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 have to agree with you. He knew exactly what he was doing, or chose not to do.
He prefered earthly honors (and pro-abort legacy) over heavenly rewards. Sadly, if anything, it is clear to me that he was hardcore and rejected God's mercy, even to the end.
"house of the rising sun", a song by the Animals ... "mother, tell your children, not to do what I have done."
I agree as well, for the following reason. Suppose hypothetically that I am in a position of great power, and I use that power to vastly increase not merely the number of abortions but also the cruelty by which they’re carried out. I know that late term partial birth abortion kills a viable child in an unspeakably painful way, but I do everything in my power to facilitate this procedure.
Then I find out I have a terminal illness. I come face to face with what I’ve known all along: God hates what I’ve been allowing to happen—with my full support—to these innocent babies.
If I had any conscience, and any fear of God or the judgment, I would repent so fast and so publicly, it would be front page news. I would spend the reminder of my days—all that I had the strength for, anyway—working to undo the horrific damage I had caused.
I don’t see any of that with Kennedy. He didn’t lift a finger to reverse the terrible abortion policies he fought so hard for while he was healthy. Yes, he was very ill following the initial diagnosis. But he was still sentient enough to repent and to do the works of true repentance, for at least a little while following the initial seizures. He wasn’t comatose the entire time.
I won't argue that point with you, but I remember it as being "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom:" But I could be wrong. :O) My memory at 70 is not what it use to be, and you may be right..
Hopefully, God has a special place for those that have committed such heinous acts as murder and advocated for heinous acts like abortion to their last. It was a traesty that he was accorded mass and burial at Arlington. Murder trumps veteran status to me.
Twink, though I am not Catholic, I think you’re aspersion was uncalled-for. Shame on you. Surely your defense of Kennedy is in jest?
Great proposal! Have a candlelight vigil for Mary Jo and all the babies too.
Weird coincidence that Obama was nearby, eh?
Indeed, he was given a huge platform at the DNC convention a year ago (after the diagnosis) and chose to make his last big, public speech in support of yet another ardently pro-abortion person.
Again, I would not presume to imagine his deathbed prayers and/or confession, but there was no hint of contrition for his anti-RCC views and activity over 30-40 years, even in facing his final days.
I believe the Boston archbishop chose to make very positive statements at the passing of Eunice Kennedy Shriver but not for Ted because she never turned from being pro-life.
You know the sequence of events much better than I do. For me, it’s just mind boggling to realize he didn’t modify his policy positions one iota even after receiving what he had to know was a death sentence. That is something I just cannot get my mind around. Like you, I can’t presume to judge him. I am far too much in need of grace and mercy myself. I can say, however, that if I’d been a ferocious proponent of partial birth abortion, and I found out I was dying of a brain tumor, my public repentance would be legendary [if I were as famous as Kennedy, anyway]. Fwiw.
Pelican State ping
Retired New Orleans Archbishop Philip Hannan has been a pal of the Kennedys for decades. He was interviewed for a local TV newscast the day old Ted died and was quite positive about the man. In fact, he never mentioned the late Senator’s views that were at odds with Church teaching, abortion included.
Apparently the Kennedy family asked that his funeral mass be held in the cathedral, they were refused.
The Cardinal of Boston will be in attendance but will not be the celebrant.
Seems Obama is giving the "eulogy" which the priest on EWTN can not figure out since eulogies are not permitted during funeral masses.
If you get the chace watch the reruns of World Over, they did not mince words on the legecy of Ted Kennedy. They also focused on the heath care bill.
Aah, faith and begorrah, ‘tis such a blessing when the youngest turns out so well. Never a suggestion that he was a prig or a mollycoddle. Drowned the girls he wouldn’t marry, and married the girls he would have drowned if he were just a poor protestant boy. Purgatory is an odd theological conceit, but it won’t matter in the case of the fat boy. He’s going to hell. He will not pass go. He will not collect $200. His cell phone has been permanently disconnected, and sheep may finally safely graze in Massachusetts now that the frat boy has been marginalized.
“Well God did tell you in the Bible that we would be treated this way.”
You’re right.
Rejoice and be glad? Especially, if this is the worst thing in your life!
One of my favorite pieces of scripture from the First Letter of Peter:
“Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame.”
Intersting. I did read something about the Pope remaining silent, but I did not hear the part about the delivered letter from Obama.
We’ll never know?
Perhaps he's being buried at Arlington because the Pope would not permit him to be buried in consecrated land.
The main purpose of a Catholic Funeral Mass is to assist the deceased’s soul as it faces it’s Redeemer, and to provide spiritual comfort to the friends and relatives of the deceased who are supposed to pray fervently for the deceased soul..No one can imagine the Infinite Ocean of Mercy that God gives to the soul which He created and which Christ our Lord died for. The Funeral Mass brings to the world, a glimpse of God’s Divine Mercy on the soul..It is not a matter of creating scandal, or seeking compliments, but it is entirely a spiritual matter of profound importance to the soul..That is how we should see the Church’s role in the funeral...
As a reward for my concern, I'm called a Catholic basher. Well, if they forgive this baby killer, womanizing woman killer, KGB butt buddy, then maybe the Church needs some bashing. I will be sleeping and mowing grass through as much of this drivel Saturday as possible. My beef is with the Church, but the church is made of people, and I wish a "grassroots" mob would contact the Church and tell them these people need to be chastised, not "lionized".
I'm making a prediction right now, If things stay the way they are, the Church will soon accept homosexuality and women priests, and maybe even abortion,( for the life of the mother, don't ya know). If they can pretend Kennedy was a real Catholic, then they can do almost anything and get away with it.
I'm done. This is eating me up.
This is a horrible time and a truly horrendous event. I am as disgusted as you.
I have to say I cannot believe what I’m hearing and seeing .. I’m so repulsed.
Was there even
“in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?”
Has the Mass been totally bastardized .. or is it me ?
To hear his family members .. even children .. pathetically parrot such sickening political memes .. including the brazen request for health care as a right for all, etc. etc. .. for which everyone prayed .. dear God. I’m nauseous.
Is this Basilica an official member of the Archdiocese of Boston ?
They need to hear from us ... faxes .. letters, letters to the editor .. not emails that can be deleted.
This is not a true Roman Catholic Requiem Mass and liturgy ... I’m nauseous and disgusted as I watch this unfold and listen to the carefully crafted verbal dodges ... meanwhile, the elephants of the real truth about him and what he promoted are in the room, and everyone knows it.
What a horrible sham this event is for the Church at large.
God forgive me for my judgments for I am a sinner, but I’m heartbroken to witness this. Lord, you know all.
Mrs. D .. please post those numbers for the Archdiocese again ... thank you.
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