Fox News Host Sean Hannity faced off with a top Va. exorcist priest in this now infamous clip from 2007. Father Thomas Euteneuer called Hannity a ‘heretic’ for his promotion of birth control as opposed to abortion among non-believers. In an unusually foreshadowing response, Hannity suggested the priest ‘judge not that ye not be judged.’ Fr. Euteneuer was recently removed from his post and has admitted to sexual misconduct.
By Dan McDermott
Publisher
Warren County Report
[A version of this story originally appeared in MyFrontRoyal.com]
Fox News host Sean Hannity addressed the controversy surrounding a top Virginia exorcist Catholic priest at the end of his Hannity cable news show Wed. night and made note of the unusually favorable treatment he has been getting from Huffington Post commenters.
After playing portions of a now infamous 2007 exchange in which then Human Life International Father Thomas Euteneuer called Hannity a ‘heretic’ and ‘cultural Catholic’ Hannity read part of Fr. Euteneuer’s recent confession to transgressions which caused him to be removed as head of Human Life International.
“I take full responsibility for my own poor judgment, my weakness and my sinful conduct that resulted from it,” Hannity read.
The host then noted the priest’s admission of violating his vow of chastity due to human weakness which Fr. Euteneuer said ‘did not involve the sexual act.’
“Bill Clinton would be proud of that,” Hannity joked.
“Look, I don’t want to make a situation worse. Apparently something happened–pretty severe–and he’s been taken away from his position,” Hannity said.
But Hannity still seemed upset at at having his faith questioned and the priest’s conduct after the appearance on Hannity & Colmes.
“He’s so self righteous. He spent years raising money off this exchange with me and building his name recognition,” Hannity said.
Euteneuer had originally appeared on the program to chastise Hannity for supporting birth control instead of abortion for persons who did not live a Christian life.
“But in this world we live in, do you really think that you can convince non-Catholics, non-Christians [to] wait until marriage to have sex? There’s a certain realistic quality to what I was saying. Not that I like it. It’s just real,” he said.
Hannity said he does teach his own children to abstain from sex until marriage.
One of the panelists joked that the video clip of his face-off with Rev. Euteneuer had ‘brought out the inner liberal’ in Hannity.
Hannity responded ‘That’s like the Huffington Post defending me [today].”
We do not know to what degree the vow of chastity was “broken”. Do we? Isn’t it quite possible that no physical contact was made? But something related to sex in his thoughts was entertained?
From – CHARITY and TRUTH:
The duty to avoid SCANDAL often commands STRICT DISCRETION – No one is bound to reveal the TRUTH yo SOMEONE who does not have the RIGHT TO KNOW.
All of the focus seems to be on whether this priest broke his vow of chastity, but what about this “exorcism ministry”? I only know exorcism to be a cult-like practice. Is this something that the Catholic Church condones? Or am I misunderstanding the definition of what an “exorcism ministry” is?
Exorcism is not a cult practice , The Apostles did it , the early Christians did it , it’s in the Bible ….Usually saying ,” many demons where cast out of him or her.
It is very real. very important…
look all around you , who has control of our society ….Demons or angeles …..
There is more hate , death , porn, cheating ,lust, and greed , than there has ever been….Only Satan could convince a Christian that Abortion is ok…..
I will wait until public evidence is brought forward to judge a man I know to be a faithful priest. That does not mean he is without sin. But as for Sean Hannity, as far as I know, he is still to be chastised. As a faithful Catholic he cannot use his public influence to dissent from Church teaching (at least not still remaining faithful). The Church teaches that artificial birth control is intrinsically evil. One can never promote an intrinsic evil to try to bring about a “good” (like Sean proposed that BC would prevent abortions). In reality, Sean is ignorant of the fact that hormonal BC may cause fertilized eggs to fail to implant, this CAUSING an abortion. So, BC may actually INCREASE the number of abortions. Sean should educate himself before making public pontifications…
My prayers go up for Fr. Tom and Sean Hannity.
What a bunch of baloney. Sean Hannity, that Republican shill, and this priest are both full of soup.
Hannity thinks he’s so brilliant , he does nothing but talk….I am a tea party conservative….I am Catholic….Hannity was not listening to the Priest….It is against our Doctrine to promote either abortion or the Pill…Hannity minced words about natural birth control…(selecting a time of month to have sex to reduce the chances of pregnancy ) based on the woman’s cycle….It does not KILL like the pill does …it does not sterilize like the pill does … The priest made a comment that was 100% accurate that if Hannity would have just listened he would understand….Our Doctrine says we are not to approve or promote of it…regardless weather the other person is Catholic or not…It’s not about hannity , it’s about the truth of the Church..he is not giving the truth of the church , Just his personal belief…he is in opposition with the doctrine , not in communion , therefore he should not receive communion..
Little things like what hannity is saying and doing do more damage to the Church as a whole …it’s members are confused and pick and choose what they believe and agree with and what they don’t… there are millions of Hannity’s out there ….either you are in FULL communion or you are not Catholic …..only by name in which case you should seek to join a fellowship that suits your disbelief…