Posted on 02/13/2010 11:59:59 AM PST by Salvation
Bishop Thomas Tobin, please stand up and acknowledge a hearty round of applause.
For three generations, Catholic bishops had coddled the Kennedy family, shrinking away from any confrontation as the nation's most prominent Catholic political dynasty moved steadily away from Church teachings on a host of critical public issues. Finally last year Bishop Tobin took a firm stand-- and then refused to back down in the face of criticism. His clear pastoral leadership was the single best story of 2009: the most conspicuous of many displays of episcopal backbone during the year.
Now, just a few months after picking a public fight with his bishop, Congressman Patrick Kennedy has announced that he won't seek re-election. It wasn't the bishop who drove him out of political life; it was the polls. Still it's worth noticing that when the bishop took a stand, the sky didn't fall in. Liberal commentators criticized Bishop Tobin, naturally. But most reasonable people recognized that the bishop was saying what the Catholic Church has always said. Kennedy was unable to turn the bishop's public statements to his own political advantage. If anything, the bishop's stand on principle exposed the Congressman's opportunism. The bishop won the political battle because he refused to act like a politician.
We might wonder how American history might have evolved if another Catholic bishop had been equally clear in rebuking another Kennedy, 20 or 30 or 40 years earlier. But that would only be conjecture; it didn't happen. Let the record show that when a bishop finally did deliver the much-needed rebuke, after a flurry of controversy the bishop's authority was intact-- in fact, considerably enhanced-- and the politician was leaving the scene.
Bishop Tobin has responded to Patrick Kennedy's withdrawal with a characteristically gracious statement, offering his best wishes and promising his prayers. Yet again he shows himself as a true shepherd, concerned for the spiritual welfare of a member of his flock.
Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Catholic Discussion Ping List.
**We might wonder how American history might have evolved if another Catholic bishop had been equally clear in rebuking another Kennedy, 20 or 30 or 40 years earlier. **
Hard to imagine — one of Bernardin’s boys there at that time? Or was it Law?
I must admit I love it !
It is time that all the pro-life faiths call those reps that claim to be Christian for what they are.. pretenders to the faith..
My hat is off to Bishop Tobin
You may recall the oft-told tale that the distribution of these libations helped the Kennedy family make a large part of their fortune--after Prohibition ended, of course ;)
Cushing followed in 1970 by Medeiros then in 1983 by Law.
Just wondering when Pelosi’s bishop is going to ask her?
Sadly, the Boston Archdiocese wasn't the only one in this country who didn't nip that silliness in the bud. As a result, we have a Senate and House of Representatives full of alleged Catholics who routinely, and without any consequence, vote in favor of abortion. That's because the Bishops in the 80's and 90's were enthralled with the 'fundamental option for the poor', and considered the Democrats to be the better political party to help poor people. It didn't help that the Bishops Conference, and their staff, had been infected with the viruses of modernity and feminism, so it colored every decision they made during those two decades.
Thankfully, we're seeing the fruits of the appointments of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, in the new younger Bishops who are not taken with those "Social Justice above all" attitudes, and they're standing more firm on Church teachings.
But I think it's clear that Patrick Kennedy was pushed out by the Democrat powers-that-be.
Scott Brown showed that the Kennedy mystique is no longer a guarantee of electability even in New England. Patrick was Congressman because his Daddy was a Senator, and at his Daddy's command all the local Democrat fixers fell into line. Daddy's dead and now the Democrat fixers listen to Obama, not the Kennedys.
Providence is one-third Hispanic and one-fifth black. Among the white minority there are twice as many Italians as Irish.
The party decided that a tin-eared, tongue-tied white junkie was not the face the Democrats could win with this cycle.
They will run a new, non-incumbent face in this election. Quite possibly a minority face.
It will be much tougher for a Republican to win in this urban district than it was for a Republican to win a statewide race in Massachusetts.
The new Democrat will most likely be a self-identified Catholic, and his moral outlook will likely be identical to Patrick Kennedy's.
Bishop Tobin's work, so well begun, is likely unfinished.
No surprise P Kennedy quite. I was always lead to believe that a bishop trumps a pawn.
May that be a lesson to many.
Beautiful!
Oh, he has already talked with her and she rejected his request for her to refrain from Communion.
In other words, she has excommunicated herself.
“Oh, he has already talked with her and she rejected his request for her to refrain from Communion.”
She called his bluff and then the archbishop dropped it.
“In other words, she has excommunicated herself.”
I would say that happened when she voted for stuff that promoted baby butchery. Now the archbishop allows her to pass herself off as a Catholic who has “disagreements” with the Church, and would prefer if she didn’t take communion. At least that’s my take on it.
Freegards, thanks for the pings
Glad to hear some Catholic bishops are growing some now she just has to be officially ex-communicated.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.