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.
15 He who puts up security for another will surely suffer,
but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe.
16 A kindhearted woman gains respect,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 A kind man benefits himself,
but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.
18 The wicked man earns deceptive wages,
but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
19 The truly righteous man attains life,
but he who pursues evil goes to his death.
20 The LORD detests men of perverse heart
but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will go free. ... -NIV
What you said.
Well, UNTIL those Catholic members of Congress RECANT their pro-abortion views & voting record; THEY SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN HOLY COMMUNION. PERIOD! I'm getting very tired of having to answer to non-Catholics for the Catholic Church's absolute failure to hold those "Catholics" in Congress responsible for their pro-abortion voting records.
14: 1 ... Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2 One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. ...- NIV
“Even more reasons for why I stopped going...”
I hope & pray that you will not let the lapses of those in the Catholic Church cause you to not practice your faith.
Please come back. God wants you back. WE NEED YOU! BIG SMILE
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Post 65, imho is a very good post. I know, I should keep my mouth shut, but I agree.
5.56mm
“Post 65, imho is a very good post”
Thank you.
“I should keep my mouth shut”
Why? It’s still a free country, an open forum and Obama hasn’t taken over the Internet... just yet.
Semper Fi,
Kelly
You need to come home.
You are so right. I can only stand to watch a few minutes of this travesty. This is a mockery of Christ’s death and resurrection and an actual thumbing of their noses to Christ’s sacrifice. I’m sorry, I despise all of them.
Thank you for your informative comments on General Robert E. Lee.
Amen. I know who you mean. Cardinal Martino, or something similar.
sw
I'll believe he's been forgiven when I see a '67 Oldsmobile hanging on the shrine altar wall next to all the crutches.
Ted Kennedy may have done all the nice things people related in eulogies, but he also advanced the cause of abortion in countless ways. I totally agree that this is totally confusing to anyone trying to determine what the Church teaches.
I wish the Catholic leadership in America would speak out forcefully against his “life’s work” but too many of them are politicians. I wish the Vatican had been less tepid. However, we must remember that the Church only condemns the sin, not the sinner. In the end, the Church leaves it up to God to judge. The problem is that this creates scandal when you have someone like Ted Kennedy being proclaimed a devout Catholic. He was a devout CULTURAL Catholic.
Today is a sad day for the Catholic Church because it allowed the ignorant to be influenced by the media that is driven by evil. It reinforced the confusion people have about Catholics.
We must remember that Peter was very weak at times and yet he was good enough to serve Christ’s purposes. Many of our current American bishops are flawed. We must just rejoice in the truth of the dogma and keep our eyes on that. The theology is not flawed.
I’ve been nauseous watching this heresy.
God, save the Church.
“I can’t stand this. Ted is getting a funeral fit for a President..”
I wouldn’t let it bother me if I were you...
I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes when he has to meet his Maker!
A lot of babies were murdered because of him and others like him...and lets not forget Kopeckne...
“I can’t stand this. Ted is getting a funeral fit for a President..”
I wouldn’t let it bother me if I were you...
I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes when he has to meet his Maker!
A lot of babies were murdered because of him and others like him...and lets not forget Kopeckne...
it's the big gorilla in the closet culturally here
and if the homosexuals, liberationists, lesbians and other ne'er do wells were purged and a fair number of your congregants actually listened to the instruction....America would be better for it
and secular progressivism would be dead on arrival here....there would simply be no votes for it
oh well
nice article
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