Can’t have it both ways – you either are, or you aren’t Catholic:
Bishop of Providence Thomas J. Tobin has responded to Rep. Patrick Kennedy’s contention that his dissent from Catholic teaching on abortion does not make him “less of a Catholic.” Saying that such dissent renders the lawmaker’s communion “flawed,” he urged Kennedy to become a “profile in courage” and to defend the unborn.
Rep. Kennedy (D-R.I.), the son of the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, had accused the Catholic Church of fanning “the flames of dissent and discord” because of the Catholic bishops’ opposition to proposed health care reform that does not explicitly prohibit funding of abortion.
Bishop Tobin responded critically to the congressman and asked for an apology.
A meeting had been scheduled between the prelate and the politician, but a Tuesday statement from the Diocese of Providence said it had been postponed…
Kennedy is trying to straddle the fence – and it just can’t be done. Catholics – like all Christians – adhere to the belief that life is a sacred gift from God, and that life begins at conception. If an abortion is sought, it is wrong. The only time an abortion is not inherently evil is when it happens as a result of some other good desired – such as, for instance, a surgery to save the life of the mother which as an unintended result causes an abortion. The only time it is ever licit to kill is in defense of others – and even then, it is not a good thing that the killing is done. It is, some times, a sad necessity – but there is never a necessity for elective abortion.
And it is high time that the Kennedy family be called to account for itself. For decades the Kennedy’s have played upon their alleged Catholicism in order to both garner votes and give a patina of decency to some rather questionable life stories. Ted Kennedy got away with it, but we daren’t let the next generation do it. Patrick Kennedy is free to believe as he wishes – but if he’s to be Catholic, there are certain things he must believe.
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