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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
re: Ted Kennedy	Chas	Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Question: I dont mean to stir things up again. I completely agree with your response to jonny the gent but just one thing. You stated "If" he received absolution. Do we know for a fact that Ted Kennedy received absolution or not. Would it make a difference if we would knew for certain that he never repented? I'm not saying that he did or didnt. Just suppose that Ted Kennedy never repented and never called for a priest before he died. "If" that was the case would the Church still have had a Funeral Mass for him? I know that people who are in the limelight are always scrutinzed and everyone wants to know every detail of their lives. I know too that possibily many Catholics never repent but still have a funeral Mass and nobody asks about them whether they received absolution or not. However, a person in Ted Kennedy's position whose life was public and his every action recorded, was "1. Church funeral rites are to be denied to the following, unless they gave some signs of repentance before death:" fulfilled? Does the Church need to make public that this was fulfilled in order to avoid scandal? I dont mean to say that the Church should make public that Ted Kennedy repented in order to protect the seal of confession but at least say that he asked for a priest and leave it at that. What it if was recorded and there was no doubt that Ted Kennedy would have said that he stood by his voting record and had no regrets; this after a priest visited him? In Ted Kennedy's situation shouldnt it have been wise for the Local Ordinary to say that he had met all qualifications for a Funeral Mass and leave it at that? Your comments and God Bless.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Chas: It is improper to make speculations about Ted Kennedy's final moments. It is none of our business. We know for a fact that Kennedy had priests around him. What he did with them, his confession, his repentance, etc. is NONE OF OUR BUSINESS. This is between Teddy his confessor and God. Who determines if anyone ought to have a funeral Mass is the priest present at the death and the local Ordinary. We have no right, and I believe it is a sin, for us to challenge the judgment of the pastors and bishop on this manner. Their decision is their decision. Period. We are not privy to the details and thus we have no competency to even offer an opinion, let alone make a judgment. The protection against scandal is a matter for the bishop. The bishop could have refused the funeral Mass to prevent scandal if he thought this was needed. There are more factors then mere scandal of Kennedy's political life in deciding to grant or deny the funeral Mass. As I have said before, we who sit in the peanut gallery have no right or competence to second-guess the bishop on this decision. We may have an opinion, however, on what happened at the funeral Mass -- which in some respects violated the diocese own rules for funeral Masses. That is a valid criticism. But, the state of Teddy's soul, whether he was eligible for a funeral Mass, and the decision of the bishop to allow a funeral Mass is "above our pay grade" and not for us to discuss. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

re: Ted Kennedy

Chas

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Question:

I dont mean to stir things up again. I completely agree with your response to jonny the gent but just one thing. You stated "If" he received absolution. Do we know for a fact that Ted Kennedy received absolution or not. Would it make a difference if we would knew for certain that he never repented? I'm not saying that he did or didnt.

Just suppose that Ted Kennedy never repented and never called for a priest before he died. "If" that was the case would the Church still have had a Funeral Mass for him? I know that people who are in the limelight are always scrutinzed and everyone wants to know every detail of their lives. I know too that possibily many Catholics never repent but still have a funeral Mass and nobody asks about them whether they received absolution or not. However, a person in Ted Kennedy's position whose life was public and his every action recorded, was "1. Church funeral rites are to be denied to the following, unless they gave some signs of repentance before death:" fulfilled?

Does the Church need to make public that this was fulfilled in order to avoid scandal? I dont mean to say that the Church should make public that Ted Kennedy repented in order to protect the seal of confession but at least say that he asked for a priest and leave it at that.

What it if was recorded and there was no doubt that Ted Kennedy would have said that he stood by his voting record and had no regrets; this after a priest visited him?
In Ted Kennedy's situation shouldnt it have been wise for the Local Ordinary to say that he had met all qualifications for a Funeral Mass and leave it at that?

Your comments and God Bless.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Chas:

It is improper to make speculations about Ted Kennedy's final moments. It is none of our business.

We know for a fact that Kennedy had priests around him. What he did with them, his confession, his repentance, etc. is NONE OF OUR BUSINESS. This is between Teddy his confessor and God.

Who determines if anyone ought to have a funeral Mass is the priest present at the death and the local Ordinary. We have no right, and I believe it is a sin, for us to challenge the judgment of the pastors and bishop on this manner. Their decision is their decision. Period. We are not privy to the details and thus we have no competency to even offer an opinion, let alone make a judgment.

The protection against scandal is a matter for the bishop. The bishop could have refused the funeral Mass to prevent scandal if he thought this was needed. There are more factors then mere scandal of Kennedy's political life in deciding to grant or deny the funeral Mass. As I have said before, we who sit in the peanut gallery have no right or competence to second-guess the bishop on this decision.

We may have an opinion, however, on what happened at the funeral Mass -- which in some respects violated the diocese own rules for funeral Masses. That is a valid criticism. But, the state of Teddy's soul, whether he was eligible for a funeral Mass, and the decision of the bishop to allow a funeral Mass is "above our pay grade" and not for us to discuss.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum