Father John Corapi

Christ the True Vine (Athens).

• The Black Sheepdog.
• "Fr. Corapi's Order Saddened by His Choice to Leave Priesthood."
• "SOLT's Superior Speaks."
• "Father Corapi's Announcement Yesterday."

"Father John Corapi does not belong to a religious order or congregation. He belongs to a Society of Apostolic Life. He is not a priest of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, he is incardinated in the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity [SOLT], a diocesan Society of Apostolic life that I established in the Diocese of Corpus Christi when I was the Ordinary of the Diocese. He has never held an assignment in the Diocese nor has he ever worked in the Diocese. Following his ordination in Rome in 1991 by Blessed Pope John Paul II he has ministered in many places, but not in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. With the permission of his superiors he established his media company in Montana and has lived there ever since. As a member of that Society (The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity) Father John is not bound by a vow of poverty. He is bound by a promise of obedience to his superior, the General Priest Servant of the Society" (Rene Henry Gracida, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, founder of SOLT).

• "Fr. Corapi Filed Defamation Suit On Advice of Fr. Flanagan, Founder of the Society of Our Lady and Bishop Rene Gracida."

"Press Release Concerning Fr John Corapi from SOLT Regional Priest Servant," July 5, 2011.

SOLT's fact-finding team has acquired information from Fr. Corapi's e-mails, various witnesses, and public sources that, together, state that, during his years of public ministry:

He did have sexual relations and years of cohabitation (in California and Montana) with a woman known to him, when the relationship began, as a prostitute; He repeatedly abused alcohol and drugs; He has recently engaged in sexting activity with one or more women in Montana; He holds legal title to over $1 million in real estate, numerous luxury vehicles, motorcycles, an ATV, a boat dock, and several motor boats, which is a serious violation of his promise of poverty as a perpetually professed member of the Society.

SOLT has contemporaneously with the issuance of this press release directed Fr. John Corapi, under obedience, to return home to the Society’s regional office and take up residence there. It has also ordered him, again under obedience, to dismiss the lawsuit he has filed against his accuser.

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.

What we know for certain

• None of this is a surprise or shock to God.
• Someone needs forgiveness, repentance, reparation, and amendment of their lives: Fr. Corapi, his accuser, the blogosphere, myself.
• God has provided everything we need in the death and resurrection of His only-begotten Son to bring good out of this evil. God can write straight with crooked lines.
• Nothing Fr. Corapi taught is false. The Catechism is a reliable guide to the mind of the Catholic Church; the Catholic Church is the Body of Christ on earth; Mary is the Mother of God and Mother of the Church; Jesus is our God and King. We need to repent of our sins, reform our lives, and preach the gospel to all who will listen.
• We are at war. The weapons we have at our disposal are faith, hope, love, prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude. We take our marching orders from Jesus through the successors of the apostles, our bishops. We need to be fortified with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. Our rations for the battle are the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We are joined to God and to each other in an unconquerable Kingdom by the power of the sacraments. We are surrounded by a great army of angels and saints who watch over us night and day. We are not alone. We are not without hope. God who began this good work in us will bring it to completion.