So tells us Psalm 146. Quite the appropriate lesson today for many in the Church and I would sumise the more conservative, EWTN watching Catholics. I have no idea how many of you know Fr. John Corapi, or of his ministry. I don't know how many of you ever watched one of his videos or caught him on EWTN. I have, often, very often. I was encouraged to watch him by another because he's a man's man and a tough conservative Priest. So I did watch him often. But more than watch him, I did some digging, and more digging. Over time I came to be concerned about the all troublesome "cult of personality".
Fr. Corapi was ordained a Priest in 1991 after living a very St. Augustine, before his conversion, life style. Fr. Corapi would describe often his life of drugs, women, power, money, corruption before he saw the light and had a conversion experience that led all the way to the Priesthood. It did not take long for the worldly and voice talented priest to develop his own ministry. Despite being a member of an order, Corapi kind of struck out on his own, developed a powerful message, one that included attacks on the Church itself, turned the message into a private ministry. Soon he was getting more speaking engagements than Bill Clinton and was selling tapes, and miscellaneous other stuffs. Quite an empire.
And his message, which might invigorate the most convicted of the church militant, was often not very pastoral or one that, IMHO, would cause a non-Catholic or disaffected Catholic to take time and listen. He did speak truth, but his message was crafted for the hard-core.
Over time I fear he may have got quite caught up in the cult of personality. Then the devastating allegation against him by an adult female. Soon he was on leave and now today he announces he no longer is a priest. Despite the difficult position he was in, it appears no one inside the Church told Corapi he had to go. Instead of remaining obedient to the vow, uniting his suffering with those of Christ, as a priest, and waiting in prayer and hope, like a Padre Pio or John Vianney, he walks. And he looks like he is setting up quite a "lay" ministry which should make the register sing "Cha-ching"!
When I think of Corapi I recall Bishop Fulton Sheen who had quite the following too, far greater than Corapi, on TV and radio in the fifties and sixties. Sheen never had the kind of scurilous accusation hanging over him but can any Catholic see him leaving the Church for the cult of personality? Don't think so.
The Psalm quoted above is appropriate. We sometimes put way to much on the minister; the Priest, Bishop, perhaps a Deacon, Pope's we think have a better personality than others. We wind up with the likes of Jimmy Swaggert, Marvin Gorman, Joel Osteen, Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth Copeland, Bishop Paul Morton; all men who have become bazillionaires and some of whom have had great scandal, and a few some serious investigations.
Put no trust in princes; mere mortals. Trust God. Trust the Son of God who came and saved us. Trust the Holy Spirit who we need to allow to guide us.
Yes, we need powerful men of God; strong Priests, faithful ordained men and powerful preachers. But when it becomes all about me; it ain't all about God.
As I read on another website recently: It ain't the pastor it's the Master!!
No comments:
Post a Comment