Bishop asked Rep. Kennedy to stop receiving Holy Communion, do you agree with this?

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Roman Catholic bishop of Rhode Island says he asked Rep. Patrick Kennedy to stop receiving Holy Communion in 2007 because of the lawmaker's stand on what he called moral issues.

Kennedy told The Providence Journal in a story published Sunday that Bishop Thomas Tobin "instructed" him not to receive Communion because of his abortion rights stance. Kennedy said diocesan priests have been told not to give him Communion, but he did not explain how he knew that.

Tobin said in a statement Sunday that he "has never addressed matters relative to public officials receiving Holy Communion with pastors of the diocese."

The bishop says he confidentially asked Kennedy to stop receiving the sacrament in early 2007. Kennedy supports abortion rights, which the Roman Catholic Church considers a grave moral evil.

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Asked by sweet-a-kins at 12:05 PM on Nov. 22, 2009 in Politics & Current Events

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So the church is going to stop giving communion to those who do or think things that they disagree with? NO ONE would ever receive communion again. NO ONE is perfect with God or the church.

Answer by lovetwins89 at 12:44 PM on Nov. 22, 2009
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About 30 years too late

Answer by Anonymous at 12:06 PM on Nov. 22, 2009

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Patrick Kennedy, not Ted Kennedy

Answer by sweet-a-kins at 12:08 PM on Nov. 22, 2009
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The whole family should've been cut off when they colluded with a murderer.

Answer by Anonymous at 12:09 PM on Nov. 22, 2009

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Well, they have that right. Communion is supposed to be taken with a pure heart, and it is a sin to do other wise. It is a church thing.

Answer by lovinangels at 12:13 PM on Nov. 22, 2009
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Ted's dead- Maybe PK goes to confession weekly and is absolved of his sins, prior to receiving HC? Wonder if all those using BC should stop receiving HC too? Wonder how many ppl sitting in Mass today SHOULD actually be receiving the Eucharist? Hypocrites-

Answer by Sisteract at 12:15 PM on Nov. 22, 2009
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Well, they have that right. Communion is supposed to be taken with a pure heart, and it is a sin to do other wise. It is a church thing.

If you confess your sins to a priest and they give you a penance, than it is done. You have a pure heart again. There is no person in the world that receives it that is perfect as none of us are. To target one man because of his pro choice stance is kinda crazy. Saying you don't want to make that decision for someone else is not the same as doing it, should any woman that has had an abortion be restricted as well? Where is the line?

Answer by sweet-a-kins at 12:17 PM on Nov. 22, 2009
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This is another case of the church trying to push their way into politics

Answer by sweet-a-kins at 12:18 PM on Nov. 22, 2009
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Why does it matter to any else? It's between him and his church. Not Him, His church and the rest of the nation... If this was about a policy issue that we as Americans can weigh in, that's one thing. This about a relationship an individual MAN has with HIS individual church/ Seems to me like you are trying to pick a fight against the Catholic Church to make the church look bad. What's the point?

Answer by grlygrlz2 at 12:20 PM on Nov. 22, 2009
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It's the church's view. He pubicly does not agree with with their stance. They have a right to do as they wish. He has a right to choose another church. Lot's of Free Choice in this country... Don't like it? Don't like the way the Catholic Church works, has worked over many years? Then don't be a member.

Answer by grlygrlz2 at 12:22 PM on Nov. 22, 2009
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