corapi's Superior offers a look into the SOLT's relationship with the priest.  
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Then to whom is Fr. Corapi accountable?  I noted on another site that he does not have faculties in the diocese in which he lives.  I'm aware that his superiors are investigating the allegations against him, but he seemed to be acting as a free agent up until now.       
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"There is great gain in religion..."
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Link:
Assessing the Fr. Corapi Case  Be sure and read the comments.

Mark Shea on Corapi.

The best analysis and advice yet.
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I would caution any Catholic in his five wits to steer far far away from this guy. Some will (rightly) speak of their gratitude to him for helping them understand their faith better in the past. That is meet and just. But it is one thing to be grateful to him and another to form a faction or schism around him. You must not be of Peter, Paul or Apollos, but of Christ. Dog is not Holy Church. He is not a prophet. He is, rather, Tertullian: a guy with the gift of the gab who is on a trajectory toward complete rebellion against the Church he claims to love and defend. God grant that he repent and come to his senses and that his "fans" not follow him into rebellion. - An Analysis

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Bonus:  Memorable quotes from Corapi.
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201. I am a religious priest.


203. My habit reminds me, I am not home, but I am on my way.


212. Freedom is not being able to do anything you want to do.


226. When we abuse freedom, we step outside the boundary set by GOD, and we suffer the consequences.

273. It DOES matter how we live.


277. Many of us would prefer to take the easy way out.


292. I can't be more Catholic than the Church.


111. Do you run when things become difficult?


141. When a priest tries to lead a worldly life, he dies spiritually.


144. A good shepherd doesn't run off when the predator comes.


183. Unless we humble ourselves, there will be a terrible price to pay.


199. When a priest becomes enamored with this world, he is on a slippery slide downhill and his faith is lost.

219. Except for the grace of GOD, there go I.

[Corapi quotes source: here and here.]
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Corapi responds. 
SOLT responds  +CASE CLOSED+
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Photo: Source