Patrick Kennedy Denied Holy Communion by Catholic Church

2 years ago

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Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy has been banned from receiving the sacrament of Holy Communion by the Catholic Church in his home state because of his public support for a woman's right to have an abortion.

"The bishop instructed me not to take Communion and said that he has instructed the diocesan priests not to give me Communion," Kennedy said in an interview on Friday with the Providence Journal. Kennedy, a Catholic, is the son of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.).

On Sunday, Bishop Thomas Tobin confirmed the decision in a statement. "On February 21, 2007, I wrote to Congressman Kennedy stating: 'In light of the Church's clear teaching, and your consistent actions, therefore, I believe it is inappropriate for you to be receiving Holy Communion and I now ask respectfully that you refrain from doing so.'"

Kennedy told the paper that Tobin's refusal to give Communion is because he's "not a good practicing Catholic because of the positions that I've taken as a public official," particularly on abortion. Kennedy would not respond to questions about whether he has obeyed the bishop's request at Mass in Rhode Island or other dioceses over the past two-plus years.

Tobin said in the statement that the reason he asked Kennedy not to take Communion was "in light of the new statement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that said, 'If a Catholic in his or her personal or professional life were knowingly and obstinately to repudiate her definite teachings on moral issues, he or she would seriously diminish his or her communion with the Church. Reception of Holy Communion in such a situation would not accord with the nature of the Eucharistic celebration, so that he or she should refrain.'"

Tobin emphasized that he never wanted the issue of Kennedy's Communion ban to become public: "I am disappointed and really surprised that Congressman Patrick Kennedy has chosen to re-open the public discussion about his practice of the faith and his reception of Holy Communion. . . . The Congressman's public comments require me to reply."

On a personal level, Kennedy would only say that the church's denial of Communion gives him "personal feelings of disappointment."

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Filed Under: Abortion, Emily's Post

Tagged: patrick kennedy, PatrickKennedy, Thomas Tobin, ThomasTobin

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