Posted on 08/28/2009 11:28:07 PM PDT by kellynla
There is much truth to the adage that many of our wounds are self inflicted. This has been especially true for the Catholic Church in the United States and the Archdiocese of Boston in particular. Recall that the clergy sex abuse scandal first came to light there because of their egregious nature and the laxity of the then Archbishop Bernard Cardinal Law in handling them. According to statistics the Church is still reeling from the aftershocks.
On Wednesday the Church further diminished her credibility when it was announced that a Mass of Christian Burial would be celebrated for Senator Edward M. Kennedy at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica. It was also announced that President Barack Obama would be the eulogist.
Senator Kennedy, along with President Obama have been the most pro-abortion and pro-embryonic stem cell research politicians in the nation. As a matter of fact, Senator Kennedy refused to vote for Supreme Court nominees Robert Bork and Samuel Alito for fear their appointment might lead to overturning Roe v. Wade. These positions are inimical to Catholic Church teaching and throughout the years, the American hierarchy has railed against Catholic politicians such as Kennedy who hold such views. Some bishops have even advised them not to receive Holy Communion -- an action just short of excommunication.
In recent days the spin-doctors have done their best to portray Senator Kennedy as a devout Catholic. Stories of his visits to church in order to pray for his ailing daughter Kara, a cancer survivor, and reports of his personal religiosity have been widely circulated. The media has also noted numerous visits by priests to the Kennedys’ home during his illness for the administration of the sacraments, presumably including confession and even the celebration of a private Mass in Kennedys’ living room. There is no report, however, of repudiation of his voting record or sorrow for his obstinate refusal to adhere to Catholic morality on two of the most important life issues. An important part of the Sacrament of Penance, along with sorrow for sin, is to try to repair the damages that our sins have caused. Certainly, enough time had elapsed between the diagnosis of the Senator’s terminal illness and his death for him to make amends and to alleviate some of the scandal. Yet, there is no indication that this has happened.
A Mass of Christian Burial is a privilege -- not a right. It is for those who have lived a Christian life. Senator Kennedy’s scandalous disregard of his Church’s teaching and the destruction of human life that may be attributed to his voting record make his funeral celebration quite dubious. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to evil… and that it takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it”(n. 2284-85). For such a person the Code of Canon Law says, “Church funeral rites are to be denied to the following (unless they gave some sign of repentance before death): manifest sinners to whom a Church funeral could not be granted without public scandal to the faithful” (c. 1184.3). How many Catholics have been led astray by Senator Kennedy and other prominent pro-choice Catholics? And, finally, how many other Catholic politicians will be emboldened to emulate his behavior because the honor the Church is extending to him?
Some will argue that the Church, by its very nature, always gives the benefit of the doubt to the sinner. Yet, even such an act of charity calls for a pastoral solution so as not to mislead others and cause greater harm. In this case, a subdued funeral service should be offered for the repose of Senator Kennedy’s soul. It should be made clear that, as it is the purpose of every Catholic funeral, the Mass is being celebrated to beg God’s mercy for the deceased. But, then even this solution would be meaningless when the nation’s most pro-choice president ever is permitted to eulogize his ideological soul mate in the Church’s sanctuary. Imagine the accolades that will be lavished on the Senator Kennedy’s character and career!
The Church’s credibility has once again been undermined by the hierarchy of the Church in Boston. This scandal is even bigger than the one enabled by Cardinal Law because of its bad message and long ranging implications.
ping
Notre Dame can perform abortions at the 50 yard line during their half time show. The Fighting Irish Abortionists.
That’s the way it works. If you are RICH white trash, you get the best the world has to offer, even on your way out of it.
Please email the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and voice your outrage. Please be respectful. And I’m sure I don’t have to remind you “Please, no profanity”
Link:http://www.olphbkny.org/contacts.html
The media and let's face the Catholic church knows that all this impressive pomp and ceremony over a democratic icon is reinforcing the Catholic vote, especially for the Catholic Hispanics.
Hey, Kennedy was a champion of open borders, socialism, and pacifism in the face of Islamic terror and Communist aggression. That puts him squarely in the camp of a depressingly large segment of the Catholic clergy, bishops included.
Well, in this case, this elite system is finally out of it's depth. For even if the Catholic Church blesses him at his funeral, God is still in charge of whether a blessing actually comes to him.
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap."
(Galatians 6:7)
Yeah, right.
You’ve seen this before?
Try to catch a rerun of EWTN The World Over where Raymond Arroyo said he heard that the family had requested the cathedral and were turned down, ths priest on his show was excellent, a really great show tonight, Brent Bozell also on about faairness doctrine. The priest pointed out that two weeks ago when Eunice Shriver died the Pope sent a letter of condolence to the family but no letter as yet had been sent to teddy’s family. Eunice was prolife.
Denying a funeral mass is an extremely rare act. Most members of the Mafia are given funeral masses and buried in hallowed ground. Obama is giving a eulogy, not the homily. Allowing someone to give a eulogy is not an honor, like the Notre Dame scandal. The church is demonstrating disapproval through not having the Cardinal of Boston celebrating the Mass.
This article nails it. I think the spectacle of the “canonization of Saint Theodore” is obscene and an insult to God, to the Holy Roman Catholic Church, and to Catholics everywhere. Every single one of these so-called pro-choice zealots should be denied any sacraments and should be excommunicated — unless they repent and their deeds reflect their repentance. That’s rather harsh, but so is the wrath of God. You play, you pay.
Plus he’s being buried in Arlington, not in consecrated ground and Pope Benedict XVI silence speaks volumes. He has completely snubbed the Kennedy’s.
May a eulogy be given at a Catholic funeral?
Catholic funeral rites do not allow space for a eulogy.9 The focus of a Christian funeral is the paschal mystery: the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.10 The funeral rites are not so much a celebration of the life of the deceased, but a prayer that the life and death of the deceased may be joined to Christ in heaven. Because the focus of a Catholic funeral is first on God, eulogies do not have a place within the funeral liturgy.
The Church’s rites do allow a member or a friend of the family to speak in remembrance of the deceased prior to the final commendation.11 This is not a full eulogy, but a brief reflection proportionate to the other parts of the funeral rites
http://www.cuf.org/Faithfacts/details_view.asp?ffID=262
Edward is being temporarily buried at Arlington. The day will come when he will be exhumed.
Paul Castellano, then head of the Gambino Mafia "family" was denied a Catholic funeral by John Cardinal O'Connor on the basis that a Church funeral would be a scandal. This despite the fact that Castellano in his entire mob career was responsible for fewer killings (if any and of less innocent persons, if any) than Ted the Abortion supporter was guilty of each morning since 1973 before breakfast. I believe that anyone arguably Catholic ought to be able to have a funeral Mass. It should be a very private affair however when we are marking the death of notoriosos like Teddy. No cameras. No live coverage. No lying eulogies. No glad handing or photo ops out front. No circuses of any kind.
AND, after the private Mass for the few Catholics left in that family, the corpse should be taken out to be disposed of at sea in an upside down midnight blue 1967 Oldsmobile 88 4-door sedan redecorated with a different painting of a dead and dismembered aborted baby on each body panel save the one reserved for a picture of Mary Jo so that there will be no question of the identity of the remains if ever found. Eulogies take place with distressing frequency at Catholic funerals despite the fact that they are apparently forbidden by Church law. Now that would mean that Sean Cardinal O'Malley himself ought not to be giving eulogies at the funerals of even distinguished and holy Catholics. Charitably speaking, that would not be a description of the late Hyannisport whale. For the most part, eulogies take the content of the Pelagian heresy: "We know that our dear brother has now gone to heaven and we hope we will meet him again in the sweet bye and bye." Balderdash and drivel. This is of a piece with changing from the previous black vestments at funeral Masses to cheery white ones to celebrate Unitarian-style the world-beating wonders of the deceased.
If one did not know that many go to hell, one would not be expected to learn it from the modern funeral liturgy. Hell is soooo, ummmm, medieval and downright icky. I can just imagine the Obamunist's eulogy and how little it will fit with the track record of pro-abortion Chappaquiddick Teddy. For that matter, if Sean Cardinal O'Malley had a spine, Obama would be told publicly and forcefully that his presence is not allowed in a Catholic place and particularly not in the very presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. To allow him to even enter a Catholic Church is an abomination as well as an Obamanation. B-XVI should request O'Malley's resignation and send him off to do genuine Franciscan things like caring for lepers or AIDS victims or even household pets as St. Francis might have.
That having been said, may God have mercy upon his soul and may the perpetual light shine upon him and upon his track record to facilitate the indictment and/or impeachment, trial, conviction and lengthy imprisonment of his eulogist and the corrupt cronies of both the eulogist and the recently departed senator for life.
God bless you and yours.
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