On Fox News Fearless HLI Priest Takes on Sean Hannity (may be indebted for saving his soul)

LifeSite ^ | March 13, 2007 | John-Henry Westen

[NYer]

NEW YORK, March 13, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Last Friday, the President of Human Life International, Fr. Tom Euteneuer used his weekly column to point out the hypocrisy of Catholic celebrity Sean Hannity, one of the stars of Fox News' Hannity and Colmes show.

Hannity had, on a show the week before, made a big deal of apologizing for having inadvertently eaten a couple of bites of a meat sandwich on a Friday during Lent.  In his column, Fr. Euteneuer pointed out that the meat incident was not sinful at all, and "If apologies are the order of the day, then the repentance I would like to hear out of Sean Hannity's mouth is for his shameless-even scandalous-promotion of birth control. Yes, I have heard him personally say, 'I have no problem with birth control. It's a good thing.'"

Explaining the gravity of the situation, Fr. Euteneuer noted, "Given the size of his audience and the importance of his status in pop culture, Hannity's anti-witness to a fundamental tenet of Catholic moral doctrine is just devastating for the faith of others who may be weak or vacillating in this area."  In his concluding remarks he stated: "The moral of the story is that Catholic men and women in the media need to be truly Catholic or at least stop being hypocrites." (see the full column here: http://www.hli.org/sl_2007-03-09.html )

Hannity's dissent from Church teaching on contraception is long-standing and very public.  In fact, in 2004, his public stand in favor of contraception made it into a commentary in the oldest Catholic newspaper in the United States, the Wanderer. 

On a show in 2004, Hannity was explaining his opposition to withholding Communion from Catholic politicians who support legal abortion.  At the time he pointed out that should Communion be withheld from liberals it could also be withheld from conservatives such as he since, he said, he had no problem with contraception.

Hannity's press handlers called the HLI leader the day his column was published to have him address Hannity live on the program.  Fr. Euteneuer obliged and began a reasoned, calm presentation of his case. "One is simply obliged not to be a heretic in public. That's the point," said Fr. Euteneuer in response to an initial question from Colmes. "If (Hannity) doesn't agree with his Church on that matter he should not be pronouncing on the matter as if he was the authority on that matter. He's not."

However rather than argue for his case on contraception or even address the points made in Fr. Euteneuer's article Hannity immediately jumped to the offensive.  "Reverend. Let me, let me just say… You call me a hypocrite. You question the depth of my faith. Do you know anything about me and my religious beliefs? And my background religion? do you know anything about me?"

"I only see the evidence Sean. I see the evidence of a superficial presentation of one aspect of the faith. I see the…," replied Fr. Euteneuer just before he was cut off by Hannity's attack on the Catholic Church via the sex abuse scandals.  "Judge not lest you be judged, Reverend", interrupted Hannity.  "Maybe you ought to spend a little more time that our Church covered up one of the worst sex scandals and I wasn't involved in it. And the fact that public people after that are willing to still be Catholic is something you should be applauding. Considering the levels of corruption at the highest levels of the Church was frankly embarrassing to every person."

Many commenting on Hannity, have said that he 'lost it' with the priest.  "Do you know that I went to a seminary? Do you know that I studied Latin? Do you know that I studied theology?," said Hannity at one point just before repeating charges about corruption and sex scandals in the church.

The only time Hannity seemed especially affected by the priest came right at the end of the segment when Hannity demanded, "Wait, would you deny me communion?"  Fr. Euteneuer replied, "I would."  Hannity, visibly moved, replied, "Wow, wow." (See the segment on vido here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f50fD5elrcg )

Despite his courage and fidelity, Fr. Euteneuer has received criticism for his stand even from some Catholics who, despite decades of persistent, public and very damaging scandal to the faith by prominent individuals, still insist that behind-the-scenes, personal dialogue is the only acceptable response.  It has been suggested that the HLI leader should have approached Hannity privately.  However, in 2004, after Hannity 's scandalous remarks about contraception Fr. Euteneuer did attempt to personally contact Hannity with his concerns but to no avail.

The broadcast is being praised for having raised publicly that contraception leads to abortion and is contrary to the Catholic faith.  It has also shown that the Catholic Church is impartial in its estimation of liberals and conservatives, and must correct equally all those who reject the Church's authoritative teachings on faith and morals.

Probably the saddest chapter of the event was Fox News publishing an open letter to Sean Hannity by Father Jonathan Morris, a regular news contributor for the fox News Channel.  Fr. Morris, vice rector for the Legionnaries of Christ seminary in Rome, wrote that when he saw the program, "I hung my head in shame and sadness."   Fr. Morris continued, "My colleague in religion (whom I've never met) used the public airways and Internet to call you a heretic and hypocrite. Because he chose to do this in a public forum, I want you and your viewers to know, publicly, that as an analyst of this television network, I believe this good priest, who does great work, exercised, on this occasion, shockingly poor judgment. I consider his willingness to give his personal opinion about your status within the Church inappropriate and ill-considered, to say the least."

In an open letter responding to Fr. Morris, Fr. Euteneuer wrote: "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."

"May I also point out," added Fr. Euteneuer, "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."  (See both Fr. Morris' letter and Fr. Euteneuer's response: http://www.hli.org/article_open_letter_to_fr_morris.html )

As a man who has defended the Catholic position on the right to life for the unborn, on traditional marriage, and against the euthanasia of Terri Schiavo, Sean Hannity has come to grips with many of the hard teachings of the faith.  Some observers are suggesting that his encounter with the Church's position on contraception, was an eye-opener and may in fact lead Hannity to a fuller adherence to what he professes to believe.  To this priest, who so perturbed him, Hannity may one day find himself grateful, perhaps eternally so.

[trisham]

Yours are not.

[mockingbyrd]

Judas hightailed it out of there before the Institution of the Eucharist. At Christ's command.

According to the Bible, there are sins that cry out to Heaven for vengeance: Wilful murder - the blood of Abel, [Gen. 4:10],the sin of the Sodomites, [Gen. 18:20; 19:13]
the cry of the people oppressed in Egypt, [Ex. 3:7-10]
the cry of the foreigner, the widow and the orphan, [Ex. 20:20-22] and injustice to the wage earner. [Deut. 24:14-5; Jas. 5:4].

Christ said that it would be better that those who lead children astray be thrown into the river with a millstone around their neck. And that it would have been better that Judas never been born (although He did not say the same thing about Peter, indicating a significant differnence in their sins) and Ananias and Sapphria were struck dead for their sin.

Scripturallly, God views some sins as more severe, even to label some as unforgiveable. "Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgivness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.' [Mk. 3:29; Mt. 12:32; Lk. 12:10]

[mockingbyrd]

ping to #101

[mockingbyrd]

I meant #102...off to teach math now, ironic isn't it.

[Pyro7480]

Judas hightailed it out of there before the Institution of the Eucharist. At Christ's command.

Hmm? Luke 22: 16-21 says Judas was still there.

[mockingbyrd]

In th Gosepl of John, Christ instrusts Judas to leave,and he does. After Judas leaves, He speaks to Peter about his betryal. In Mark, Judas in spoken to before the Institution of the Eucharist, Peter after. So too in Matthew. Taking these three together, it appears to me that Judas left, the Eucharist was instituted and then Christ spoke to Peter about his upcoming betryal. It just seems more fitting.

We are talking about my own personal interpretation of Scripture, but hey, that's completely legit right ;)

[Pyro7480]

LOL! Well, I'm sure others have noticed this, and I wonder how it was resolved. I'm guessing the Angelic Doctor commented on it at some point. ;-)

[presently no screen name]

IMO, Sean does a great job. The only exception is him having ANY lib on. When I tune in - the last thing I want to hear is ANY twisting the facts, clueless, lying lib. And then he is most gracious to them - and they KNOW he will be that way.

I'd never give them any air time - they already have the MSM 24/7.

[presently no screen name]

would be better that those who lead children astray be thrown into the river with a millstone around their neck.

Are all those priests who lead those children astray with the acts committed upon them ALLOWED TO RECEIVE?

Ananias and Sapphria were struck dead for their sin.

You are talking about 'under the law'. One man was killed because he picked up sticks on the Sabbath!

The law was implemented to show we are ALL sinners - a fact this priest forgets.

Scripturallly, God views some sins as more severe, even to label some as unforgiveable

Tell me what 'sin' is NOT covered by His Blood ?

[iranger]

"Are all those priests who lead those children astray with the acts committed upon them ALLOWED TO RECEIVE?"

I don't know about right now, but it was too often the case that they were transferred to unsuspecting parishes and allowed to carry on the their priestly duties including celebrating the mass and ironically hearing confession, and unfortunately also carrying on their unpriestly duties of buggering boys.

[Sloth]

You should look to see the mechanisms that the birth control pill and the IUD use prior to making a blanket statement such as that. Those two methods are inherently abortifacients.

When and if that occurs, then by definition they do not constitute contraception.

[perez24]

I would defer to someone more knowledgeable, but I'm pretty sure the homosexual pedophile priests are ineligible to receive or distribute Communion, just as you or I would be ineligible to receive it. Didn't stop them, but if they're going to bugger people, I don't think desecrating the Eucharist is a big deal to them.

Gross oversimplification here, but if I smack you in the face, that's a sin, but it's not as bad a sin as murdering you in cold blood. Both are sins, and Christ died for all of them, but the former will not necessarily make you ineligible for receiving the Eucharist.

BTW, there's a better word than "ineligible," but I don't know what it is.

[mockingbyrd]

Are all those priests who lead those children astray with the acts committed upon them ALLOWED TO RECEIVE?

As is the case with any mortal sin, you must first repent, obtain absolution before presenting yourself at the Lord's table.

You are talking about 'under the law'

Under what law, I'm talking about Acts 5:1-11.

a fact this priest forgets.

Prove it.

Tell me what 'sin' is NOT covered by His Blood ?

Again I point you to the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ:Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgivness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.' [Mk. 3:29; Mt. 12:32; Lk. 12:10]

[justshutupandtakeit]

While I also am not impressed by Sean's intellect it is nonsense to charge he is driving anyone to the Democrats because of his religious views.

How do you think the Democrat party survived for 200 years but for the Catholic vote? That has long been the source of its power. It controls almost all major cities because of that power base.

[justshutupandtakeit]

I had forgotten the 70s incidents. You are correct.

[justshutupandtakeit]

One day, perhaps, you will not LIE about those you disagree with.

[iranger]

"Gross oversimplification here, but if I smack you in the face, that's a sin, but it's not as bad a sin as murdering you in cold blood. Both are sins, and Christ died for all of them, but the former will not necessarily make you ineligible for receiving the Eucharist."

Thats a good point. How do you think that would apply to say a 3rd party, myself, who believed it likely that you (perez24) was likely to murder "presently no screen name" but did nothing about it and perhaps helped to create circumstances which would make that crime easier to commit? Do you think I, the third party, would be "eligible" to receive?

Of course I'm drawing an analogy towards those who worked to keep quiet and deceive during the abuse scandal. Those bishops, priests, and perhaps even higher than that, they are still with us.

[justshutupandtakeit]

In no way do I mean to imply that other religious bodies than the Roman Catholic Church do not have the same problems with sexual abuse of the young. You are right to bring that truth forward.

It is the sheer size of the Catholic Church which makes this so easy to concentrate on its problems in that regard when some smaller body is ignored. People say "who?" and let it go.

To call Sean Hannity a "liberal" does not credit to the arguments of this priest. That is just dumb.

[ArrogantBustard]

To lie is to knowingly present falsehood as truth. This I have not done.

You may apologise any time you like.

You may also educate yourself regarding the scandal of homosexual predation in various institutions any time you like. I see no evidence on this thread that you have any worthwhile knowledge of the matter.

Absent an apology from you, I consider this discussion closed.

[ichabod1]

What Father did was take the same tactic that O'Reilly used when he went on Steven Colbert's show. He stayed detached and calm, unflappable I believe is the correct word. Like he knew he was going to be attacked and had mentally prepared for it.