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.}

Tags: Abortion, Catholic Church, Christianity, Patrick Kennedy, Religion, Rhode Island