Hannity Says He Left Catholic Church Over Corruption Concerns

Sean Hannity revealed last week that he has formally distanced himself from the Catholic Church, citing what he described as deep-rooted corruption within the institution—while reaffirming his personal commitment to the Christian faith.

Speaking candidly on his primetime program, Hannity reflected on his religious upbringing and explained why he no longer identifies as Catholic.

“As of today, I no longer consider myself a Catholic. I am a Christian,” Hannity said. “I left the Catholic church in large part due to the institutionalized corruption, and it was at the parish level, to the bishop level, cardinals, all the way to Rome.”

While Hannity did not single out a specific incident, he pointed to longstanding controversies and misconduct that he believes were never fully addressed by Church leadership.

“Frankly not only unchecked, they never fully corrected it or dealt with it,” he said. “Others at the Vatican have totally lost the true meaning of the Bible and its teachings.”

His remarks come amid escalating tensions between President Donald J. Trump and Pope Leo XIV, following the pope’s comments related to the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

President Trump responded forcefully on Truth Social, criticizing the pontiff’s stance.

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump wrote. He also accused the Catholic Church and other Christian institutions of failing to defend religious liberty during pandemic-era restrictions.

“He talks about ‘fear’ of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID,” Trump added. “They were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services.”

Pope Leo pushed back the following day, defending his role and message.

“I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do,” he said.

During the broadcast, Hannity also revisited his own history with the Catholic Church, describing a deeply formative upbringing rooted in faith and discipline.

“Like millions of Americans, I was raised Catholic. I went to Catholic school for 12 years,” Hannity said. “I even attended a seminary in high school, studied theology, Latin, went to Mass daily. I got a lot out of it.”

Despite his criticism of the institution, Hannity emphasized that his early experiences had a lasting and positive influence on his life.

“My parents were devout Catholics, and while I wasn’t particularly engaged at the time in the teachings of the Catholic church, as a young person, it certainly entered my consciousness,” he said. “[It] made me a better person and has been a positive force in my life in so many ways.”

Still, Hannity suggested that today’s Church leadership has drifted away from its foundational teachings, adding that Pope Leo appears to be “seemingly enjoying a public fight” with the president—further fueling the intersection of faith and politics in today’s cultural landscape.

His comments reflect a broader crisis of confidence in major institutions, including religious ones, as many Americans grapple with questions of faith, accountability, and leadership in an increasingly divided era.