But he noted that, according to Canon Law, a funeral Mass is to be denied to a notorious public grave sinner, only when there is no sign of repentance.
Apparently Kennedy received the Last Rites before he died, which ---= being a manifest outward sign of faith, and which entails absolution from sins --- requires us to hope in charity that he was repentant.
And so, on the narrowest grounds (Canon Law) Kennedy was entitled to a funeral Mass.
But there's much to object to concerning the size, scope and style of Mass he had. Peters does not neglect to note that this was flagrantly hypocritical and disgusting.
I disagree. Notorius public sinners who have misled numerous others into sin (including murder), need to make public the wrongs they have wrought and, in the case of politicians, let his voters know how to vote in the future.
Kennedy never made a public apology or repentance for his votes for abortion. He never instructed people to vote pro-life on his deathbed.
Private Last Rites for notorious public sinners doesn’t cut it for notorious sinners when they have been provided ample time to make public ammends.