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No winner in Kennedy - bishop abortion standoff

By
NIALL O'DOWD
,
IrishCentral.com Publisher

Published Sunday, November 22, 2009, 8:44 AM
Updated Sunday, November 22, 2009, 11:40 AM

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No winner in Kennedy - bishop abortion standoff | Irish News | IrishCentral




Read more: Patrick O. Kennedy, Thomas Tobin, Abortion
No winners here: Bishop Tobin of Rhode Island who has banned Patrick Kennedy from Communion over Kennedy's position on abortion
No winners here: Bishop Tobin of Rhode Island who has banned Patrick Kennedy from Communion over Kennedy's position on abortion

The decision to bar Congressman Patrick Kennedy from receiving Communion by Rhode Island Bishop Thomas Tobin is a step too far.

Abortion is a complex and incredibly emotional issue, which has divided this country for decades. However, dialogue, not confrontation, is the way forward.

If we start drawing lines, then it starts to get utterly polarized and nasty. The Catholic Church is against the death penalty. Should Rudy Giuliani be banned also from the altar rails because he supports it?

Of course not. The way forward on all these issues is to begin and continue a dialogue, such as what is now happening over the issue in the health care reform bill.

There, the Catholic Church has won a major victory with the agreement of Democrats that federal funding for abortions be curtailed.

There is also a mood in the country that, as life is seen to be established earlier than previously thought, that the issue of late-term abortions has tipped decisively in their favor.

Those are real victories, fairly won in a very difficult and emotional environment.

The arguments on the other side are also compelling. For example, if you ban abortion completely (as in Ireland, where women are forced to go to England), the problem may actually get worse.

In that case, we return to back-street abortionists for the poor, while the rich will simply find another way .

Bishop Tobin is treading on treacherous turf here. It leaves no room for dialogue and even less for the kind of patient and long-term perspective that is needed.

Patrick Kennedy has freely admitted he is a less than perfect human being, that he has struggled with alcoholism and other vices. The fact that he has been so straightforward about his failings is a credit to him.

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Posted by JosephOCasey on Feb 09, 2010, 12:44 AM EST
There need be no room for dialogue on an issue such as abortion. The Church's position is clear and not up for debate. Patience only leads to killing more innocent unborn gifts from God. Attempting to equate abortion to the death penalty is absurd. The Church's teachings do not put abortion on an equal footing as the death penalty. Abortion kills innocent babies, the death penalty deals with full grown adults who, through their own free will, violated a law in which they knew the potential result. Why is it that when the church singles out a liberal Democrat, you must try to find an equivalent involving a Republican? Notice I didn't say conservative Republican as Rudy Guiliani would not qualify as a conservative. Your point would have been better made if you brought up the fact that Guiliani is also pro choice. I will agree that he, too should be denied communion.
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Posted by Spiritranger on Feb 06, 2010, 10:01 AM EST
God always has the last vote and if you are on the wrong side of God's Word you are simply wrong. Abortion is murder and Rep. Kennedy is toast if he doesn't repent. (Luke 13:3, John 12:48)
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Posted by 2BorNot2B on Jan 14, 2010, 01:13 AM EST
" I for one am getting tired of non-Catholics or non-practicing Catholics like yourself making lame attempts to rebuke our Bishops and our beliefs with your own private interpretation" -- Excellent comment Zeus Rodriguez!
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Posted by JOSIESAR on Dec 14, 2009, 12:22 PM EST
SORRY PATRICK-NO SYMPATHY FROM ME. PATRICK IS THE ONE WHO BROADCASTED THIS ALL OVER THE NEWS! HE IS COMMITTING A SIN-PERIOD! HE DOES NOT DESERVE TO RECIEVE COMMUNION!
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Posted by kickstar on Dec 03, 2009, 12:14 AM EST
Why would you go to church on sunday to listen to some child molester mumbling rubbish.
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Posted by kickstar on Dec 03, 2009, 12:13 AM EST
'liseuxx' For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Seventh day and consecrated it. For the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. Not the First day as Sunday is 'liseuxx' But Sunday is the day the Romans set aside to worship the Sun God as can is modelled in the so called Monstrance that is an icon of the Sun. That you worship on Sun-day


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