Posted on 08/27/2009 10:22:18 PM PDT by STARWISE
Saturday's grandiose Catholic funeral for Senator Ted Kennedy has the potential to be a scandal that will make Notre Dame's Obama Day a walk in the park.
With all four living former Presidents in attendance and an address from President Barack Obama, the funeral is set to be a royal crowning, right inside a Catholic Church, of a man who betrayed the most fundamental moral teachings of the faith.
What example will this give to Catholics and the rest of the world looking in? It will surely belie the Catholic teachings on the sanctity of life and sexuality.
"Surely," they will say, "if one of the most vociferous proponents of abortion and homosexuality in politics is so feted in the Church, the Church cannot possibly regard abortion as murder."
Would anyone so honor one who so advocated what the church officially considers an "unspeakable crime"?
The Church in the US has suffered a dangerous precedent with the recent Notre Dame award to President Obama. However, President Obama is not Catholic. Therefore, the impact of the scandal was blunted.
Regarding Senator Kennedy, however, the stakes are much higher in terms of scandal and public relations.
Kennedy, began his life as a Catholic in great ceremony. At age seven, he received his First Communion from Pope Pius XII in the Vatican. He was also pro-life early in his political career.
"Wanted or unwanted, I believe that human life, even at its earliest stages, has certain rights which must be recognized - the right to be born, the right to love, the right to grow old," he wrote in 1971.
However, abandoning the practice of faith is regarded as worse than never having known.
The Bible, in the second book of Peter teaches: "For if, flying from the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they be again entangled in them and overcome: their latter state is become unto them worse than the former. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of justice than, after they have known it, to turn back from that holy commandment which was delivered to them." (2 Peter 2:20-21)
Rev. Patrick Tarrant, pastor of the Church where Kennedy is to be buried has informed the media that he was present at Kennedy's death and thus hopefully the senator made a last confession and was reconciled with the Church.
However, only a public repudiation of his militantly anti-life and anti-family actions would serve to lessen the scandal of the upcoming funeral extravaganza.
I don't discount that that might be coming. After all, Kennedy did have President Obama deliver a letter to the Pope when Obama made his visit to the Vatican in July. Although unlikely, given the Senator's recent, intense support for Obama's health care reforms, perhaps there was a public confession in the letter waiting to be released. We can hope and pray.
If we assume a private confession was made there could be a private funeral Mass for the family, without politicians and media. And of course there would still be a secular memorial event, with all the pomp and ceremony for this star of the secular world.
Such a deliberately subdued Catholic liturgical event for the Senator would, at this time, with the announcement of the Catholic funeral already out, come at the cost of enduring the rage of those who have become used to the Church giving in to their demands. However, the eternal benefit would be to send a clear message to Catholic politicians in particular, and to the public in general, that the Church is actually serious about the sanctity of human life.
It could also be an opportunity for Church leaders to repent of having failed to work hard enough to bring wayward Catholic politicians back to faith, or even of having in many cases led them away from the faith, as some clergy are known to have influenced Kennedy.
It would not be the first time the Church has apologized for not living up to it's pro-life convictions. In 2000, when Pope John Paul II was making his much touted "Universal Prayer" of "Confession Of Sins And Asking For Forgiveness" one of the ignored apologies concerned the unborn.
Then-Archbishop François Xavier Nguyên Van Thuân prayed "let us pray for those who are most defenseless, the unborn killed in their mother's womb or even exploited for experimental purposes by those who abuse the promise of biotechnology and distort the aims of science."
The Pope responded in prayer, "God, our Father, you always bear the cry of the poor. How many times have Christians themselves not recognized you in the hungry, the thirsty and the naked, in the persecuted, the imprisoned, and in those incapable of defending themselves, especially in the first stages of life. For all those who have committed acts of injustice by trusting in wealth and power and showing contempt for the "little ones" who are so dear to you, we ask your forgiveness: have mercy on us and accept our repentance. We ask this through Christ our Lord."
Canada suffered a similar scandal in 2000, with the death of former Catholic Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.
Despite his having legalized abortion, divorce and homosexuality he was given a state funeral in Montreal's Notre-Dame Basilica, presided over by the archbishop of Montreal, Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte. One of the pallbearers was Cuba's communist president Fidel Castro.
Five months after the funeral Calgary Bishop Fred Henry was asked if he were offended by Trudeau’s funeral. He replied: “Yes, I was.... there were some issues or questions there that might make one kind of pause and consider whether or not this was an appropriate funeral to have or not."
I am in no position to tell the Church or any bishop how to run their business. The Church is NOT a democracy. I do not expect O’Malley and Collins to listen to me, anyway. I would be disappointed if they did.
They will be held responsible for whatever action they take in the case of Kennedy’s funeral, but they are not responsible to me.
Veritas!
Let us agree to disagree on the matter of sacramental Confession. It has been my experience that humbly voicing your sins with true contrition in the Sacrament of Confession is a happy occasion for the Grace of God to come upon you. It is joyous and refreshing as well as an important part of growth in spiritual maturity. The opportunities for learning and Grace are endless. And, of course, it has been done for 2000 years in accordance with the Scriptures :)
Bellflower is right.
~~~
Not with even the modifier of: “in my opinion” ... ???
Hmmm ... last Sunday during Mass when I cried at the haunting beauty of the Eucharistic song and thanked the soloist, I didn’t see Bellflower at my elbow .. or
when I was asked to sew satin sashes for the parish Christmas pageant and worked for hours and hours to complete them .. I got no help from Bellflower .. or
when I spoke with my priest and asked him to make sure that prayers are said each week for our brave troops at Mass, .. there was no sight of Bellflower nearby .. or
when I listened to the awe inspiring missionary priest from Nigeria who spoke at Mass a couple of months ago, and joined in the applause and tears for his heartfelt gratitude for having come from a Muslim family and how God and the Catholic Church changed his whole life .. I didn’t see Bellflower there .. or
when they were short of collection takers at Mass, and I volunteered, I didn’t see Bellflower jumping up to help .. or
when I contributed to and prayed for the effort to replace our Church’s beautifully ornate and massive burned roof, there was no Bellflower envelope next to mine in the basket ... or
when a priest came to the new home of my dear friend to bless her and those walls with warmhearted prayers and gifts .. there was no sign of Bellflower.
When I conduct my life or vote my conscience in elections, I have a lifelong history on the precepts and values of the Catholic Church for self-governance, the sanctity of life and compassion for others that have stood for thousands of years and will remain, as well as an abiding love and gratitude to God for His many blessings, and a deep faith and trust in Him.
I may question and even be outraged at the decisions of priests, cardinals or archbishops, but I’m taught that God is the ultimate judge of us all, and those without sin may cast the first stone. That doesn’t stop me from venting about those circumstances, however, for I’m a flawed human as well and I seethe at apparent inconsistencies, too. But God gave us all free will and a miraculous brain with which to discern truth from evil.
I guess somehow the Church, my reverence for and attention to the words of Pope Benedict, my life in the Church and that of my fellow parishioners and those in every parish in this country, and our love and worship of God and the good will among us ... this all somehow goes on unceasingly without Bellflower’s input or critiques.
~~~~
Bellflower’s #41 isn’t worthy of response.
The first paragraph says the faithful have “the right” to make known “their needs, especially spiritual ones, and their desires” to their pastors.
The second says, the faithful “have the right and even at times the duty” to make their opinions known to their pastors and to the rest of the Christian faithful.
The Christian faithful are obliged to express their opinions about the good of the church to their bishops, parish priests, and fellow church members. Not only is it their right, but it is their obligation as members of the Body of Christ. In doing this, they actively participate and partake, by virtue of their Baptism, in the priestly, prophetic and kingly character of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It's not "telling" a bishop "how to run his business." It's living up to your Baptismal obligations as a living member of the living Church.
Good on ya!
This is the rest of your post.
False piety. God knows well my heart. ~~~ I have no hate for you .. I don’t know you. Terrible incorrect assumption there. Very sorry you had a bad experience and, as you describe it, felt “forced” to leave the entire Church. ****************
My response**** God does know your heart, He also knows mine. YOU DON'T Laughing at your use of the word "forced" to leave the church, I left it, I was not forced out..
Why do Catholics think that leaving the church is the same as turning your back on Christ? Gee whiz, its like if your not catholic you cannot love Jesus and live your life according to scripture...Hypocrisy of those Catholics that think they are the only one's that Jesus loves, and all must act according to Catholic dogma if one is to be true to Jesus..If someone opens their mouth to voice their opinion, and its not a catholic dogma, they get jumped on by some catholics on FR as a gang.
Defending the Faith is Catholic, but you shouldn't have to be defensive to others that love Christ...As I told my son, You have brother and sisters in Christ in all demoninations. Your Catholic hostility may be directed at such souls...I am always amazed at the way some Catholic's talk to other (read outside the church) Christians...
I thank you all for your answer to my post on the legal condition of the Kennedy kids, and apologize to anyone that answered me about their standing, but I did not specifically name in this post ...God Bless
I prefer to confess to Jesus Himself through contemplative prayer, and not through some middle man whose heart I have no idea whether it is in the right place or not with the Lord. If you want to confess yourself to a sinner, or praying to statues, that’s your business. I’m not here to change your mind. Robes and collars won’t earn you extra credit or honor in Heaven either. The Church isn’t a building built of brick and mortar, it’s Jesus Christ Himself.
Thank you for your kind reply. I agree it sends the wrong message to young people like me, but I take the attitude of "what happens in the Boston diocese, stays in Boston." :)
“Robes and collars won’t earn you extra credit or honor in Heaven either.”
Amen to that. One God; one Mediator... Another poster mentioned someone “buying indulgences” to get Teddy out of Purgatory sooner and on his way up-ward. Buying indulgences won’t work any more than robes and collars.
So the Church ruled that Ted Kennedy was guilty of fraud and deception in the taking of marriage vows, then the vows were defective, and consequently, fell short of being sacramental.
A legal or civil "marriage" existed, but not a sacramental one, because a sacramental one must be based on true consent.
By way of analogy, it's the same as if you lied and only pretended to be baptized, or practiced fraud or forgery in the signing of a contract. Such a "baptism" or such a contract would be null and void.
In this case, the Church said "Ted, you never intended fidelity from the git-go, your marriage vows were a sham." I must say, the Church was right about that.
After Kennedy’s Death: Silence from the Pope
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090827/wl_time/08599191906400
Even Peter, who denied Christ, was chosen by him to be the head of His Church on Earth, yes, the Vicar of Christ. If Jesus thought Peter was worthy, though a repentant sinner, should we do no less for Peter’s successors?
Bellflower is right. The Catholic Church is rife with inconsistency, and there is no supreme vicar in that church who speaks for Christ with His authority. That is plainly evident with the many examples of politicians and others who claim to be Catholic but go uncensored. Notre Dame was a disgrace. Kennedy's funeral is another example. True representatives of Christ would not allow this.
Your post is a perfect example of the “inconsistencies” of which Bellflower speaks.
What bothers me is how we are tending to give TK the benefit of the doubt about some possible deathbed confession. We don’t know, and never will.
But, Kennedy managed, with his final earthly powers and resources, to get a letter out requesting the Dems in the MA legislature to reverse course (now that there’s a D governor) about naming his successor.
He easily could have used that same energy and resources to issue a letter stating how, as he approached his final breath and his meeting with his Lord, he regrets his promotion of abortion and other political positions he took that would be anethama to his Lord. But no such letter seems to have been written.
One can only conclude that he held his pro-abortion, gay marriage, embryonic stem cell research beliefs, etc. to the end.
Authority? Wasn't he speaking to men, the apostles? I don't feel like I have any authority other than my faith which I have had to exercise many a time. I'm also confused being a woman as they didn't have any authority in biblical times, just followed the men. Which was ok for them then but I had to work things out for myself the way my life is/was.
As to treading on serpents, etc., I never fully understood that passage. To me it means if you accidentally step on a scorpion or get bitten by a rattlesnake and invoke God's power, maybe he will protect you. Now I'd probably get myself to the ER and get some antidote, but sometimes I don't, depends. Probably would for a snake bite, wouldn't you? They didn't have any antidote in biblical times. Some can take multiple bites and be ok, some people are deathly allergic to bees, etc. If I get stung, I just put some baking soda paste on it, but could risk a tipping point and go into analph(sp)? shock which can happen. I don't think we're supposed to tempt him like those snake handler sects are doing. Seems it's mostly men handling the snakes lol.
I guess I have the authority to pick up the phone and call the diocese or write and annoy somebody. What else can I do? I'm inactive as a Catholic/Christian anyway, kind of consider myself underground.
I'm not about to go make a fuss and disrupt a Christian service because I think they are doing something wrong and like whom should I cast out anyway? I'd be cast out in a hurry by the police. That is reality. I mean if it was a life and death issue, I'm daring enough to make myself look bad and take a risk, but not over the way the church is being run for sure, no way, even if I think they are wrong.
I really don't like to argue these points, know you have scripture to back you up but how far any are supposed to go with it, I don't know?
I'm kind of shaken because after I posted that, I read the horror of that girl in CA all these years. The guy claims his life has turned around (IMO he's a perverted, delusional creep and worse), but people like that make all Christians look bad. I mean there are sins and then there are sins.
No offense intended; I don't like to argue about religion.
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