Fr. Corapi letter written in 1984

by tantamergo

"I received a link via e-mail to a site that contains a letter sent by then seminarian John Corapi to a correspondent who had sent him a religious medal.  The letter is really very frank and very telling, much more than a mere thank you note, it goes into the reasons for Corapi’s vocation and his divinely inspired mission in the Church.  It’s something that should be read in light of recent events.  An excerpt below:

 Before I ever heard of The Message of Garabandal The Mother of God, in a very personal way, made it known to me. She made me acutely aware of certain things concerning the Eucharist. These abuses I became aware of cause me much suffering. I often cry at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and I very often cry at night, not sleeping at all.

Whenever I would doubt this insight, almost immediately I would be given a sign to confirm that what I was feeling was correct. Some examples: (1) Seeing the priest at a church daily fail to Purify the Paten & Chalice and profanely disgarding the consecrated Host and Precious Blood down a drain! (2) Hearing homilies that state that no longer do we owe primary allegiance to the Pope, but rather to local Bishops who are more aware of our needs! (3) Listening to a Diocesan Vocation Director tell me that his Diocese would not be interested in Ordaining any man who was not open to Priests being able to marry and to serve a limited term as a Priest (Like an Army enlistment)! To say that I suffer to hear these things would be to say the least. However, there is a purpose to it all. My dear friend, the Mother of God, wants me to be aware of these dangers so that I can help her to wage war against the enemy. She has given me a vocation to the Priesthood so that I might help her to bring back holiness to her Son’s Church and end these horrible abuses of the Eucharist.

There are many who do not wish to see me become a Priest because of my fierce loyalty to the Vicar of Christ and my outspoken defense of him and my condemnation of certain irreverent and even profane practices I see today. I have enemies because of this. So too did Our Beloved Saviour have enemies.

I have had to endure abuse and suffering because my views are now not popular with the local clergy. They call me a fanatic and say my views are outdated. Luckily, there are 3 archbishops (retired) who agree with me and protect me – gaining admittance for me to a good Orthodox Seminary where my views are generally shared.

I know very well that my vocation will be that of a soldier engaged in a mortal combat. There will be more and worse suffering for all of us to endure. That is fine, for, as we know, Our Blessed Lord did not tell us to take up a bed of Roses and follow him. He said to take up a CROSS and follow Him! By the Grace of Almighty God and the Holy assistance and intercession of Our Good Friend – The Mother of God – I shall do so!


Being a weak and miserable creature that I am, I am much in need of Prayer. Please pray for me that I might be all that Our Blessed Mother wishes me to be.

This letter was written in 1984, when Fr. Corapi was still in seminary.  He would not be ordained until 1991, in Rome, because his path to ordination was frought with roadblocks thrown up by those who were opposed to his becoming a priest.  27 years is a long time in a life, but it is difficult to see how the man, already fully adult and mature, could wander so drastically from the mission he lays out here to have engaged in the activities of which he is accused.    Definitely, this is the Corapi we have witnessed in so many TV and radio programs.

We must always be wary of the world and the wiles of the devil.  Greater men than Corapi have fallen – so pray, alot, for him, his apostolate, and the Church.  Especially for good and devoted, faithful priests, and good priestly formation.  Pray for the instillation of the true Faith in our seminaries. "

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