EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Kerry, Dodd Receive Communion at Papal Mass, Kennedy Refrains

LifeSite ^ | April 18, 2008 | John-Henry Westen

[NYer]

WASHINGTON, DC, April 17, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - At the papal Mass at Nationals Park this morning with 46,000 in attendance, pro-abortion Senators John Kerry and Chris Dodd presented themselves for and received Holy Communion.  Of note, pro-abortion Senator Ted Kennedy purposefully did not receive Communion.  Photos taken by Tom McFadden Director of Admissions at Christendom College and provided first to LifeSiteNews.com, show Kerry and Dodd receiving while Kennedy remains seated as his row leaves to receive Communion.

American Life League (ALL) President Judie Brown told LifeSiteNews.com that no pro-abortion politicians received Holy Communion directly from Pope Benedict during the Mass. ALL had taken out a full page ad warning Catholic pro-abortion politicians not to sacrilegiously receive the Eucharist. 

While the highest authorities in the Vatican and indeed the Pope himself have insisted that pro-abortion Catholic politicians be denied Holy Communion, several prominent US bishops with the leading of now-retired Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick have refused to follow such direction from Rome.

It seems from his actions today, Senator Kennedy is, at least in public, refraining from Communion and thus refusing to create what the Church calls public "scandal".

Francis Cardinal Arinze, the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, speaking at a Catholic family conference in Ohio last November confirmed that pro-abortion politicians must be denied communion.  He referenced a 2004 letter on the subject sent by then-Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, who said that such politicians "must" be refused Communion (see coverage: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/apr/08040408.html).

Since becoming Pope, Benedict XVI has also addressed the subject.  In March 2007 the Pope warned Catholic pro-abortion politicians against receiving Communion. In the document on Holy Communion, called "Sacramentum Caritatis" or the Sacrament of Love, Benedict XVI gave Catholic politicians a biblical warning against receiving Communion unworthily.

In a section on "Eucharistic consistency", the Pope said that politicians must adhere to "non negotiable" values "such as respect for human life, its defence from conception to natural death, the family built upon marriage between a man and a woman, the freedom to educate one's children and the promotion of the common good in all its forms." He added, "Consequently, Catholic politicians and legislators, conscious of their grave responsibility before society, must feel particularly bound, on the basis of a properly formed conscience, to introduce and support laws inspired by values grounded in human nature."

"There is an objective connection here with the Eucharist," he said referencing the Biblical passage 1 Corinthians 11:27-29.  That passage reads: "Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.  But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice.  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord." (see coverage: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/mar/07031303.html ; )

[NYer]

I thought that Uncle Ted refrained because he is divorced and remarried.

For that matter, so is John Kerry. Perhaps Ted Kennedy has finally reconciled himself to a clearer understanding of Catholic teaching. At least, I would like to believe that all of our prayers for him have made a difference.

[Doctor Raoul]

I’m not sure Kenneddy was up to the long walk.

He heard they didn't have a chaser.

[chuckles]

Actually, whether a person takes communion or not, the problem of nonbelievers in church is handled in Corinthians. A liberal member was know to be living in sin and the church was "proud" to show Paul how nonjudgmental they were. He instructed them to tell the member to straighten up and fly right. If he didn't respond, throw him out. One of the principles of Christianity is you must choose. If you choose sin, you can't choose Christ. These pretenders need to be excommunicated to keep the church pure. Britney Spears would be allowed to visit my church, but after a few visits, she might be asked about what she thinks of what she has been hearing. If she was aiming to join a church, she would have to know that she would be expected to change her life. It couldn't go on as usual.

This "problem" is present in all denominations and churches. When you participate in a denomination, you are expected to conform to their dogma or you become a "stumbling block" for the other members. If members see nothing happens to the Kennedy's or Kerry's of the church, they don't take their commitment to Christ as serious as they should. What happens when we find a homosexual choir leader, or the deacon runs off with the organ player, or some leader raids the building fund? Many members are disillusioned and become more cynical.

The Cafeteria Catholics are suffering just from that syndrome. If you don't believe the dogma, leave and go somewhere else. The turmoil in the church about marrying priests, women priests, abortion, homosexuals marrying, etc all come from liberals wanting the illusion of Catholicism, without believing any of it. We are in a spiritual war. This war doesn't end at the church house doors.

My church went as far as noticing who had Democrat bumper stickers in the parking lot. We discussed their belief system and the Democrat platform and challenged them to align that with the teachings of Christ. After some discussion, some removed their stickers and others left the church. We felt if sin was going on in front of the church members, it was dividing the church.

What do you think the church Bill Clinton was thinking during his troubles? They did nothing!. He would have been asked to leave our church, president or no president. He couldn't bring himself to repent, so he wasn't compatible with our belief of what Christ requires to belong to our church body. In many churches today of all denominations, there are lier's, fornicators, pedophiles, and thieves. How can a preacher preach against fornication if many in the flock are living together without marriage? How can you take the name of Christ, if you support abortion, and homosexuality? It's their choice to believe what they want to, but it's the church's responsibility to uphold the standards of Christ. You can't get forgiveness without true repentance.

[Miss Didi]

Kerry got an annulment as well.

[informavoracious]

A Catholic is supposed to be in a state of grace when receiving Holy Communion. Any sins he is conscious of must be confessed to and absolved by a priest in Confession. He must have a firm resolve to repent of the sin. Abortion is a violation of the Commandment, “Thou Shalt Not Kill.” It is a sin to perform, have, or assist another in procuring abortion. Poliiticians who flaunt a pro-abortion stance are in a state of grave sin. They must repent before receiving Communion, because they are clearly not in communion or agreement with God’s laws. You are correct, ultimately it is between the individual and God. But in the Catholic Church it is considered a scandal to publicly and unashamedly approach the altar in a state of sim. It would be the same if someone were publically committing adultery or stealing. It is an affront to God and the community.

[informavoracious]

sim=sin

[dangus]

The difference stems from the fact that most other denominations don’t believe that Communion is objectively and literally the body and blood of Christ (although Lutherans and many Episcopalians do). Since the bible warns that he who receives the body and blood of Christ unworthily drinks death upon himself, the Church sees itself as having a moral, charitable responsibility not only to prevent the desecration of the Eucharist, but to save souls from destruction.

[Antoninus]

As distasteful as I find Kerry, Dodd and Bela Pelosi receiving communion given their very public stands on abortion and homosexual marriage, I have to give Kennedy a bit of grudging respect. At least he knows he’s an unrepentant public sinner and has the humility not to pretend he isn’t.

[NYer]

Amen!

[svcw]

Thank you.
Very clear explanation.

[svcw]

Thanks. I really learned something today.

[Mrs. Don-o]

One thing you'll sometimes hear Catholics refer to in these discussions, is Canon 915. I'll quote it in its entirety:

"Those who are excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion."

All the adjectives and adverbs here are important: if the offense was "manifest" (public) and "grave" (serious), and is committed "obstinately" (they've been instructed and warned, and they keep doing it) they are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.

Tye purpose of this is fourfold:

• to warn the offender that his soul is in deadly spiritual danger;
• to protect the offender from compounding his offense by habitual unrepentance;
• to protect the Christian community from scandal, the cynicism, callousness, and bitterness (or, conversely, apathy) which infect us when we see the open profanation of a Sacrament, and
• to avoid offending Our Lord with sacrilege.

Anyone and everyone conscious of any serious sin is responsible to repent and confess before Communion --- normally a private matter --- but this canon is applicable only when the sin is public, and thus requires some open repentance.

Unfortunately, many Bishops have themselves been scofflaws with regard to canon law, and thus we have the expected results: cynicism, callousness, bitterness, and the real soul-killer: apathy.

[darkangel82]

I’m not Catholic either. But this shouldn’t be allowed.

[defconw]

Did he actually take communion? The picture makes it look like he asking for a blessing.

[Bommer]

Only reason Ted didn’t go up is that he found out there would be no wine at the mass.

[baa39]

Ha! Except there wasn’t time in between those quick changes to receive absolution through the Sacrament of Penance! Also, maybe it’s the photo, but it’s shocking to see Kerry appears to not know the proper way to receive the Host in the hand.

[irishtenor]

Maybe he was too drunk to stand up?

[BaBaStooey]

I never thought there would come a day when I would actually admit respect for a guy like Kennedy, but he did the right thing.

In theory, if Kerry and Dodd went to confession and were penitent, and vowed to change their ways, they would be OK as well, but what are the odds that they did?

[cubreporter]

Your neice is a very smart little girl and...she is right on. :)

[baa39]

Seems there’s a possibility Kennedy did take Communion, after all. Life Site News reports, based on an eyewitness description, so not sure how valid this is, one person saying what they think they saw....but FYI:

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/apr/08041817.html

“CORRECTION: Ted Kennedy DID Receive Communion at the Papal Mass:
“Priest made special trip to give communion to the outspokenly pro-abortion Senator several minutes before everyone else began to receive”