Hannity the Liberal (Full Column)

Spirit and Life ^ | 3/12/2007 | Fr. Thomas J. Euteneuer

[RobbyS]

Over the years I have come to the sad conclusion that plenty of parish priests are not orthodox.

[Tax-chick]

I think it was necessary that this public disinformation campaign be publicly challenged. The point is not Sean Hannity's personal decision to contracept, because that choice is "invisible" to the public. By publicly proclaiming dissent on a moral teaching of the Church - while at the same time making a show of scrupulosity regarding an accidental failure to abstain from meat - Hannity is bearing false witness against the Church.

By causing a visible and open disagreement, Sean has threatened that "He will become Baptist" if the good Father and other priest keep up the pressure.

There's a place for people who look for a church that approves their favorite sin. "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You!"

This quote, from an article "Frank Sheed" linked in another thread, is very relevant here:

Contraception involves no temptation at all, in the sense of pressure to yield to an impulse, but rather the resolution to lead one's life in defiance of the Church. To contracept while attempting to remain a Catholic accordingly required the development of an entirely novel religious stance, a stance founded on two beliefs: first, the conviction that the teaching Church is wrong in an area in which she explicitly claims authority; and second, the conviction that a Catholic can coherently hold that the Church is wrong in one place and right (or right enough) in others such that Church membership remains a conscientious and meaningful choice.

(Frank, could you post that link in this thread, at your convenience? I'm not good enough with html to do it neatly!)

[Frank Sheed]

http://www.ewtn.com/library/PRIESTS/FR93103.TXT

Your every wish is my command, Mrs. Tax! I stand with you and Holy Mother Church!

F

[Frank Sheed]

I have to mention this story which I posted once long ago and was told to me by someone.

A priest came to do a Parish Mission which was very well attended. On his final night, he spoke passionately about Life and included contraception in his talk.

After Mass, a woman who was a "Brahmin" in the Parish, a member of the Pastoral Council, who led all the fundraisers, was on every conceivable Committee, who sang each Sunday (etc., etc.) approached him outside in the view of all. In an accusatorial tone, she told him that she was a "good Catholic," but that the Church had decided this long ago. She said that some families just cannot be "as big" as others would have them be. As such, certain precautions were needed. She asked pointedly if the priest really meant that contraception, in HIS view, was a mortal sin? The priest tried to take her aside, tried to make it a private discussion, but she begged the question again in a loud voice. Finally, he replied "no, m'am. It is a mortal sin in the Church's view. That is a dogmatic teaching and it's not negotiable."

The woman left that night and never came back.

Fr. John Corapi has mentioned stories analogous to this over the years. Sometimes, people will walk away just as the crowd walked away from Jesus after His discourse on the Eucharist. Remember their words, "This is a hard saying."

Indeed.

[redgolum]

Good story FS. Heard a number of them like that myself (usually on Pro Life Sunday).

Still, this whole thing is just odd for me. Now there is a priest that moon lights at Fox defending Sean.

[Tax-chick]

My pastor in Broken Arrow once mentioned on Father's Day that courageous fatherhood did not include sterilization. I honestly thought there would be some heart attacks.

On this point, I noticed in the video clip that Hannity tried the "NFP is the same as contraception" dodge with Father E. Who does he think he's fooling (other than himself)? If NFP and artificial contraception of any kind were practically, that is, "in practice," the same, then who would do anything but NFP? Why would anyone pay the cost, experience the inconvenience, run the health risks, of artificial contraceptive or sterilization ... if it were "just the same as"?

We know better; it's not the same. NFP requires maturity, discipline and faith.

(p.s. Thanks for the article link, above. I will print the article for some of my friends.)

[Tax-chick]

I meant to include you on my #66, but my mind blanked on the spelling of your username :-).

[cheme]

Relevant radio with Drew Mariano is going to talk about this at 3:15 central time. He will have Father on.

[cheme]

BTTT

[cheme]

Just heard that it will be in about one hour. 3/13/07 4:00 central

[NYer]

Sean has threatened that "He will become Baptist" if the good Father and other priest keep up the pressure.

Now what sort of message does that send to practicing Baptists?! Dissenting Catholics, lacking in moral fiber, choose to make their spiritual home with you.

[redgolum]

LOL! I wondered that also.

[Tax-chick]

Yes, how rude to Baptists, just as if they didn't have any serious Christian beliefs of their own, not to mention important areas of disagreement with Catholics.

"You know, Baptists ... they'll take just anybody ..."

As I said, I think "TEC" may be Hannity's true "church home."

[cheme]

BTTT

[TradicalRC]

Hannity doesn't know what he's talking about and he argues like a liberal.

[Running On Empty]

TRC,

I was finally able to view the Hannity "discussion" with the link you provided (wasn't able to do so with the original one for some reason).

I am really turned off by Hannity now. The fact that he had to bring in the priest scandals, like so many who hate the Church, rather than look to the far many more faithful priests, scandalized me just as much as I was scandalized by his treatment of Fr. Tom and his lack of knowledge about how contraceptives work and how many contraceptives operate as "silent" abortifacients.

There is no way to excuse SH's arrogance.

And you're right--he doesn't know what he's talking about and he argues like a liberal.

[AnAmericanMother]

How embarassing for Hannity.

He doesn't really think on his feet very well. I was a trial lawyer for almost 25 years, and I can tell when somebody has that deer-in-the-headlights look and can't think how to respond to a question (I've been there a few times myself, but I got better over the course of time). But I've noticed in the past that when Hannity gets caught out and doesn't have a response, he blusters and calls names and goes straight to the ad hominem.

He REALLY did it this time -- and to a priest of his supposed own church.

I think you're right . . . Hey, Hannity,

[Siobhan]

Hannity had previously said he would become Eastern Orthodox. So now it is Baptist.

For anyone who wants to follow Hannity right on out of the Church, well, they would just be making visible and external what has already taken place within their souls. A terrible tragedy, but one due to their own volition.

[Tax-chick]

He doesn't really think on his feet very well.

Not a good quality in a live television/radio host!

[AnAmericanMother]

No, he mostly makes set speeches and reads stuff his staff types on the monitor.

If you listen, you can tell when people are reading as opposed to speaking off the cuff.

I earned my living thinking on my feet for a long time (ANYthing can happen in a courtroom, and usually does . . . ) and I know it when I hear it.