Thou Shalt Not Give Patrick Kennedy Communion
For the past several days tensions between Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and the Catholic Church have been simmering like a giant kettle of Boston baked beans*, each camp issuing accusations via national media outlets. Late last week Kennedy — a Roman Catholic, a/k/a a Kennedy — broke the news that a bishop had instructed local priests to deny him Communion because he's pro-choice.
Now Bishop Thomas Tobin is hitting the airwaves to offer his side of the story…
"How can you claim to be a Catholic and also support abortion?" Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, Rhode Island, asked Monday on CNN, discussing his request that Rep. Patrick Kennedy, a Rhode Island Democrat, stop receiving Holy Communion because of his pro-choice politics.
No doubt that's a tough question. But hey, lots of people have figured out how to be Catholic and also support priests who abuse children, so I'm sure the bishop will find a solution somehow.
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* You can put the Kennedy in Rhode Island, but you can't take the Massachusetts out of the Kennedy, if you know what I mean.
RSS
Does Mary Phillips think that non-Catholics (even anti-Catholics) have never been guilty of child abuse? Are Protestants, Jews, Secularists, Moslems, atheists and Buddhists immune? Is Bishop Tobin gulty of abusing boys? No? Then why try to side-step the Kennedy/Communion issue? Kennedy is under no obligation to be a Catholic. If he doesn't like the rules he is free to join whatever religion or non religion he prefers. Why non-Catholics feel free to weigh in on an issue that is of no concern to them is beyond me.
Ugh. Bishop Tobin *didn't* instruct priest to refuse communion to Rep Kennedy. Where are the jokes over Kennedy's self-serving victimhood in claiming otherwise? Tobin IS looking for attention, it's true, but it's hardly like Kennedy is only accidentally speaking with the press about it.
Saw the headline and thought "and the irrelevant pedo joke is in 5, 4, 3, 2…."
What about Catholic politicans who have gotten divorced, denyed funding to the poor, supported execution, and/or voted in favor of war?
If the Catholic Church wants to play this game, they need to be called out for their inconsistancy on other socio-political issues.