Your Thoughts on Ted Kennedy's Catholicism

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and RIP, Mary Jo Kopechne

Catholic in NY of NY 4:28PM August 31, 2009

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.

Fidel Rocha of CA 4:14PM August 31, 2009

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.

Tom Jarzombek of TX 2:21AM August 31, 2009

The hatred of Ted Kennedy, espoused by some of the people here, shows that America has a large number of extremists, who forget Jesus 2nd of two commandments - "Love thy neighbor as thyself".
How many of these haters had their brothers all die in the service, one way or another, of their country? How many of these haters stood up for the common man, and worked tirelessly for a more just society? How many of them would have done so, especially if they were one of the heirs to a multi-hundred, if not billion dollar inheritance.
And how many of theses people would stand up to a church, as another writer pointed out, that through much of its history has been the anti-christ. The Crusades, the inquisition, the hatred of the jews and other minorities, used just to blind the eye and harden the heart, and hide the terrible errors of the church.
God will Judge Ted, Just ax He will judge the haters and extremists in the name of God. And I would expect that perhaps Ted and his brothers would be interceding with God, if possible, that he mayo simply teach the haters the true meaning of Jesus life, rather then tossing these people into the hell that they probably deserve.

Steve of MD 12:55AM August 30, 2009

Rather then talking about what the church sees as a "trump card" to blind good catholics and others, we should be talking about the crimes of the church.
Ted Kennedy, may he rest in peace , overcame his younger mistakes, to become an icon of progressivity, including in the area of church state separation and the right of our people to be free of the churches meddling in our legal structure.
What we really should be doing is continuing to expose the hypocrisy and lies and yes hatred of the absolutist hierarchy of the church, especially re Benedict. This includes what was really just the equivalent of prison rape of unknown numbers of choir boys (not girls - there weren't any choir girls till recently). The sex scandal was nothing but the attempt by sex starved priests to dominate and humiliate the children entrusted to them. almost Identical to prison rape, where the strong dominate and establish their power position over the weaker. And why did the church let the crimes go on for decades, while hiding the priests and just moving them elsewhere - the only conclusion is that the rot reaches all the way to the top.
Then there is its attempt to make the gay people the new Jews and the new blacks - victims of hate in our culture. Just to give the church power over minds of people, and enhance its "power position".
And lets not forget that the church was the source for a thousand years of hatred for Jesus own people, the Jews. A hatred that culminated in the Catholic hitelr's use to gain control of Germany , and give us the worst conflagration in history.
And back during the middle ages it was the catholic church that teamed up with corrupt kings and emperors to give the world a thousand year dark ages, and the holocaust of the Arabs. Tens of millions murdered in the crusades. Societies never forget, as we were so rudely reminded on 9/11
Ted took the good parts of the church, and he, like most thinking Catholics, took it as a cafeteria plan. And became a great man for his ability to work with both parties to craft legislation.
I was almost surprised that the church didn't refuse to do his funeral, given how he has stood up for freedom from religious interference in our government affairs. I guess it would have been an embarrassment to the church, and of course, with the Kennedy family wealth, they could little afford to anger the family. As well as tens of millions of good Catholics who realize how extremist the church has become, yet find it hard to drop their catholic identity - driven into them from birth.
Rest in peace, Dear Ten, next to your brothers. You were the only one of the four brothers who was not killed / murdered in the name of serving your country. At least God let you have z reasonably long life to do so many good for our people.
Including showing so many how to stand up to a church whose hierarchy has forgotten its mission of feeding the poor, and ministering to the sick and dying etc.

Stanley James of MD 12:40AM August 30, 2009

No matter how hard you try to avoid it,Ted Kennedy,in my opinion is guilty of murder.He has been one of the strongest backers of abortion in politics.I can only condemn the catholic church for not excommunicating him along with Pelosi and the other people voting for taking the life of an innocent child.Pelosi, says she loves children and is a devout catholic.If this is true why doesn't she stop killing the children by abortion.She is a devout moron not a devout catholic.Let us face the truth,there is only a very minor amount of abortions necessary to save the life of the mother.I would hate to be Ted Kennedy's lawyer when he is trying to explain to God why killing 50 million innocent children since Roe.I had no use for Ted when he was alive and have no use for him in eternity.The Catholic church should be ashamed of how it tolerates the people guilty of killing of the holy innocents.The members of the church will and can not tolerate this any longer.Do not forget Mary Joe.

Ray Vincent Monks SR. of CA 8:12PM August 28, 2009

Sorry, but only Christians go to heaven, not catholic!

Burkhard 12:56PM August 28, 2009

Ted Kennedy has faced his maker. I do not know what God said to him at his judgement, but if he isn't in H*ll, he's at the bottom of Purgatory (near H*ll) and will have a firery stay for "almost" eternity. The only way that he could make it to Heaven is asking for forgiveness for the decades of pushing the Abortion issue (voting for anti-life judges) and knowing that what he did killed 50 Million lives in just the US over the past 36 years. Even the most horrible of sins can be forgiven if we are "truly" and "honestly" sorry for them. Was He?

K of KS 12:33PM August 28, 2009

Of all current leaders, Ted Kennedy has lived a life fashioned most closely after Jesus. He worked tirelessly for the poor, disabled, elderly, oppressd minorities, justice and peace on earth. How many anti-abortionists can come close to that? We're told that God loves the sinners and the place for sinners is in the church. We are humans, not Gods. Most of us try to do the best we can. Kennedy was just more successful at it that 99% of us. When will Catholics of Good Will stop judging people on this one issue- anti abortion, and judge them for their charity and good work? Kennedy never had an abortion. He just didn't force his beliefs on anyone else.

Carol of FL 11:53AM August 28, 2009