Sen. Edward M. Kennedy
Posted on 08/26/2009 1:07:04 PM PDT by NYer
.- Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) passed away last night at the age of 77 after a battle with brain cancer. Kennedy, a Catholic, will be remembered for his service to the poor, and dedication to education but also his opposition to pro-life issues.
After a long struggle with brain cancer, last night Sen. Kennedy took a turn for the worse while at his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Surrounded by his family members and a priest, Fr. Patrick Tarrant, he passed away around 11:30 p.m.
Fr. Tarrant told BostonChannel.com that Kennedy died while his family prayed. “They'd been praying all day, and it was a wonderful experience for me. I don't see it that often," Tarrant said.
Kennedy, known as “Ted” was the younger brother of both U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Sen. (D-NY) Robert Kennedy who were both assassinated in the 1960s. Their sister, Eunice Kennedy Schriver, who was lauded by the pro-life community died exactly two weeks ago at the age of 88.
The family released a statement following his death saying, “We’ve lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever.”
Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the Archbishop of Boston also emphasized Kennedy’s devotion to social work as well as his loving family who “stood by his side” as he “faced his illness with courage, dignity and strength.”
“For nearly half a century, Senator Kennedy was often a champion for the poor, the less fortunate and those seeking a better life. Across Massachusetts and the nation, his legacy will be carried on through the lives of those he served,” the cardinal said in a statement.
Archbishop Daniel Wurel of Washington, D.C. also offered his condolences to Kennedy’s family and emphasized the senator’s commitments to “alleviating poverty” as well as his strong support of the area’s Catholic schools.
Wurel recalled that for five years, the senator and Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) organized a dinner to benefit the schools. “As a result, thousands of disadvantaged children in the District of Columbia have had their lives transformed through a quality Catholic education."
Both Wurel and O’Malley offered to pray for the repose of Kennedy’s soul and that his family may find strength in Christ.
Kennedy's political aspirations were curtailed by an incident in 1969, when he accidentally drove his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick island in Massachusetts. While Kennedy was able to escape from the car, his passenger, 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne could not free herself and drowned.
Kennedy did not report the accident until nearly nine hours later.
With so many questions as to why he waited to contact the police as well as with his fragmented account of the incident, his aspirations for the U.S. presidency remained unfulfilled.
Kennedy was involved in other controversies. As a Catholic, though he worked hard for the poor, he was criticized by bishops and pro-life leaders for supporting Roe v. Wade, the use of fetal tissue in experiments and for voting against a ban on partial-birth abortion.
Although he did not support legalized abortion early in his political career, he later earned a 100% NARAL Pro-Choice America rating. In contrast, Kennedy was rated as voting 0% of the time on pro-life issues.
Sen. Ted Kennedy will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery next to his brothers John and Robert.
I wonder how many conservatives don’t want to darken their doors because they are so looie-liberal?
I'm unaware of anything the the blowhard ever did FOR the poor. He treated them like fools for their vote and was rewarded handsomely, but what did he ever do for the poor?
I guess the author means his "presidential ambitions" died along with Mary Jo. In my mind, that makes her a national hero.
Was Mary Jo expected to "free" herself? I've read several articles about the tragedy on the internet, but can't recall reading anything about Kennedy trying to save her.
To address the subject: pro-abortion Catholics defy the Church. No amount of work for the poor is compensation for the taking of innocent life, but maybe it will count in Purgatory.
DC Archbishop Wuerl has long demonstrated his own status as an AmChurch leftist invertebrate. In Pittsburgh, he resisted Marian devotions. In Seattle, he was a failure as coadjutor archbishop. In DC, he has already indicated that he will not deny the Body and Blood of Christ to self-excommunicated politicians which makes him complicit in their sin of sacrilege. The sooner he retires, the better. May he be replaced by a Catholic when he goes.
Sean Cardinal O'Malley had a decent reputation in Fall River and Palm Beach before being named to Boston. This situation was a moral test for him and a leadership test as well. He failed on both counts from the looks of the press reports.
He is not only allowing a Church funeral for Ted the apparently unrepentant Swimmer (fortunately not at the cathedral but in a Catholic diocesan Church nonetheless) but he is also apparently going to allow Comrade Obama to take to the pulpit for the now traditional Pelagian heretical "eulogy" telling us how sure it is that the late excommunicated baby killer and human whale is certainly, according to no less than Comrade O, in heaven. All this in the direct presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Obama should not be allowed to enter ANY Roman Catholic premises and O'Malley well knows it. Time to replace O'Malley with a Roman Catholic archbishop as well.
“Appalling and Disgusting?
Hideous and Putrid?
Outrageous and Reprehensible?”
Is there anything worse than that? If not, I guess that’s about it.
Agree with you 100%.
Not surprising catholic leadership for the past 50 years have no credibility among faithful, believing catholics.
Let’s not forget how the Kennedy clan celebrates the end of lent and the day before Easter by getting rip roaring drunk at a club in Palm Beach Fla. and having his nephew rape a girl on the family beach all the while Teddy is walking around with nothing on but a dress shirt.
During his court testimony Teddy stated it was the traditional Easter family weekend.
Drunk, philanderer,murderer. Hope he made a good confession.
Liberals never give to charity. They are like Scrooge. “Are there no workhouse...”In the Middle Ages, families lie this would give fortunes to monasteries to have masses said for their souls. That seems not to be the style of liberal Catholics.
Socialism does not serve the poor, it serves to impoverish the middle class, and mire the poor in dependency.
This is a marvelous quote. Is it yours or is it from something I should know?
I am offended that anybody could characterize the late Sen. Ted Kennedy as having a “mixed” Catholic history. The man was for abortion, he got divorced, he did not attend Mass regularly and much of what he did was hateful and completely antithetical to the Catholic church. He grew up Catholic but dishonored his family and his Church by the way he acted. Doesn’t sound like a good Catholic to me.
Nothing new about the ideas, but the specific words are mine. I guess. I wasn’t consciously quoting anybody.
Hmmmm. “Mixed legacy.” Maybe we cannot judge the soul, but by the fruits I’d say it is mixed like Ripple and Root Beer.
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