Posted on 05/19/2012 11:22:38 AM PDT by Huntress
Two divided families united in mourning Saturday for an emotional farewell to Mary Richardson Kennedy just three days after her shocking suicide.
Dozens of family members and celebrity friends — including Caroline Kennedy, John McEnroe, Edward James Olmos, Glen Close and Chevy Chase — filled St. Patrick’s Church in Mount Kisco for the funeral.
A police escort brought a gray hearse carrying her body to the house of worship, with her estranged husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and their four children trailing in a black Town Car.
Matriarch Ethel Kennedy, a veteran of such grim family gatherings, rode behind them inside a black SUV. A dozen pallbearers brought the wooden casket inside.
It was the same church where the couple’s children — Conor, Kyra, William and Aiden, ranging in age from 11 to 17 — received their First Communion.
The three oldest kids, along with one of Mary’s sisters, helped steer the casket on its final journey.
The church was absolutely still as the children accompanied their mother body inside the intimate stone church, where huge vases of white roses and delphiniums flanked the altar.
“She was an angel,” said high school friend Virginia Warner. “It was a fitting tribute.”
Comedian Larry David, scheduled to speak at the service, was too distraught to address the mourners. Daughter Kyra read a psalm in one of the funeral’s most touching moments.
At another point, many in the crowd wept when the song “Amazing Grace” reached the lines, “Through many dangers, toils and snares/We have already come.”
The mourners filled the 300 seats in the pews and spread along the side aisles and the lobby.
Kerry Kennedy, the dead woman’s sister-in-law and friend since boarding school, provided a touch of levity with tales from Mary’s political past.
In one, while working for Andy Warhol, she convinced the pop artist to donate a painting as a fund-raiser for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.
Wrong. The Church can't judge what's in someone's heart at the time of his or her death, even in suicide. She leaves that to God, the Judge of All, and prays for the soul of the deceased.
White trash.
The Courts in Greece Christina won the prenup.
When it comes to Kennedy clan criticism, I’m easily agreeable.
There’s a difference of course between forgiving somebody and excusing somebody. Forgiving implies acknowledgment of sin or wrongdoing. It also can imply leaving any punishment up to God. Some of this is necessary in any sane life, for the alternative would be to be filled to the gills with blaming and bitterness.
Because God desires the salvation of all and the Church serves God and is, therefore, the place for sinners to seek Him and forgiveness. Perhaps the Kennedys will actually listen to His Word one of these days.
Part of it depends on what is meant by letting into the church. I thought that Catholic bodies had some standards of conduct before being considered in good standing (e.g. able to partake of the communion with only a confession needed). But almost nobody is barred from sitting in a pew and participating in general congregational responses.
The problem isn't letting them into the church.In fact,you *want* the sinners in your church most of all.The problem is that once you've got them in church you fail to speak plainly and forcefully about the Commandments and other maters of basic morality in every day life.
I had a very bad first marriage, lost my mother to cancer at the same time the marriage was ending, lost a baby to miscarriage brought on by a beating from my first husband. Basically went through some really hard times. But the times when things got so bad I thought about ending my life, I knew I could NEVER do something like that to my children.
Suicide is the ultimate selfish act. Sorry, but a mother's first responsibility is not to herself but to her children.
You wrote: “I read somewhere that “Kennedy” came from some obscure Irish term meaning “deformed head.” Just saying.”
Correct. I have noted this before concerning another Kennedy transition to room temperature, Teddy’s, I think.
From my “Little Book Of Irish Clans:” Kennedy in the Irish is O”Cinneide, from a compound word meaning “ugly-headed” or “rough-headed”.”
The Kennedys are descendants of a cousin of Brian Boru, one of the early High Kings (Ard Ri) of Ireland.
I don’t mean to make light of the Teddy’s “transition.” I just hope he begged God’s forgiveness for his dalliances and the terrible demise of Mary Jo Kopeckne for which he was personally responsible.
I feel sorry for Bobby Jr’s kids. A terrible loss. If I were Mary, I would have taken some of that ill-gotten Kennedy money and the kids and moved to Maui to get away from the horrible family.
You might consider proof reading prior to posting.
I don't know about VWs but I saw an M60 roll over top of a Jeep once.
THREE reporters couldn’t even get their facts straight. St. Patrick’s is in Bedford, St. Francis of Assisi is in Mt. Kisco.
You possess a Mother’s love Kosmic. Thank God you made it through such struggles.
True that, but I believe MOST Christian Churches approached it in the same fashion. Now that we’ve learned more about what drives people to suicide, Churches, including the Catholic Church, have moved more toward trusting that God knows more than we about what’s in peoples’ hearts when they’re taken over by desperation.
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