One of our local radio stations carries Sean Hannity’s program in the afternoon from 3:00 to 6:00. Sean’s program has a different feel to it than Rush Limbaugh’s. It seems to me that it is somewhat lighter, a little more fun and Sean is a little more anxious to be “in your face” about issues than Rush is. Where Rush doesn’t usually have guests, Sean will have guests on for the purpose of having a “shoot out” which is usually more of a “shout out.” Sean is not above the ad hominem attacks, mocking people, that sort of thing. Frankly, sometimes I have to turn the radio off – a little of that goes a long way if you know what I mean.
That said, I like Hannity’s energy and enthusiasm, I just wish he would temper it with a tad more humility.
Yesterday, Hannity was upset about this article from the Baltimore Chronicle by William Hughes entitled, “Should Sean Hannity be Denied Communion?”
Here’s the gist of it.
I believe it is also wrong for church leaders, if they are determined to ignore Constitutional restraints, to focus on only one issue to embarrass elected politicians that they don’t like. Choosing abortion as the litmus test is a prescription for Catholics to vote for Bush in the November presidential election. It is also insulting to Catholics and sets them up for ridicule and for questions, too, about their patriotism. And where are Burke and Sheridan’s concerns for other important matters, like the Iraq War and social justice? If the clerics were against the Iraq War, then they would have had to criticize not only Kerry, who supported it, but also Bush, its prime instigator. Maybe, that is why they have chosen abortion issue as their instrument of attack.
Finally, anything that props up, supports, and gives aid and comfort to Sean Hannity, Richard Santorum and George W. Bush, Jr., has to be bad for humanity. This includes the clerical intriguing emanating from the likes of Bishops Burke and Sheridan.
Now Sean understandably was upset about this article and spent some time on his program with it yesterday – big mistake as far as I can tell. By discussing church teaching, theology and especially moral teaching it’s pretty clear that Mr. Hannity’s Catholic education ended sometime right after confirmation. He had trouble remembering the names and meanings of venial sin and mortal sin, he had a vague understanding of ex cathedra (which he couldn’t pronounce either which seems incredible to me that a Catholic journalist wouldn’t be able to pronounce some of the more common terms related to his own faith.) A very knowledgeable caller named Regina called and educated him on what the church really teaches about capital punishment and just war and Sean did seem to take some note.
However, apparently the final word as far as Sean Hannity is concerned regarding matters of faith and morals is wn parish priest! How 1958!!! You’d think with all the resources at Sean Hannity’s fingertips he would have immediate access to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Vatican Web site, Catholic Answers and even have some access to some well known Catholic minds on the topic, liberal and conservative. That Sean’s search for the truth begins and ends with his parish priest just simply astounds me.
Of course as I listened my heart sank when Sean said he disagreed with a lot of things the church teaches and unfortunately he mentioned birth control in that mix. I can’t help it… in my mind he just slid over into the cafeteria line when he said that. And then I think it also becomes clear why, despite his strong opposition to all that John Kerry represents and espouses, Sean Hannity doesn’t support withholding Communion from John Kerry. Because although Sean has the healing and forgiveness part of the Eucharistic sacrament correct, he is missing the part about “communion” meaning “agreement” as in “full communion with.” Maybe that hits a little too close to home for him.
“Three hours a day every day,” that’s all Sean Hannity asks of his listeners. I think some of that time will be better spent in praying for his re-conversion re-discovery of Catholicism.
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