Rep. Kennedy Asked Not To Partake of Communion By Bishop
11/23/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The Roman Catholic Church in recent years has begun to try and force politicians within the flock to follow their commandments or be expelled. While an actual excommunication would be impossible given the possible backlash, denying communion to politicians who do not follow lock step behind the Vatican when it comes to their policy positions, however, is what they feel will not be as big a political risk as excommunicating someone, especially a Kennedy.
In 2007, Bishop Thomas Tobin asked that Representative Patrick Kennedy, son of the late Ted kennedy, not partake of Communion at mass in a disagreement over Rep. Kennedy’s stance on abortion rights. Advocacy for legal abortions is not the same as beig personally willing to have one, or to feel personally involved in one. This argument has resurfaced after Kennedy criticized the Catholic Church for their advocacy with regards to the Stupak-Pitts Amendment.
Patrick Kennedy represents a district in Rhode Island. His political tendencies are more liberal than the Roman Catholic Church’s stances on a variety of issues.
Patrick Kennedy’s support for abortion rights mirrors that of Father Robert Drinan, the first of two ordained Catholic priests to be elected to Congress. Father Drinan was a supporter of abortion rights and a good friend of the Kennedy family. Father Drinan was forced to choose between Congress and the priesthood in 1980 when Pope John Paul II demanded that all ordained Catholic clergy either leave the priesthood or leave politics. Father Drinan remained in the priesthood. He was first elected under Pope Paul VI and served in Congress through the Papacy of John Paul I.
The request for Rep. Kennedy to not partake of Communion may end up being one of those bigger issues with regards to the intrusion of religion into politics. Should this become a situation where Kennedy is excommunicated, it creates a major problem for the Church who could face political consequences such as the loss of their tax status to other possible problems. In the North East, the excommunication of a Kennedy on political grounds could result in a greater flight from the Church than is already occurring. The hardline view of may Catholic Bishops is already turning members away with a growth in the Church of Ireland and members in New England already turning to Episcopalianism. Regular mass attendance among Catholics in Ireland has fallen to less than half.
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here starts the persecution. The catholic church is doing this to influence politics. this is where government must pierce thye church’’s veil…… Church must pay tax – or it in violation – of US law.
Oh please. This is not a persecution and it’s not the first time it has happened. The most serious action was taken against Tom Ridge, republican governor of Pennsylvania, and his bishop. Ridge was warned that if he wanted to use the church as an asset/backdrop for his political activity he would be expected not to oppose church teaching on something as fundamentally evil as abortion. Other politicians who have had this spat include Kathleen Sebelius, Mario Cuomo, and Geraldine Ferraro. Ferraro handled it beautifully. This is to be expected as she has more intregrity and grace in one finger than the entire Kennedy clan combined. I love that woman! It should be noted that abortion is viewed as intrinsically evil by the church. This is not so for other issues such as gay marriage. Individual politicians have not been directly confronted on these. In the end, Kennedy made this 3 year old exchange public. He has a choice whether or not he wants to be catholic. Abortion victims don’t get a choice on that or anything else.