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Posted on 03/13/2007 7:03:12 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
The saga continues.
In the latest development, Fox News analyst Father Jonathan Morris, a priest with the Legionaries of Christ — whose founder, Father Marcial Maciel, had multiple accusations of sexual abuse made against him and was disciplined by the Vatican — wrote an "open letter" defending Sean Hannity and criticizing Father Tom Euteneuer.
Morris' letter can be found here.
Euteneuer has responded, writing his own "open letter" to Morris:
Dear Father Jonathan,
Your letter to Sean Hannity indicates that you did not know that I asked to speak to him in private about this matter in 2004 otherwise you may have tempered your remarks about my supposed lack of charity in dealing with a high profile Catholic who dissents from clearly-defined and reiterated Church teachings. You also seemed to be unaware of the fact that Sean was the one who invited me on his program and who then promptly '[threw] civility to the wind,' refused to display 'cultivated intelligence' on the issues and jeopardized another person's 'reputation and dignity.'
May I also point out that you did not employ with me the same standard of 'fraternal correction' that you expected me to employ with Mr. Hannity. I at least made the attempt to speak to him about this issue in private without success; you, in contrast, went immediately to the Internet to take me to task. I do not intend to understand your motives; I can only evaluate what I see in your actions.
The question that comes to mind is an obvious one: if you are a Fox analyst on Catholic matters, wouldn't you have been the one to have had those 'private conversations' on birth control with Mr. Hannity? How about discussions on his abortion exceptions? When you told Sean 'in person' that you 'disagreed with him,' was it on the issue of birth control? If you had done that, I applaud you, but your powers of persuasion may need a little honing — Sean has only gotten more vocal on this issue over time. If you did not speak to him about his public dissent, then I ask you, 'Why?' While we are on the subject, have you also analyzed and disagreed with Bill O'Reilly's perfectly horrible disdain for the Holy Father and the Church that you represent?
The church sex abuse scandal was not just about homosexual and predatory priests. It was about clerical negligence and silence on issues that not only affect people's souls but also ruin people's lives. It is highly unusual that you or anyone else would want a priest to be silent on issues that affect the salvation of souls. We used to recognize 'admonishing the sinner' as one of the Spiritual Works of Mercy, and I consider my admonishment of Mr. Hannity to have been done in that spirit. I might also add that in doing so I have fulfilled my duty as a priest which is a requirement for my salvation.
As a seminary rector, I would sincerely hope that you are not teaching by word or example the young men in your charge to be politically correct sissies who are afraid to roll up their sleeves and defend the Church in private and in public. We have tons of those types in the clergy already. I would advise you to drink deeply of the wisdom of the Number Two man at our Headquarters who has in no uncertain terms told all of us that high profile dissenters are a scourge and a danger to souls. [See item: 'Bertone: Dissident Catholics More Worrying Than Atheists.'
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jan/07011003.html.]I wish you fraternal blessings for your priestly work.
Sincerely,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer
President
Human Life International
Fr Morris looks quite young. Maybe he's let the media attention get to him a little.
I also LOVED that comment by Fr E. re: politically correct sissies. He's one cool padre!
Having said that, it's sad to see these two orthodox, faithful priests sparring publicly like this - it's TERRIBLE for the Church. Throw in a dissident Catholic to the equation and it makes it worse.
What I think should happen is that both these priests should get together in an act of unity and CONDEMN artificial birth control and clear up the fallacy that its okay to support abortion in rare cases like incest and rape. Fr Morris was silent on this when defending Sean and that's what makes me a bit wonder about his motives.
I don't mean to hijack this thread, but what is your knowledge of the Church's view on capital punishment. Is it malum in se, or malum prohibitum?
My friends point to the Catechism, whose teaching on the matter has changed after 2000 years of history and the Hebrew Bible before that.
I am frustrated that such brilliant men with such a long brilliant intellectual and spiritual history can get this so wrong. This judgement in this matter is flawed in two ways, and would make a great thread of its own.
Both men experienced WWII, and its various genocides, in ways that no American (with the possible exception of certain refugee/immigrants) did, and that experience coloured their views on capital punishment. They have a positive horror of it that we can't really get access to. For them, it looks like National Socialism or International Communism, employed by the very worst of criminals. For us, it's how we get rid of the very worst of criminals.
While no expert on this topic, I think most christian churches were against contraption till fairly recently. By recently I mean 1930.
Oh I do so hope this post was a joke.
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