O'Malley to preside at Kennedy funeral

Boston.com ^ | August 28, 2009 | Michael Paulson

[NYer]

Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston will preside at the funeral of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy tomorrow at the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (the Mission Church). The Rev. J. Donald Monan, a Jesuit priest who was the longtime president of Boston College and is now the chancellor, will be the principal celebrant. And the Rev. Mark R. Hession, pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville, will deliver the homily.

PROGRAM DETAILS:

First Reading: Curran Raclin, stepson
Responsorial: Kara Kennedy Allen, daughter
Second Reading: Caroline Raclin, stepdaughter
Homily: Rev. Mark Hession
Intercessory Prayers: Kennedy's four grandchildren, and the youngest grandchild of each of his siblings, will read quotes from his speeches. (The family chose to honor the youngest children because Kennedy was the youngest in his family.)
Offertory: Grandchildren
Music by Yo-Yo Ma
Communion
Music by Placido Domingo accompanied by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus
"Ave Maria" by Susan Graham of the Metropolitan Opera
Tribute: Edward M. Kennedy Jr. and US Representative Patrick J. Kennedy (sons)
Eulogy: President Obama
Song: America the Beautiful

ANALYSIS:

The family and church officials have essentially chosen to split the roles three ways. Cardinal O'Malley, because of his role as the archbishop of Boston, will technically preside over the funeral, but Fathers Monan and Hession, who had closer relationships with Senator Kennedy, will be far more visible to casual viewers of the liturgy. Monan will celebrate the Mass, which will include presiding over the congregation and reciting the prayers of the Mass and being at the center of the altar during the Eucharist. Hession will deliver the homily, and his task will be to take the readings of the day and apply them to the moment.

[mware]

I have taken to watching The World Over every Friday night at 8 PM.

Always interesting and he is really a solid as a rock Catholic.

[m4629]

In additon to quoting TK’s letter in part, the priest also mentioned the Holy Father wrote back to TK 2 weeks later, concerning about his declining health. This may, for some, give the erroneous impression that the Holy Father actually approves of TK.

As I said, I am not sure if the priest was McCarrick. If it was, I never had high opinion of this “uncle Ted McCarrick” either.

[elizabethgrace]

Thank you again, mware. I located Raymond’s program in my time zone on Friday evening and I note it repeats tomorrow afternoon. I have it set to record. :)

[Biggirl]

My season citizen mother had caught sight of what was going on, I have been listening to the Red Soxs of Boston.

[elizabethgrace]

For some reason, I'm unable to cut and paste your remarks (likely need to reboot)but I think you're absolutely right when you stated that some will use the Pope's reply to reflect whatever they want it to mean.

Peace be with you, m4629. The Kennedy's got their funeral which the lapdog media were only too happy to drag out and broadcast.

[rollo tomasi]

You are putting words in my mouth, of course I believe in deathbed confessions. Those who had no faith before but confessed in the Lord (Thief on the cross), those who left the Church but came back, etc...

But in Kennedy's case, were he felt entitled to sin with impunity and ignore Church teachings, at the same time embracing the Church for personal gain seems, hypocritical. Also naming Obama, pro-abortion to the extreme, as carrying on his “family's legacy at the same time of repenting seems not contrite at all. Of course in this day and age Spiritual discernment is so passé, especially endorsing abortion to the very end.

[elizabethgrace]

Good on you! I wasn't about to watch one minute of Kennedy coverage and wouldn't you know, the Little League games were rain delayed!

I checked the Sunday shows: More Kennedy, with the exception of Fox News Sunday which the Direct TV quick guide seems to indicate VP Cheney is a guest.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

O’Malley was in Palm Beach for a time as our Bishop. Maybe he knew the Kennedys there, too?

[rollo tomasi]

I almost forgot, “this poisonous little mind of a Catholic-hating bigot” is having his son receive first Communion next year.

Just because I question infallible authority figures who have hidden corruption does not make one a “Catholic-hating bigot”. I would like a strong Church and Diocese, not a pay-to-play Church that is overrun by influential pro-abortion/theft laity (Which one Church I attended was, even the nun who ran RCIA and passed out Obama pamphlets during the class). Also again, what do you have against Spiritual discernment anyway? In your rush to judge have you forgotten basic Scripture?

[elizabethgrace]

It was McCarrick! The letter he read went as follows:

“The Holy Father has the letter which you entrusted to President Barack Obama, who kindly presented it to him during their recent meeting. He was saddened to know of your illness, and asked me to assure you of his concern and his spiritual closeness. He is particularly grateful for your promise of prayers for him and for the needs of our universal church.

“His Holiness prays that in the days ahead you may be sustained in faith and hope, and granted the precious grace of joyful surrender to the will of God, our merciful Father. He invokes upon you the consolation and peace promised by the Risen Savior to all who share in His sufferings and trust in His promise of eternal life.

“Commending you and the members of your family to the loving intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Father cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of wisdom, comfort and strength in the Lord.”

_____________________

The way I read it, Pope Benedict XVI didn't personally reply to Kennedy's 10 page tome!

[netmilsmom]

I pray your son got a better Catholic education than I have read in your posts.

The only “infallible authority figure” there is in the Catholic Church, is the Pope in matters of Dogma only. Every person in the Catholic Church is human and has faults.

Pope Benedict would like a leaner stronger church. So one has a choice, learn about the Catholic Church and become stronger in one’s faith or find another church and help with the leaner part.

That is the choice. But to sit, moan and complain without finding out what steps ARE being taken, on Vatican time (not anyone else’s) puts one in the same category as those libs you denounce. In protest, so what does that make a person?

Protestant or part of a schism. With all the talk of pre-Vatican II, I suspect the later.

SSPX, SSPV?

[m4629]

The way I read it, Pope Benedict XVI didn't personally reply to Kennedy's 10 page tome!

You are right.

This very generic form letter was probably written by a low level cleric, then delivered via McCarrick. Nothing personal at all. So Ted wasn't the big cheese he thought he was in the Pope's mind.

[naturalized]

Ouch!

[rollo tomasi]

His private vices/sins are that, private. Kennedy's public scandals (Voting record which STILL causes harm today) regarding regurgitating all over the Catholic Church makes it into a laughing stock.

We have DUers/Catholic "liberals" for decades) now claiming they are "Kennedy Catholics". Able to separate public service rebellion to God with private sanctimonious harmony within the Church. Gee, do you think Christ approves of this?

The Catholic Church has rejected many of self proclaimed members funerals/Sacraments due to perpetual PUBLIC scandals. The whole purpose of repentance is to provide a testimony to the faithful of the reality of the conversion.

Kennedy had plenty of time to renounce, as a public figure, his actions which continue to damage the Church:

Scandal: 1.a disgraceful or discreditable action, circumstance, etc. 2.an offense caused by a fault or misdeed. 3.damage to reputation; public disgrace. 4.defamatory talk; malicious gossip. 5.a person whose conduct brings disgrace or offense.

Unless Kennedy repented PUBLICLY from his scandals, the Church should of told him to go pound in the sand. Instead he held on to the corruption till the bitter end.

"If his sin is not only grievous in itself, but involves scandal given to others, and if the bishop judges that it will be useful to the Church, let not the sinner refuse to do penance in the sight of many or even of the people at large, let him not resist, nor through shame add to his mortal wound a greater evil"

"Although, by a wise and salutary provision, opportunity for performing that humblest kind of penance is granted but once in the Church, lest the remedy, become common, should be less efficacious for the sick . . . yet who will dare to say to God: Wherefore dost thou once more spare this man who after a first penance has again bound himself in the fetters of sin?"St. Augustine, who apparently promoted a strong Godly institution that fought rather than accept scandal.

[Petronski]

Where did I condemn Kennedy?

I don't know. Did anyone claim you condemned him?

[Petronski]

Unless Kennedy repented PUBLICLY from his scandals, the Church should of told him to go pound in the sand.

Thankfully, justice and mercy in the Catholic Church come to us on God's terms, not yours.

[Petronski]

I almost forgot, “this poisonous little mind of a Catholic-hating bigot” is having his son receive first Communion next year.

So you self-identify with that description?

Interesting.

[rollo tomasi]

God's terms are specifically laid out for men of supposed faith who have acknowledge their belief in Christ. Both by the Bible and tradition of the early Church Fathers. No excuses period, unless a Church wants to end up like Laodicea.

St. Augustine made that PERFECTLY clear, or has the Church conformed to the world so much so, the early Church Father's advice is just that, advice, just one guy's opinion (Which was backed up through Scriptures, you know Divine guidance, duh, and concurred by many)?

[rollo tomasi]

“So you self-identify with that description?”

I was quoting you, not describing myself. Why would a bigot allow his son to have a RCC education? You JUDGE from blindness not from tradition.

Apparently you don't know the difference between discernment (By tradition) and judgment.

[rollo tomasi]

Did Ted Kennedy pull off an annulment by I guess adultery, still took the Eucharist and brought forth scandal onto the Church? Ted is what you call an enabler being in a position that he was. Now what did the Church Father’s recommend as a contrition/actions by the faithful for that (Especially being a lawmaker)? What does the Bible recommend (Where the recommendations were taken from)?