Don't Look Back - The Corapi Story.

Onward...

I'm pretty much 'over' the Corapi deal now.  In my opinion he's just a guy who moved onto something else in life.  He moved on and reinvented himself - he has a new life.  It happens.  There are many priests who have left ministry to pursue a private, personal life.  Once the shock is over, we ought to be able to let it go - live and let live.  People leave things all of the time.  Parents get divorced, mother's give up babies for adoption, father's leave their families, children leave home, friendships break up, people move on.  I know of men who were priests who received a dispensation from their 'vows' and were permitted to marry.  Sometimes they met the woman they fell in love with while they were still priests.  Once laicized, the men were free to marry and did so in the Church and raised good Catholic families - all the while remaining in good standing with the Church.  Life goes on.
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That said, I think one reason I find the Corapi story somewhat compelling is because of what seems to me to be a connection, or inspiration motivating his 'makeover', which appears to have been influenced by the works of Bob Dylan.  I'm speculating here of course, and by no means am I being sarcastic or uncharitable, to the contrary.  I'm rather intrigued - from a purely natural point of view of course.  Earlier on in the fracas that arose over the allegations of sexual misconduct which ended in Corapi's resignation from ministry, someone wrote a comment to one of his posts.  The comment was more or less comprised of lyrics from Dylan.  At the time I suggested the anonymous commenter had to be Corapi - and I continue to hold to that theory.  I've reprinted the comment here:

Johnny's in the basement, mixing up the medicine... | July 9, 2011 at 1:14 am

Good People, it’s time to roll the stone and gather no moss. And grow up.
What did Christ say to the Apostles upon His Resurrection when they were all bamboozled, fadoodled and outright poodled? “Peace! My Peace be with you!”
Then buy, borrow, steal or mortgage a bit of Peace if you can, cuz it’s time move on and leave the funeral parlor and bury old Father John and baptize and circumsize Hot Rod Johnny Corapi.
Get used to it. The old Padre is gone and Harley John Corapi is rumbling out of your towne for good.
The Wild Ones, Part II. You don’t like it? You get a new messiah and he’ll get new groupies. We’ll call it even and call it a day.
It’s over. It’s past over. Father Corapi is Dead! Long Live The Black Sheep Dog Corapi.
What? You don’t like it? Too bad. Get over it and get over yourself. John Corapi’s patiently laid the storyline and the plot about his big changes in life, and he’s given you every chance to get it.
Do you get it yet?
No?
Let me explain it to you so that you’ll understand it.
He ain’t working on Maggie’s Farm no more.
You can guess, surmise, assume and presume all day long about why he ain’t working on Maggie’s Farm no more, but the bottom line is that he ain’t.
Did he sin? Did he do “it” or all that other stuff that’s bandied about here, there and everywhere in your mind and hearts? Probably, maybe, could be, who knows? Who cares?
Maybe even more than you could guess. Maybe none of it.
It’s over.
He ain’t a priest no more.
You can live in Yesterdayville all you want and wish him back as hard as your little soul can until your heart breaks and your eyes burst with tears of pain and sorrow and confusion.
Be his guest.
But it’s over.
Move along now, there ain’t nothing to see here no more.
He ain’t working on Maggie’s Farm no more.
“He’s got a head full of ideas that are drivin’ him insane.
Well, he tries his best
To be just like he is
But everybody wants you
To be just like them
They say sing while you slave and he just get bored
He ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s farm no more.”
He’s told you now, for the last time. He ain’t working on Maggie’s Farm no more. Either come along for the ride or move along. If you’re looking for him to save you, forget it. Ain’t gonna happen. No more. He’s mixed his last magic potion and heard his last confession and you can go away mad or go away empty. Just go away.
You want a suggestion on how to deal with all your broken dreams?
Don’t follow leaders…watch the parking meters.
You want Jesus? Then go get Jesus. But leave Corapi out of it.
He ain’t working on Maggie’s Farm no more. - Black SheepDog

To be clear - this is just a personal theory of mine - but since the title of his autobiography is the same as the Bob Dylan film/album, Don't Look Back, I can't help but see a link, a connection, an identification as it were.  I find it interesting mainly because I'm a big fan of Bob Dylan as well... and some of Dylan's lyrics had become a sort of 'anthem' for my own life at different stages.  Likewise it seems to me the lyrics reflect something about Corapi's life that he would like people to understand.  Now if Corapi is indeed relying on the Dylan lyrics as a sort of catalyst to tell his story, I think I 'get it' then - regarding where Corapi is at these days - but needless to say, that means setting aside any religious prejudice, expectation and/or judgment regarding his personal decision to leave ministry.   Today, all I can say to that is: It's his life - his decision.
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Moving on.
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Photo credit:  Don't Look Back - Rui Oliveira