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Bishop Tobin asks Rep. Kennedy to apologize for 'irresponsible' comments
cna ^
| October 27, 2009
Posted on 10/27/2009 1:31:10 PM PDT by NYer
Bishop Tobin / Rep. Patrick Kennedy
Providence, R.I., Oct 27, 2009 / 12:32 am (CNA).- Responding to Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), who charged that the Catholic Church is promoting dissent about proposed health care legislation, Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence has replied that the bishops cannot support a proposal that covers abortion. He asked the Congressman to apologize for his “irresponsible comments.”
In an interview with CNSNews.com, Rep. Kennedy, son of the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, had accused the Catholic Church of fanning “the flames of dissent and discord” because Catholic bishops declared that they will oppose the proposed health care reform unless it explicitly prohibits funding of abortion.
In a Friday statement published on the website of the Diocese of Providence, Bishop Tobin replied:
“Congressman Patrick Kennedy’s statement about the Catholic Church’s position on health care reform is irresponsible and ignorant of the facts. But the Congressman is correct in stating that ‘he can’t understand.’ He got that part right.
“As I wrote to Congressman Kennedy and other members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation recently, the Bishops of the United States are indeed in favor of comprehensive health care reform and have been for many years. But we are adamantly opposed to health care legislation that threatens the life of unborn children, requires taxpayers to pay for abortion, rations health care, or compromises the conscience of individuals.”
The bishop called Rep. Kennedy a “disappointment to the Catholic Church” and to the citizens of Rhode Island.
“I believe the Congressman owes us an apology for his irresponsible comments. It is my fervent hope and prayer that he will find a way to provide more effective and morally responsible leadership for our state,” Bishop Tobin’s statement concluded.
TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Moral Issues; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: kenedy; obamacare; ri; tobin
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1
posted on
10/27/2009 1:31:11 PM PDT
by
NYer
To: NYer; informavoracious; larose; RJR_fan; Prospero; Conservative Vermont Vet; ...
2
posted on
10/27/2009 1:32:01 PM PDT
by
narses
("These are the days when the Christian is expected to praise every creed except his own.")
To: Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...
3
posted on
10/27/2009 1:32:20 PM PDT
by
NYer
( "One Who Prays Is Not Afraid; One Who Prays Is Never Alone"- Benedict XVI)
To: NYer
But, aside from that abortion thing, socialized health care is Okey-Dokey with him?
4
posted on
10/27/2009 1:33:14 PM PDT
by
SJSAMPLE
To: NYer
A Kennedy apologize for being irresponsible?
That would REALLY be something!!!
5
posted on
10/27/2009 1:37:22 PM PDT
by
Mr. Jazzy
("I AM JIM THOMPSON and moderates make me PUKE!!!")
To: NYer
Kennedy... irresponsible and ignorant...
Seems accurate.
6
posted on
10/27/2009 1:37:29 PM PDT
by
theDentist
(fybo; qwerty ergo typo : i type, therefore i misspelll)
To: NYer
Rhode Island has the highest percentage of Catholics in the country, but something tells me that isn’t going to help the bishop.
To: NYer
One must remember in the Kennedy sect of Catholisism abortion is the eighth sacrament.
To: NYer
How would “apologizing” help? Everyone would know he didn’t mean it, and it wouldn’t address either his public-policy or his Catholic-faith errors.
Tell him to pound sand, Bishop!
9
posted on
10/27/2009 1:39:35 PM PDT
by
Tax-chick
(God is great, and wine is good, and people are crazy.)
To: SJSAMPLE
Did he actually say that or did you put words in his mouth?
10
posted on
10/27/2009 1:40:37 PM PDT
by
rogator
To: rogator
You must have missed the question mark at the end of the sentence. Time will tell.
11
posted on
10/27/2009 1:42:09 PM PDT
by
SJSAMPLE
To: SJSAMPLE
He doesn’t understand that government health care without rationing of health care is a fiscal fairy tale. Never worked anywhere it’s been tried. I’m with him on the rest.
12
posted on
10/27/2009 1:42:43 PM PDT
by
ArmyTeach
( Speak the truth, right the wrong, and follow the King. Tennyson)
To: SJSAMPLE
The Catholic church does not believe in socialized health care nor socialism of any kind.
It is not taught.
To: NYer
““I believe the Congressman owes us an apology for his irresponsible comments.””
What arrogant nonsense. Kennedy should be directed to go to confession, not apologize for offending the dignity of some silly, pompous hierarch. I guess we know where both Kennedy and Tobin’s priorities lie.
NYer, this is what you get when your church becomes just another political pressure group.
14
posted on
10/27/2009 3:56:25 PM PDT
by
Kolokotronis
(Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!)
To: NYer
had accused the Catholic Church of fanning “the flames of dissent and disco
What is wrong with discord and dissent ?
15
posted on
10/27/2009 3:56:38 PM PDT
by
uncbob
To: uncbob
I’m as fond of discord as the next FReeper, but surely we don’t want any disco, at this point.
16
posted on
10/27/2009 3:59:41 PM PDT
by
Tax-chick
(God is great, and wine is good, and people are crazy.)
To: Kolokotronis
Kennedy’s comments were made publicly, so he should apologize publicly as a matter of civility. Confession, and ensuing penance, on the other hand, should be an outcome of Patches’ examination of conscience, an iffy proposition for the drunk idiot that he is.
17
posted on
10/27/2009 4:08:27 PM PDT
by
annalex
(http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
To: NYer
**Rep. Patrick Kennedy **
I see that Patrick Kennedy is also a CINO. Yes, he needs to apologize — and not receive Communion!
He is excommunicating himself by supporting abortion.
18
posted on
10/27/2009 4:15:51 PM PDT
by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: Not gonna take it anymore
“The Catholic church does not believe in socialized health care nor socialism of any kind.”
True. But what about the US bishops?
Freegards
19
posted on
10/27/2009 4:19:36 PM PDT
by
Ransomed
(Son of Ransomed Says Keep the Faith!)
To: NYer
The bishop called Rep. Kennedy a “disappointment to the Catholic Church”
____________________________________________
The bishop is a nice man...
Worse could be said...
And God Bless this good man and the others for sticking up for the unborn...
In them there is no “dissent and discord” against what God wants of us...
We must obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galations 1:10
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