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May 06, 2004
Outta Here
That Pittsburgh priest excommunicated
The Rev. William Hausen knows just what he'll do when he gets the letter notifying him of his formal excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church: Frame it.The Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese announced Thursday that Hausen "has incurred automatic excommunication" by starting a splinter church. The diocese sent Hausen notification of the pronouncement via certified letter, said the Rev. Ronald Lengwin, diocesan spokesman.
Hausen, 66, of Sewickley, said he received notice of a certified letter but didn't have time to pick it up from the post office; he was going to the Andre Rieu concert last night at Mellon Arena.
God in Heaven
One less Andre Rieu fan in the Roman Catholic priesthood. It's a sad day.
hat tip Out of this Furnace
I swear, the more I think about that, the more it makes me laugh. No, I can't go pick up my excommunication letter now, I'll be late for the Andre Rieu concert... If I wrote it in a satirical novel, wouldn't you accuse me of being over the top?
Posted by Amy Welborn | Permalink
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Comments
Andre Rieu?
Ugh. Someone hand me a bucket to barf in.
Posted by: Fr. Rob Johansen at May 7, 2004 12:21:25 AM
Once again, truth is stranger than fiction.
Posted by: Lynn at May 7, 2004 12:37:02 AM
Um, who's Andre Rieu?
Posted by: Mark Shea at May 7, 2004 12:57:16 AM
Well, Mark, you don't watch TV, so you're not blessed.
He's a violinist who has become the centerpiece of PBS fundraising. His appeal is totally mysterious to me. He's got long Musician Hair, etc., is very campy in a way, but he plays violin along with an orchestra, not as a soloist most of the time though, but along with the rest of the violins. It's just weird because in the multitudinous shows PBS runs featuring him, the camera cuts between him playing along with the orchestra and shots of women in the audience gazing rapturously, gasping at his great skill, and so on- when you can't even discern his line of playing from anyone else..
Posted by: amy at May 7, 2004 7:19:12 AM
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette put part of the following quote from Hausen in big caps on the front page a couple of days ago:
"I feel that the greatest theology today will come from your experience of yourself . . . not from above or from someone imposing stuff on us."
More here, if you can stand it: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04124/310262.stm
I heard a couple of this guy's homilies when he turned up as as assistant at my sister's parish last year (before his big "break"). Believe me when I tell you it's ALL ABOUT HIM. Truly. And Andre Rieu, apparently.
He also made jokes during the service at his new church along the lines of "The Donald called me to say...you're fired." (That would be Pittsburgh Bishop Donald Wuerl). Got big laughs, they say.
Hausen really missed his calling, didn't he? (late night comedy). The whole situation would be funny if it weren't so sad and pathetic.
Posted by: Cheryl at May 7, 2004 8:34:41 AM
Oh my God, if I didn't laugh I'd cry ... it's fitting that this guy is an Andre Rieu fan. I'm a musician (pianist, classically trained) myself, and it is indeed truly mysterious to me why this fellow is so popular. Whenever he comes here to Montreal, his shows are sold out. Our Gazette critic refuses to review them, which will tell you something. All the trappings are there: the orchestra of formally dressed musicians in gowns and tuxes, the elaborate staging, etc. But no way in heaven is this guy a musician. As Amy pointed out, you can't hear his "solo" line above the orchestra at all -- he's just a Johann Strauss wannabe. He's self-absorbed, vain (that hair!), shamelessly self-promoting, and one of the reasons I don't watch PBS during pledge drives. However, the public eats this stuff up -- God knows why, and I think even the Lord must scratch His head in puzzlement sometimes. Come to think of it, the vanity, self-absorption, shamelessness, etc. are in perfect harmony (pun intended) with "Fr." Hausen's actions and attitudes. All about HIM, not about Him ... Sad, and as Mark Shea would say, yet another proof that sin (in this case, pride) makes you stupid.
Posted by: Patricia Gonzalez at May 7, 2004 9:18:15 AM
Excellent. Though we have to mourn for a lost soul, we ought to be glad His Lostness is leading others astray from a ballroom than from a Catholic church. At the least, it's a more honest situation.
Posted by: ELC at May 7, 2004 9:41:19 AM
So, this Andre Rieu is to the violin what Zamphyr was to the Pan flute?
Posted by: Dismas at May 7, 2004 2:28:35 PM
this Andre Rieu is to the violin what Zamphyr was to the Pan flute?
Also like Andre Bocelli to real opera. The one opera performance he tried, the audience of fans was stunned. Couldn't hardly hear him - I think his voice must be amplified when he makes his recordings & appears on TV.
These kind of folks appeal to those who want to be cultured, but can't tell the difference between schlock and the artistry that comes from real talent, the proper training and incredibly hard work.
It's the reverse of those vocal teachers that make such a mess of pop music on Saturday Night Live. If you aren't a pop/rock music fan, you don't get how awful they are.
Posted by: Julia at May 7, 2004 3:16:35 PM
Sad all you self proclaimed musical genius wannabes hate Andre Rieu. And worse, you say he is "not a musician" Interesting then how ever did he win the Grand Prix? While still a student no less? Ah, the mysteries of life.
Everyone must like the exact music you like, played exactly the way you like it...or you label them fake. How droll.
Get out of your self absorbed world of one.
Go to an Andre Rieu concert and see what all the happiness is about. And then, along with all your other closet secrets, you can place your Fanness for Andre in the closet too, for you will be converted.
If not, Andre's bank account won't miss you.
Posted by: Symkat KK at Jul 15, 2006 1:36:06 AM
