Is The Catholic Church Finally Taking A Stand?

Bishop Thomas Tobin confronts Rep Patrick Kennedy on abortion

The Catholic Church is finally confronting a member of the Kennedy clan on abortion, at least in the case of Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, Diocese Of Providence, RI. Bishop Tobin has not only called out Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy on Kennedy’s criticism of the US Conference Of Catholic Bishops stated opposition to abortion funding in pending “healthcare reform” legislation.

Bishop Tobin has also made it crystal clear to Kennedy that his arrogant defiance of the Church’s Catechism on the subject of abortion “is unacceptable to the Church and scandalous to many of our members. It absolutely diminishes your communion with the Church“. Though not officially barring Kennedy from the Sacrament, Bishop Tobin states that Kennedy, and other “pro-choice Catholic” politicians, should not receive communion.

We have repeatedly posed the question Where Is The Catholic Church? on the matter of Catholic legislators who blatantly enable the million-plus abortions in America each year. With a radical abortion on demand administration in the White House, and a democratic congress intent on foisting all of the provisions of the Freedom Of Choice Act upon America under the guise of “healthcare benefits”, the type of stance Bishop Tobin has taken with Rep Kennedy is long overdue. Let’s pray that it is not too late.

Though now whining about Bishop Tobin’s published comments concerning Kennedy’s standing in the Catholic Church, it was Rep Kennedy who initiated the public dialog with a sarcastic diatribe against the USCCB’s letter of October 8. The letter, sent to every member of the House and Senate, unsurprisingly stated that the bishops would “vigorously oppose” healthcare legislation that failed to include language explicitly prohibiting the use of taxpayer funds for abortions.

In an Oct 23 interview, Rep Kennedy took it upon himself to put the USCCB in its place on healthcare. Though his statement consisted of little more than a recitation of the party’s standard talking points, spin and outright lies, Kennedy laced it with the type of sarcasm and demagoguery his father was famous for.

“I can’t understand for the life of me how the Catholic Church could be against the biggest social justice issue of our time… we have 50 million people who are uninsured. You mean to tell me the Catholic Church is going to be denying those people life saving health care? I thought they were pro-life… this is an absolute red herring and I don’t think that it does anything but to fan the flames of dissent and discord..”

The TRUE social justice issue of our time
“Biggest social justice issue of our time”, by the way, is phraseology lifted straight from RadiantCross.org. We have repeatedly referred to the plague of abortion, the destruction of 50 million children by some of the most barbaric manners of death imaginable, as the “greatest social justice issue (or cause) of our time”. While providing access to healthcare for the 11 or 12 million Americans who want health insurance but cannot afford it is a social justice issue, it pales in dramatic comparison to even one screaming infant being dismembered, decapitated or poisoned and disposed of in a dumpster.

What passes for a conscience in these people who inflate the problem of the uninsured, in selfish pursuit of political power, while turning a blind eye to the hideous realities of abortion?

As Patrick Kennedy’s bishop, Bishop Tobin wasted no time in publicly demanding an apology for the derogatory remarks directed toward the USCCB. Rep Kennedy, however, having been reared on the motto “being a Kennedy means never having to say your sorry”, instead sent Bishop Tobin a missive intended to straighten out the bishop on Kennedy Catholicism.

“…the fact that I disagree with the hierarchy of the church on some issues does not make me any less of a Catholic… I embrace my faith which acknowledges the existence of an imperfect humanity.””

In bygone days, that might have been that. But Bishop Tobin, perhaps realizing that the Kennedy brand of Catholicism has corrupted far too many of America’s formerly faithful, publicly reintroduced Mr Kennedy to some good old fashioned Vatican Catholicism.

Catholic means Catholic
On Nov 12, in his Without A Doubt column in the Rhode Island Catholic, Bishop Tobin addressed Kennedy directly, assailing the common “pro-choice Catholic” argument “the fact that I disagree with the hierarchy of the church on some issues does not make me any less of a Catholic.”

“That sentence” Bishop Tobin wrote, “certainly caught my attention and deserves a public response, lest it go unchallenged and lead others to believe it’s true. …in fact, Congressman, in a way it does… if you don’t accept the teachings of the Church your communion with the Church is flawed, or in your own words, makes you “less of a Catholic.”

“Congressman, I’m not sure whether or not you fulfill the basic requirements of being a Catholic, so let me ask: Do you accept the teachings of the Church on essential matters of faith and morals, including our stance on abortion? …In your letter you say that you “embrace your faith.” Terrific. But if you don’t fulfill the basic requirements of membership, what is it exactly that makes you a Catholic? Your baptism as an infant? Your family ties? Your cultural heritage?”

“Your rejection of the Church’s teaching on abortion falls into a different category – it’s a deliberate and obstinate act of the will; a conscious decision that you’ve re-affirmed on many occasions. Sorry, you can’t chalk it up to an “imperfect humanity.”

Bishop Thomas Tobin’s entire November 12 column addressed to Rep Patrick Kennedy

With typical progressive liberal arrogance, and knowing he’d met his match on the subject of being a good Catholic, Kennedy simply referred to the column as something he was “not going to dignify with an answer. I’m not going to engage this anymore.”

To his great detriment. While Bishop Tobin is taking a long overdue public stand on behalf of the Catholic Church against pro-abortion members of congress, his column was written entirely from a perspective of pastoral love, forgiveness and reconciliation.

“Congressman Kennedy, I write these words not to embarrass you or to judge the state of your conscience or soul. That’s ultimately between you and God. But your description of your relationship with the Church is now a matter of public record, and it needs to be challenged. I invite you, as your bishop and brother in Christ, to enter into a sincere process of discernment, conversion and repentance. It’s not too late for you to repair your relationship with the Church, redeem your public image, and emerge as an authentic “profile in courage,” especially by defending the sanctity of human life for all people, including unborn children.”

The members of the USCCB give their lives to do God’s work and bring the souls entrusted to their care to heaven. They live to bring the Sacraments to the Catholic faithful, not to deny them. But all members of the Catholic clergy are duty bound to confront grave sin, such as abortion, and to correct the Catholics when they become corrupted by false teachings. Or false messiahs.

It is in the spirit of love and reconciliation that we ask all of our Catholic brothers and sisters who have been mislead on abortion to take one day to reflect upon Bishop Tobin’s column, their relationship with the Catholic Church and how that relationship is viewed by God. The Good God, who bestows human life as the greatest of His gifts, has not been, as Father John Corapi says, “a disinterested spectator” in the heartless destruction of 50 million of His children.

The Catholic Church is infallible in matters of faith and morals. Bishop Thomas Tobin has addressed every Catholic in America, in no uncertain terms, on their duty as Catholics on the moral issue of abortion.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear- Luke 8:8