John Corapi
Father John Corapi was born May 20, 1947 in Hudson, New York. He is an American Catholic priest and a member of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT). His deep voice and distinctive speaking style have won him a following on EWTN Television and Radio.
Early Life
He comes from an extremely devote Catholic family and often cites his Grandmother and Mother for his faith. His father abandoned the family when he was a young boy. He had a younger sister that died in an automobile accident along with a few friends. He was a star high school football player and took up the sport of boxing.
Young Adult Life
He volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and became a Green Beret. His entire unit was on their way to Vietnam when their helicopter crashed in Panama. He was the only person injured and was sent to a United States installation in Germany for the rest of his career. Meanwhile, his unit went to Vietnam and every member was killed within 3 months of arriving.
After the military, he received his Bachelors degree in business from Pace University. He moved to Las Vegas and worked for a Mormon business as a financial advisor to casinos. He became very successful and was hired to oversee casino finances for the municipal government. He then moved to Los Angeles and started his own business as a real-estate agent to Hollywood Stars. He became a multi-millionaire with a big house, a big yacht and drove a Ferrari. Subsequently, several years of the party life style left him addicted to freebasing cocaine, and he became homeless and bankrupt. He lived on the city streets for a couple years refusing help and in horrible pain. He spent a year in the Veteran Administration psychiatric hospital.
Thanks to twenty straight years of prayer from his beloved Mother and Grandmother, he decided to return home and received a one-way ticket to Hudson, NY where he lived with his mother. After a period of time, he told his mother he wanted to go to confession. He told the priest "Forgive me father, it has been twenty years since my last confession." He made a good confession and it ended with "Father, I think I am being called to the priesthood." A stunned Father said, "With God, anything is possible."
Religious life
Eventually, John Corapi went back to school, this time for theology studies. He had received a Masters degree in Sacred Scripture from Holy Apostles Seminary. Also, he moved to Spain where he earned Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology from the University of Navarre. John was ordained a priest by Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. He conducts speaking tours in North America in which he has accumulated over a million frequent flyer miles. Father Corapi had reconciled with his Dad and he heard his confession. Not long after, his dad became gravely ill, which required multiple operations and he lived his last years in much pain. John was always at his side with him. John held the funeral for his dad on September 11th, 2001.
His website explains; The essence of Father's message is the essential message of Jesus Christ. It is Good News: a message of truth and goodness, love and mercy. It is above all else a message of hope. He has a great love for the Virgin Mary which he says leads us to the fullness of Jesus Christ. He developed the highly acclaimed series on the Catechism of the Catholic Church entitled The Teaching of Jesus Christ. This study is used throughout the world as a course in religious education and catechises. Per his website, the pillars of father's preaching.
- Love for and a relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary which leads us into a vibrant and loving relationship with Jesus Christ.
- Great love and reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist--from Holy Mass to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
- An uncompromising love for and obedience to the Holy Father and the teaching of the Magisterium of the Church.
Father Corapi resides in Montana. Father is available to preach retreats, missions, and conferences: Books- The Catechism of the Catholic Church[1]