Sometimes Laughter Heals

Ever since The Fr. Corapi Matter became fodder for the blogosphere and Facebook and Twitter, I've avoided it. Really, really avoided it. Not reading comentary, not reading comments on the commentary. I haven't heard his statement, though I've had the gist of it explained to me by a friend who knows why I'm avoiding the whole mess. 

About six years ago, a new (to us) priest rode into town. Over the time he was here, he behaved in a manner unbecoming a priest. Lots of families "experienced" this behavior firsthand. Phrasing things delicately here. It's a long story--one I will never tell publicly--but in the end, an entire community of faith was scandalized. Countless families were hurt. "Ah," you object, "how can you say that? How can you just make those claims? Just throw them out there like that? What proof have you? Maybe he's just a really friendly guy and you misinterpret?"

In this case, the claims proved themselves. He is no longer a Catholic priest. The former choir director is no longer married to the father of her three children. And they are going to be married this summer. You can imagine, if you allow yourself to go there, how the children of this neighborhood do question when Former Father picks Former Choir Director's Children up from school. Those are difficult questions to answer.

The teenaged questions are much, much harder.

And the grown up questions? They will not be answered adequately on this side of heaven. 

There's a whole lot of hurt here in this town. A whole lot. And Fr. Corapi? It just opens  a not-even-close-to-healed wound. 

So when my friend insisted on giving me the quickest version of the story that she could (insiting that I really can't work in the Catholic press and bury my head in the sand--good point), I was very grateful that she closed her little speech with a link to this post.

Matt, Patrick, thank you. I had no idea how much I  needed to laugh. 

You guys get it. You really understand. And you do that guy thing--where you heal very real pain with a little levity.

Good for you.

Good for all of us.