I am afraid that waiting to bring comfort was too late. The Catholic church in Massachusetts did not shepherd Kennedy. They let him down and any other Catholic by their lukewarm attitude. It was not just about abortion, Kennedy supported abortion at any time, any way,plus taking money from the abortion industry. He also supported embryonic cell research which has nothing to offer when compared to adult stem cells. He supported gay marriage and cloning. All of these issue goes directly against the church and brings public scandal and minimizes the authority of the church. Kennedy made the way for the rest of the Catholic politicians to go against the church teaching and feel good about it. We as Christians cannot go about life thinking we can be one person in public profession advocating against the church and then somehow say we are Christians. Judgment will be on one person the whole person, politician and Catholic Christian. The church should have had moral courage and outrage on what Kennedy was supporting since he had so much political power when he was alive. Now they talk about comforting? Judgment is now, who is there to comfort Kennedy when he is now before the seat of justice and mercy? Then ask yourself what would John the Baptist have done with Kennedy? He would have challenged him just like Pilate, even at the lost of his life.
Yes, I know.
However, if Mr. Kennedy(and I have no way of knowing this) made a good and heartfelt confession where he repudiated everything in his life that separated him from the Church, and it was deemed a good confession by his confessor, then he should have been absolved of his sins.
Remember, if you die with a mortal sin on your soul, you are condemned to Hell. By then, it IS too late.
I am presuming that all of this occurred.
Christ would have told Mr. Kennedy, “go and sin no more.”
Perhaps, some day, you and I will know the answer?
"The road to hell is paved with the skulls of bishops" - St. John Chrysostom
Good point.
Excellent! John the Baptist - right on! He spoke the Truth no matter what it cost! These weak kneed robe wearing wusses couldn’t hold a candle to John! They do not belong in ministry - they robbed the Church of what it means to be a Christian by their example.