An Update on Fr John Corapi

Via email:

Many of us have been concerned about Father Corapi and his health. The rumors were indeed true, but thanks to Father Corapi's Weekly Wisdom program, , he addressed the whole health issue on his 29 March program. For non-subscribers, here is an overview.

Bottom line, Father Corapi has a parathyroid tumor and will be going back to the Mayo Clinic next week for surgery. It's a very rare (1:167,000 men get it) tumor, which 98% of the time not cancerous. The good news is they ruled out lymphoma, which is what they thought he had. He goes through great detail explaining and extolling the Mayo Clinic, his tests, and our obligation to keep our bodies as healthy as we can. He also said for the past 7 months he was too sick to get out bed 70% of the time; intense exhaustion with flu-like symptoms (a result of the excess calcium this type of tumor causes, in addition to osteoporosis). Surgery is the only cure.

As you might suspect, he turned his experience into a redemptive suffering lecture, reminding us that God's true power comes via our weakness. He also touched on what I've seen more and more recently especially among strong Catholics close to Mary and who offer their sufferings and that is the obvious - how much the world right now needs the help of redemption from the souls willing and able to offer it back to Christ via Mary, united to the cross. I'm sure most of us figured out it was pretty obvious that God needed Father Corapi's suffering especially during Holy Week.

He talked in fairly great detail about his week of tests; including the anxiety for his family, about maybe "checking out," i.e., having cancer, etc. With his humor, he joked about the benefit and happiness of dying (except for the pain to his family), rather than having to endure and see the face of a certain US Presidential candidate. He quite seriously said death would be better than having to endure this gentleman for the next four years, should he become president. Yikes!

Anyway, please spread the world to keep the Padre in your prayers. His favorite prayer is the Memorare, which is what he asked be prayed for him when he was first admitted to the Mayo Clinic. He wrapped up his segment with the profound words from his thesis on redemptive suffering: To be set at the foot of the cross is to be set at the pinnacle of all human possibilities.

Please remember him in your prayers!