We were all talking about this after daily Mass all week. Much criticism of the Bishop. Kennedy was a reprobate. And I think the criticism was justified. However, my own view is that we must be deferential to the Bishop in these matters. And as the conservatives gain strength in the AmChurch we just might need to establish that principle when our Bishops finally get a spine and start to hit back against the Left. I guess the bottom line is I believe in the Authority of the Bishop even though I disagree with his decision. Not too many others at Mass agreed with me. FWIW Just my take.
The Bishop has the authority, no argument there. I won't even criticize him giving Kennedy a Catholic mass and burial. I don't have any idea of the state of Kennedy's soul, nor do I know for sure that a public letter repudiating abortion wasn't written; one may have been and withheld by the family at the request of Obama.
But the Kennedy family knows the rules of the Church, and used their power to put on a spectacle contrary to the wishes of the Church. I think they owe a lot of people an apology, including the Cardinal.