Tom O'Toole
The penitent priest and the Catholic crackpot: the "Saving Father Euteneuer" update
FacebookTwitter
By Tom O'Toole
February 3, 2011

    I take full responsibility for my own poor judgment, my weakness and my sinful conduct that resulted...[in] one particularly complex situation...[that] led me to imprudent decisions with harmful consequences, the worst of which was violating the boundaries of chastity with an adult female who was under my spiritual care...[w]hile I would much prefer to allow this public act of contrition to stand alone, I regret having to address the malicious falsehoods...[of] every crackpot with a website. — from Father Euteneuer's January 31 confessional statement

    I'm sorry, but since I've been included in this e-mail, I have to respectfully disagree with Sister. Based on what I know, I'm morally certain that the information contained in Catholic author Tom O'Toole's latest column...is largely, if not entirely, accurate. — e-mail comment from a respected (non-crackpot) Catholic journalist

    Never underestimate the power of a crackpot. — from "The Pushcart War," a popular children's novel by Jean Merrill.


Reprinted on Spero News.

In April 2009, when President Barack Obama's (or, as Fr. Thomas Euteneuer liked to call him, the "Abortionist-in-Chief") invasion of Notre Dame was going largely unopposed, "radical" pro-lifer Randall Terry issued a challenge to South Bend's to-that-point-silent-on-the-matter Bishop D'Arcy to issue a public statement denouncing Obama's Notre Dame award and appearance. Although privately peeved at Terry, Randall's cry did motivate D'Arcy into delivering an on-fire document denouncing Fr. Jenkins' decision to invite the president, which rallied thousands of pro-life protesters to Our Lady's university, and over 400,000 online objectors to Obama's presence at that fateful commencement. Still, Terry felt this battle effort was not a complete victory, as he did not prevent Obama from appearing. Similarly, while pro-life "crackpot" Catholic bloggers are happy their efforts helped deliver Fr. Euteneuer's just-published public online confession, a complete contrition and admission still seems missing from his current state and statement.

First, I believe much positive has come from this public figure's public admission of wrongdoing (albeit almost 6 months after the fact), for without it, the healing of his public ministry (whether it be Human Life International or the Catholic Church in general) cannot really begin. It is good that Euteneuer finally publicly apologized to "the heroic, faithful people...who have placed so much trust in me," and acknowledges that "the circumstances that led to my departure from HLI were entirely" his own fault. In addition, Father Tom's admission that his "ministry of exorcism [was] carried out independently from my responsibilities at HLI" is key, for it shows the bishops that such a dangerous ministry should under no circumstances be undertaken independently in the future, and Euteneuer's acknowledgement that "the rare exceptions" he prayed the exorcism prayers alone with women, shows once again that any actions done "not [by] proper [Church] protocol," while not sinful in and of themselves, often precede the fall.

But then comes the part where Father's confession starts to degenerate. First, Father departs from the humble high road by resorting to name-calling (including the term "crackpot"), a Fr. Tom tactic which probably made Bishop Barbarito reluctant to let Euteneuer respond in the beginning. Father then continues his descent with, "While I would much prefer to allow this public act of contrition to stand alone, I regret having to address the malicious falsehoods that were published this past week on various internet sites." While I definitely agree with Father that no one should publish things like the address of his parents, it seems to me that if his confession is totally accurate, and these accusations truly false, there's really no reason to mention them at all. Or, as Shakespeare would say, he protests too much.

Note that Father's firm affirmation of "only one" chastity violation directly contradicts an earlier HLI statement citing two, promoting an almost immediate (if nuanced) rejoinder from HLI, which states, "In August 2010, HLI received allegations of inappropriate conduct by Rev. Euteneuer involving a young adult woman, which occurred within the context of his exorcism ministry. The Board immediately commenced an inquiry into the allegations, and Rev. Euteneuer admitted inappropriate conduct...HLI sought and received Rev. Euteneuer's resignation...since [that] time...the Board subsequently learned of additional allegations in connection with his exorcism ministry." Thus, by citing this timeline, HLI can still state their case without calling Father an out and out liar.

Of course, every soul (which includes myself) who has benefited from Father's ministry over the years would like to believe Father's soulful soliloquy citing only one (sexual) slip-up, but with each new revelation this becomes increasingly difficult. In his January 30 post, retired Marine and Catholic convert Frank Weathers recalls a 2009 Facebook encounter in which he caught Father in a "Mark Kirk," fabricating his military record to appear more fabulous. After reading Father's account of being in boot camp, Weathers writes, "Uh-oh. This is where my 'integrity meter' started pegging. Sir, your biography states you went to 'boot camp' in Quantico VA and that is simply not possible because the Marine Corps doesn't have Recruit Training at that location. In this article you relate your memory of 'boot camp' and the lesson of integrity. Square this away." Euteneuer cannot, but instead a lady comes on the site to defend her man, a lady whose address, according to a Florida directory, once matched that of Father Euteneuer's parents. Squaring away Father's military record (in relation to the other allegations) may not be a big deal, but squaring away the true story of Father Euteneuer's exorcism ministry surely is.

Still, in the end I do have to admit that Father's calling me a crackpot (albeit a Catholic crackpot) is absolutely correct. Anyone who believes that Notre Dame will again return to Our Lady, that abortion will again be banned from our country, and that a father of four can earn a living as a Catholic writer, deserves that title as much as anyone. Still, it is interesting to note that in the children's novel in which the "crackpot" quote originates, the lowly pushcart peddlers, Frank the Flower, Morris the Florist, General, and Harry the Hot Dog, somehow defeat the mighty trucking conglomerates to earn a permanent spot on the sidewalks of New York. So if my crackpot Catholic writing can somehow get the pro-life efforts of Notre Dame and Father Tom back on track, all the crackpot cracks will be worth it.

© Tom O'Toole

 

The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)

Click to enlarge

Tom O'Toole

Thomas Augustine O'Toole was born in Chicago and grew up in a devout Catholic family with five brothers and two sisters. He was the sports editor of Notre Dame's Scholastic magazine, where his story "Reflections on the Game" won the award for Best Sports Feature for the Indiana Collegiate Press Association... (more)

Subscribe

Receive future articles by Tom O'Toole: Click here

More by this author

October 14, 2016
The fight for pro-life: Two election-time poems


April 20, 2015
A simple schism: Hesburgh's death "A New Beginning" for Notre Dame?


March 18, 2015
"I can't breathe" revisited: my hoop hope for the Lady (and Mike Brey) Irish


March 4, 2015
Rudy, the Gipper, and the Hesburgh Heresy: reflections on the (immortal) soul


February 28, 2015
Fr. Theodore M. Hesburgh (1917-2015) dies, pray for his soul


February 27, 2015
Charles E. Rice 1931-2015: a real Notre Dame man


February 22, 2015
Voris, Vox Cantoris, and the Vatican: a prayer for the elephant in the room


April 17, 2014
Campus Crossroads Project to transform Notre Dame into neo-Nazi nuthouse


March 24, 2014
The saints on sodomy: why the Church Fathers were harsh on homosexual sex


March 22, 2014
Fr. Miscamble, friendship, and the future of Notre Dame


More articles

 

Stephen Stone
HAPPY EASTER: A message to all who love our country and want to help save it

Stephen Stone
The most egregious lies Evan McMullin and the media have told about Sen. Mike Lee

Siena Hoefling
Protect the Children: Update with VIDEO

Stephen Stone
FLASHBACK to 2020: Dems' fake claim that Trump and Utah congressional hopeful Burgess Owens want 'renewed nuclear testing' blows up when examined

Victor Sharpe
Any Israeli alliances should include the restoration of a just, moral, and enduring pact with the Kurdish people

Linda Kimball
Man as God: The primordial heresy and the evolutionary science of becoming God

Sylvia Thompson
Should the Village People be a part of Trump's Inauguration Ceremony? No—but I suspect they will be

Jerry Newcombe
Reflections on the Good Samaritan ethic

Pete Riehm
It’s not identities; it’s ideas!

Rev. Mark H. Creech
From ministry to need: Seeking help in my darkest hour

Jerry Newcombe
Bible sales increasing

Tom DeWeese
Change the debate and take back liberty locally

Steve A. Stone
Truth will out...maybe...someday

Curtis Dahlgren
On the need for noble mothers (and fathers)

Tom DeWeese
If you are illegal, come. We’ll give you $thousands and let you kill and rape. If you are legal, go to hell

Stanley Zir
The sky is not falling, Chicken Little, under Donald Trump
  More columns

Cartoons


Click for full cartoon
More cartoons

Columnists

Matt C. Abbott
Chris Adamo
Russ J. Alan
Bonnie Alba
Chuck Baldwin
Kevin J. Banet
J. Matt Barber
Fr. Tom Bartolomeo
. . .
[See more]

Sister sites