Sean Hannity faces-off with Priest who calls him heretic

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chrismasfetus
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
From New Advent:
According to St. Thomas (II-II, Q. liii, a. 1) scandal is a word or action evil in itself, which occasions another’s spiritual ruin.
To cause scandal is much more than just to shock people. If you’re thinking that’s all that scandal is, then you’re correct to say no one is really shocked by a Catholic using contraception. Scandal is more than that. Scandal leads others to believe that sinful behavior is fine and dandy.
 
I disagree. There are about 10 people in America who are scandalized by a catholic using contraception. It is way too pervasive to cause scandal.

How is confirming others in grave sin not scandalous.
There is no real problem is not employing thoughful and charitable means to bring people back to a catholic understanding of chastity.
 
I suppose you are speaking in the metaphoring sense since most individual actholics are not.
Just because the majority are on the broad road leading to destruction does not eliminate the effects of scandal …there can be alot of hand holding on the “We’re on the highway to hell!” as the old song goes.
 
From New Advent:

To cause scandal is much more than just to shock people. If you’re thinking that’s all that scandal is, then you’re correct to say no one is really shocked by a Catholic using contraception. Scandal is more than that. Scandal leads others to believe that sinful behavior is fine and dandy.
This is so right. I used to always not really worry about scandal because I thought scandal really only invloved busy bodies who were too worried about other people’s sins. Really though what scandal is is when someone leads others astray by giving the appearance of endorsing sinful behavior. I’m sure that there are a good many poorly catechized Catholics who really think Sean Hannity has things figured out, and are swayed by his take on things. Afterall, in addition to his own television and radio programs,this man has his own forum, which I understand is much bigger than CAF. His influence is enormous, so he needs to be all the more careful to avoid scandal. I hope he understands the very seriousness of his responsibility.
 
I disagree. There are about 10 people in America who are scandalized by a catholic using contraception. It is way too pervasive to cause scandal.
No, that is not what I mean by scandal.

**Respect for the souls of others: scandal

** 2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor’s tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.

2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."86

2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!"90

By Hannity’s claim one can reject Church teaching and still be a good Catholic one may be leading others into sin. That is a serious problem and requires a serious correction.
There is no real problem is not employing thoughful and charitable means to bring people back to a catholic understanding of chastity.
The problem is thoughtful and charitable are often used to mean nuance, water down, and wait for years all the while forgetting we each may be required to give an account this very hour. It is not only Mr. Hannity’s soul we need to pray for, we need to be concerned for all those who hear him and are led astray or are led into a lukewarmness. That is why it is horrible so little is done to correct these public folks who promote heretical teachings.
 
I suppose you are speaking in the metaphoring sense since most individual actholics are not.
Well then therein lies the problem, and people like Sean Hannity should be called to task for validating that problem. It is not Church Teaching and if the fact that a Priest had the courage to tell him so. Be that on nationl TV since it is apparent he has chosen to ignore any other means of communication on that subject. Sean Hannity has to be told on the air, on his TV show that he is wrong. Since he continues to use his TV show as a platform to throw out his false teaching.
 
I think every Catholic should be required to read these three sources…
  1. Dr. Janet Smith’s “Contraception Why Not” which you can also buy the cd.
catholiceducation.org/art…ty/se0002.html
  1. One of Christopher West’s books on “Theology of the Body”. Added recommendation is to listen to Fr. Thomas Loya who is a “Theology of the Body” expert on Relevant Radio and is from Homer Glen, IL Catholic Parish. Last, listen to Jason Evert who is another expert on the “Theology of the Body” (PureLoveClub.com).
  2. Read Humanae Vitae. It’s really a simple read and not very long.
After reading these materials, I don’t think we will have many more Cafeteria Catholic’s on the issue of contraception.
 
No, that is not what I mean by scandal.

**Respect for the souls of others: scandal

** 2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor’s tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.

2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."86

2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!"90

By Hannity’s claim one can reject Church teaching and still be a good Catholic one may be leading others into sin. That is a serious problem and requires a serious correction.

The problem is thoughtful and charitable are often used to mean nuance, water down, and wait for years all the while forgetting we each may be required to give an account this very hour. It is not only Mr. Hannity’s soul we need to pray for, we need to be concerned for all those who hear him and are led astray or are led into a lukewarmness. That is why it is horrible so little is done to correct these public folks who promote heretical teachings.
I think this really comes down to whether one thinks that the church has failed in properly catechising this generation. I think that most people have been improperly taught teir faith, and if someone errs, then we should just assume they are ignorant and gently help them along
 
Just emailed Sean Hannity. I was stunned when I saw the video of his exchange with Fr. Euteneuer. I expressed my disappointment and will pray for Sean.
Maybe this whole debacle is also a heavenly reminder to pray for all Catholics in the Media.
That is a great point - to pray for all professing Catholics in the media. And our government as well. They are often thrust into the limelight.
 
I think this really comes down to whether one thinks that the church has failed in properly catechising this generation. I think that most people have been improperly taught teir faith, and if someone errs, then we should just assume they are ignorant and gently help them along
I’m tired of hearing that. I think most people have been properly taught their faith and are ignoring it. The doctrine on birth control seems to have been around forever. I knew what Catholics taught about birth control even when I was a non-Catholic young boy. People like Hannity are just finding excuses to skirt church teaching. They simply lack faith in the church, but that’s a much different thing than being improperly taught. A man Hannity’s age has had more than enough time to educate himself. I’ve heard him on his radio show fawning all over Franklin Graham and Jerry Falwell. He’s a closet evangelical.
 
The Church’s teachings never changed. . .but some people, clergy and laity alike, misunderstood them. . .and so we can say, “poor catechesis”, but not “the Church’s” poor catechesis, rather “individual poor catechesis”.

But there have always been similar situations. . .from the gnostics teaching ‘side by side’ to the apostles, to the Arians, the Nestorians, the Reformation. . .even the “Feeneyites” of the 1930s. . .

The widespread example of “Western” or specifically U.S. post Vatican II experimentation, ‘re-emphasis’, etc. etc. is really no different from any misunderstandings before save in the rapidity and the overall numbers affected due to mass communication and other external factors.

And it will resolve just as all other errors have resolved, with the Catholic faith triumphant and all those who love this faith **and ** who are obedient to the Church being renewed in faith. At times, this has meant smaller populations of the faithful as some will persist in error, but even there, God watches out for us.

For nobody will condemn themselves by error or by accident. God knows our hearts. He will keep on showing truth and giving us chances to listen and to obey. If invincible ignorance keeps us from recognizing the truth, He will take that into account. We truly do ‘choose’ heaven or hell; it is not arbitrarily assigned to us.

Be not afraid. . .as JP2 said.
And, once you are no longer afraid, listen carefully to what Benedict XVI and the Catechism say because they are authoritatively interpreting the Scripture and Tradition in the Church. If “Father X” says something that Benedict, JP2, or the catechism doesn’t say, don’t just assume that Father X got it right and the others are wrong.

And the way to know if Father X is saying something that doesn’t jibe? Read your Bible, read your Catechism, read church documents, read from the library here!

We have always been told to read the Bible and to practice our faith. And we have plenty of authentic tools (see above) and the means (mass communication) to seek them and to learn them, or re-learn or reinforce them. Praise God!
 
I think this really comes down to whether one thinks that the church has failed in properly catechising this generation.
They may have failed, but that is no excuse. He is an intelligent man with many resources. Additionally, no matter the cause of his ignorance his public example is still wrong.
I think that most people have been improperly taught teir faith, and if someone errs, then we should just assume they are ignorant and gently help them along
Oh, we can hope the best in terms of their salvation, but we must not become indifferent. We should have a zeal for these issues, not mainatain a position where everyone is in deemed invincibly ignorant.

In fact, in thinking about this issue I was wondering if you think there is any urgency to correct anyone? If everyone is really saved through ignorance why bother with any catechesis at all?
…Since they followed their albeit mistaken consciences, one would have to recognize their conduct as moral and, as a result, should not doubt their eternal salvation. Since that conversation, I knew with complete certainty that something was wrong with the theory of justifying power of the subjective conscience, that, in other words, a concept of conscience which leads to such conclusions must be false. For, subjective conviction and the lack of doubts and scruples which follow therefrom do not justify man.
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
 
I think this really comes down to whether one thinks that the church has failed in properly catechising this generation. I think that most people have been improperly taught teir faith, and if someone errs, then we should just assume they are ignorant and gently help them along
I think Sean Hannity is very aware of what the Church teaches, he simply disagrees with it. We do not have to understand everything that Mother Church teaches, but we do have to assent to that teaching with an act of the will. I am grateful for all the priests and bishops who are willing to stand up to public dissenters and preach the Gospel “in season or out of season”.
 
I’m tired of hearing that. I think most people have been properly taught their faith and are ignoring it. The doctrine on birth control seems to have been around forever. I knew what Catholics taught about birth control even when I was a non-Catholic young boy. People like Hannity are just finding excuses to skirt church teaching. They simply lack faith in the church, but that’s a much different thing than being improperly taught. A man Hannity’s age has had more than enough time to educate himself. I’ve heard him on his radio show fawning all over Franklin Graham and Jerry Falwell. He’s a closet evangelical.
I can honestly attest that I was not properly taught my faith despite having gone to catholics schools and having been raised in a predominantly catholic country. Even when people have heard of things doesn’t mean they were properly taught. The majority of catholics I have met in and outside of my family have never really had anyone explain to them why the church teaches anything.

I have never heard a homily on birth control nor was it ever taught in my CCD classes. I found out about the church not permitting birth control one day because a woman was telling me how she uses birth control eventhough she’s not supposed to. I was 15 years old at the time. I think my experience is not that unusual.

Again, the fact that 96% of married couples use contraception shows that there’s a real disconnect between the church hierachy and the people they are responsible for. When 96% of those you are supposed to be forming are ignoring you, I think you have some answeing to do.

Kendy
 
They may have failed, but that is no excuse. He is an intelligent man with many resources. Additionally, no matter the cause of his ignorance his public example is still wrong.
Most people don’t around reading additional sources. Oh, there’s a crazy idea, How about a challenging, relevant, and interesting homily once in a while? There’s a once a week opportunity to teach people something.
Oh, we can hope the best in terms of their salvation, but we must not become indifferent. We should have a zeal for these issues, not mainatain a position where everyone is in deemed invincibly ignorant.

In fact, in thinking about this issue I was wondering if you think there is any urgency to correct anyone? If everyone is really saved through ignorance why bother with any catechesis at all?
I don’t know how I implied that we should become indifferent. I said, we should simply “gently help them along.” I never suugested that we keep people ignorant, only that we assume that they are not ignorant out of malice.

Kendy
 
More obfuscation of the issue at hand?
What are you talking about? :confused:
Mike did not obfuscate, Father errored in the interview in regard to birth control. The US Bishop publications do not agree with what Father stated. I can not post the US Bishops reference from work but if I can remember I’ll post it from home. The error was in using “birth control” in place of “contraception” or better when address non Catholics “artificial methods of contraception” Mr Hannity was correct in that regard however that was not the issue Father was intending to discuss.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top