Your Thoughts on Ted Kennedy's Catholicism
By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country
Did Ted Kennedy's Catholicism really matter to him, as biographer Adam Clymer says?
Duane Lamers of Michigan is skeptical:
Ted Kennedy could have simply stepped outside the abortion battles in Congress. Instead, he was very active in securing abortion "rights" and voting against judicial candidates who were anti- Roe v Wade. That doesn't sound to me much like taking Catholic moral teaching on the subject very seriously.
And so he gets a sendoff from the basilica in Boston! No doubt with Cardinal O'Malley presiding and a host of hierarchs in attendance. And the bishops wonder why Catholics no longer attend Mass! Never a word of warning to Kennedy, but loads of criticism for GW Bush. The irony of it all!
But Bill Curry of Louisiana sees plenty of evidence that Kennedy took his Catholicism seriously:
It is hard to reconcile the senator's views on abortion with Catholic teaching. However, we must not forget that had an abiding concern for the common man (or woman). Those who would vote for a Republican simply because he or she is pro-life might be voting for more death (assuming abortion is killing) than if they voted for a pro-choice liberal such as Ted Kennedy.
Think of the lives that would have been saved if we'd not gone to Iraq and if we had government health care. TK's positions on Iraq and health care would have saved lives. I believe God will judge TK holistically, rather than on the basis of one issue. In any case, TK's position on abortion was probably informed by his ideas on separation of church and state, and his belief that the poor should have the same rights as the rich (i.e., a rich woman can afford to travel to where abortion is legal and safe; a poor woman cannot necessarily do that). If TK's conscience was clear on his position on abortion, then he should be ok w/the Catholic church.
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Tags: Ted Kennedy | religion | Catholicism
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Reader Comments
Godspeed...
and RIP, Mary Jo Kopechne
Repentance and Reconciliation
Calling oneself a Christian and being a Christian are two different ways of life. As true Christians we must live by the Word of God. Jesus said. “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandments but cling to human tradition.” Mark 7, 6-9
Moreover, in the Holy Gospel, Jesus said, ‘I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” Mat 19, 9.
From the articles written about Edward Kennedy’s personal life, he was married to a lady call Joan. He later divorced Joan and married a woman called Vickie. My question is: Did Edward get an annulment, from Joan by the Roman Church, to marry Vickie?
As true Christians we cannot pass judgment on one another. Judgment belongs to God alone. All I can say at this moment is: My Almighty God have Mercy in Edward’s soul and may all the faithful departed; though the mercy of God, Rest in Peace. Amen.
Ted Kennedy's Catholicsim
Abortion,fedal stem cell research, youthinasia, human cloning, and same sex mirage, are concidered non nagosiable issues fo people who take their catholic fathe seriously. The problem is in this day and age we have too many cafiteria Catholics including some Relidious.
To me as a Roman Catholic watching Ted Kennedy's funeral mass shows me the sale of indulgences is still practiced by the Chruch. I believe that Sen. Kennedy's final reward is a place of honor at Arington National Cemetary.
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