Judging by the grand public displays for Kennedy’s faithful Catholicism, held by the Catholic denomination, it doesn’t look like he was excommunicated.
ansel112:
If what you mean is Formally excommunicated, then no he was not formally excommunicated. As I said in an earlier post, that type of excommunication process involves a Catholic Canon Law hearing with Catholic Theologians and scholars having a hearing. This type of excommunication process is always used when a Bishop or Priest is promoting heresy or schism.
The canonical effects of excommunication have always been sacramental and governmental, so a Catholic excommunicated is not to participate in the sacraments. However, as the New Catholic Encyclopedia states (p. 404), the spiritual and eschatological effects, contrary to public perception were and are rather limited. Excommunication is a penal exclusion of the faithful from the Christian community but its goal is to sort of allegorically knock some sense back into the individual to confess ones sins to restore communion with the Church and God.
As I stated earlier, there are 2 forms of excommunication 1) ferendae sententiae [involves a formal canonical process] and 2) latae sententiae [automatic]. Canon 1364 states apostasy, heresy and schism incurs automatic excommunication. Now the theological question here is whether Kennedy’s views as a politician constitute promoting schism or heresy. If a Bishop was doing what he was doing, there is no doubt he would be excommunicated. As a layperson, there is difference of opinion. Salvations view is that Kennedy’s position and public name put him under Canon 1364 and Salvation may be correct. I really don’t have a definitive answer on this as I am only part of the Catholic Laity.
Still, if one takes the position that Kennedy had, by his public political positions, excommunicated himself, that would not prevent him from having a Catholic Funeral, assuming of course, he made a good Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession and Act of Contrition towards the end of his life.
And despite my political differences with Ole Teddy, I hope for the sake of his Soul that he responded to God’s Mercy and Love and did in fact make a good Confession.