Bishop Tobin to Congressman Patrick Kennedy: ´What does it mean to be a Catholic?´

By Deacon Keith Fournier
11/11/2009
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Your rejection of the Church´s teaching on abortion falls into a different category � it´s a deliberate and obstinate act of the will; a conscious decision that you´ve re-affirmed on many occasions.

(Congressman Patrick Kennedy and Uncle Teddy)

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) � Among those Catholics in public life who openly defy the clear teaching of the Catholic Church concerning the inviolable dignity of every human life from conception to natural death is Representative Patrick Kennedy. The son of the late Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy, he represents Rhode Island´s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. The Congressman was to have had a meeting with his Bishop Thomas J. Tobin concerning his very public defiance on this matter, but that meeting has now been postponed at Kennedy´s request.

We bring to our readers the full text of a letter which Congressman Kennedy received from his Bishop, Thomas J. Tobin. This letter was in response to Kennedy's public defiance against the truth revealed in the Natural Law, confirmed by science, affirmed in Scripture and the Tradition and taught infallibly by the Magisterium (teaching office) of the Catholic Church concerning the fundamental Human Right to Life. This matter recently surfaced when Kennedy publicly contended with the Church over the US Bishops´ heroic insistence that the proposed "Health Care Reform" which recently cleared the House not provide funding for abortion.

It passed only after the Pro-Life Amendment named after a Catholic Democrat, Bart Stupak, corrected the lethal nature of its impact on our youngest neighbors in the womb.(Editor's note:Sadly, the amendment never made it into the Senate Bill and the legislation passed without it) Kennedy and other Catholics such as Speaker Pelosi had simply lied when they said the legislation, prior to this essential Amendment, would not have had the effect of funding the killing of children in the womb with our tax dollars.

As Catholics called to stand in solidarity with all the poor, including those whom Mother Teresa called the "poorest of the poor", our youngest neighbors, we have had to contend with the lies of these Catholics for far too long. Patrick Kennedy is only one of too many. Kennedy told reporters on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 that he had postponed the meeting with his Bishop. He indicated he found it "very disconcerting" that Bishop Tobin will not keep the content of their discussion "private". This is, of course, one of the great subterfuges used by Catholics like Congressman Kennedy and others who openly defy the Church, cause scandal and confuse many in their perfidy.

What is different in this instance is the clear, courageous and commendable response of his Bishop, Thomas J. Tobin. He is using this as an opportunity to not only assist the Congressman by exposing his dangerous error and thereby assisting him to embrace the truth, but he is using it as an opportunity to stop this subterfuge before it continues to lead others astray. He published his letter to the Congressman in the "Rhode Island Catholic" in his regular column entitled "Without a Doubt" which can be found on the website of the "Rhode Island Catholic" at http://www.thericatholic.com/opinion/detail.html?sub_id=2632 (Editors Update: the Congressman has announced he will not seek reelection)

******

Dear Congressman Kennedy

BY BISHOP THOMAS J. TOBIN

Since our recent correspondence has been rather public, I hope you don´t mind if I share a few reflections about your practice of the faith in this public forum. I usually wouldn´t do that � that is speak about someone´s faith in a public setting � but in our well-documented exchange of letters about health care and abortion, it has emerged as an issue. I also share these words publicly with the thought that they might be instructive to other Catholics, including those in prominent positions of leadership.

For the moment I´d like to set aside the discussion of health care reform, as important and relevant as it is, and focus on one statement contained in your letter of October 29, 2009, in which you write, "The fact that I disagree with the hierarchy on some issues does not make me any less of a Catholic." That sentence certainly caught my attention and deserves a public response, lest it go unchallenged and lead others to believe it´s true. And it raises an important question: What does it mean to be a Catholic?

"The fact that I disagree with the hierarchy on some issues does not make me any less of a Catholic."

Well, in fact, Congressman, in a way it does. Although I wouldn´t choose those particular words, when someone rejects the teachings of the Church, especially on a grave matter, a life-and-death issue like abortion, it certainly does diminish their ecclesial ...

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1 - 10 of 69 Comments

Myra Kelly , Foxrock, Dublin 18.
3 years ago
I wish to congratulate you on your letter to Mr Kennedy. I only wish other bishops had your courage
Betty McKenzie
3 years ago
Bishop Tobin,Respectfully may I ask do you intend to refuse the Holy Communion to all Catholics who practice artificial birth control? I thought the church teaches that life begins at conception.This attitude towards Patrick Kennedy wouldn't be just a little right wing thinking, creeping in,would it?
Msgr. Peter
3 years ago
History does repeat itself. Being the Feast of St. Ambrose, one should recall that he took on Emperor Theodosius in 390. The Emperor had massacred about 1,000 Thessalonikans then and upon his arrival to attend Liturgy, St. Ambrose forbade to attend until he did penance - which he did!
Suzette
3 years ago
Great Letter Bp Tobin.
David
3 years ago
"Your position is unacceptable to the Church and scandalous to many of our members."

That was the line I was waiting for, it took at least ten years before someone actually wrote it.

Many Irish and Italian members of the Church believe that being Catholic is a hereditary heirloom. I know "White" or a person of German descendant who became Catholic as an adult and studies all the books and the writings, understanding only some of it who you would swear was a Catholic nun for many years. However, because she is "white" she believes that she is more Catholic than I.

We have many shades of "Catholics" some who distill their faith as if it where a family heirloom and some who try to sequester themselves in isolation from the rest of the Catholic body by paying the $65.00 to use the Fordham Library although they themselves are on public assistance and through it all become 'exclusive' and 'higher' than the rest of us.

I'm glad Bishop Tobin wrote this letter, I think every catechist ought to read it to the catchumen.
Joseph Loh
3 years ago
Praise the Lord, To be a catholic,(for that as a Christian) We must have the Faith ( Believe in the Church Teaching. and practice and act like one). If not they are just using the identity to their own objective.God will have His own way to deal with the issue.
Fr.Thomas
3 years ago
For a long time I was longing that God may send us a Voice which will speak against the crimes of morality in the society.I was really crying when I read all the comments of the people. Not even one supported for the stand of Mr. Kennedy. It really shows most of the people are still having courage to stand up against abortion and I pray that these people also raise their voice against homosexuality. I really pray for bishop Thomas Tobin, St.John the baptist of our days.May God Bless him and give the courage to other bishops also to stand firmly against the teaching of the church. Please give wide coverage for this type of issues which may enhance the faith of the people and be proud to be a catholic. Million of thanks your lordship, the real shepherd of our tim. We pray for you and we are with you!
Tom
3 years ago
Thank you Bishop Tobin. I have long thought that Ted Kennedy should have been excommunicated. It's good to see The Church finally taking a more offensive stance against our decadent government.
Dan
3 years ago
Bishop Tobin noted that Congressman Kennedy's "rejection of the Church's teaching on abortion" is not a light matter, but a "deliberate and obstinate act of the will, a conscious decision you've reaffirmed on many occasions" that is "unacceptable to the Church and scandalous to many of our members. It absolutely diminishes your communion with the Church." Support for abortion, in other words, does make one less of a Catholic.

He concluded his letter by inviting Congressman Kennedy, "as your bishop and brother in Christ, to enter into a sincere process of discernment, conversion and repentance," offering his help to that end and reminding him that "it's not too late for you to repair your relationship with the Church, redeem your public image, and emerge as an authentic 'profile in courage,' especially by defending the sanctity of human life for all people, including unborn children."
LtCol Philip E Trickett, USAF [Ret]
3 years ago
Rep Kennedy,
If you believe that 5 black-robed devils speak absolutely about abortion in America, the surely you also believe that one of those 5 will judge you at your final judgement and commit you to heaven or hell!

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