Kerry Kennedy on "Being Catholic Now"

It was bad enough when the church turned its back on the Jews during the Holocaust, however, I completely lost any respect for the Catholic church when they allowed child abusing priests to remain in places where they could continue to prey on children. When parents complained, the church moved the priests to new parishes where they could find new victims to abuse. When the scandal finally broke, instead of holding Bernard Law responsible for this mess, they scooted him out of the country, gave him a cushy job, and got him out of the limelight. He now lives in splendor despite the aggregious acts that he perpetrated on his flock. Shameful.

How anyone could support an institution that treated its most vulnerable parishioners in such a fashion is completely beyond my understanding. The church should have been dissolved, and the proceeds distributed to victims.

I was surprised to read the quote from Cardinal Geoge of Chicago in today's paper: "I stated publicly that there was no priest in ministry in Chicago who had against him a substantiated claim of sexual abuse of a minor. That statement was true when I made it and it is true now."

It is now well known that Cardinal George protected credibly accused pedophile priests in the Chicago archidiocese as recently as 2006 (Fr. Daniel McCormack and another priest). A deposition detailing this was released in Chicago a couple of weeks ago as part of a settlement with a number of survivors. The Delaware priest situation occurred in 2003, I believe.

One can only conclude that Cardinal George, the head of the US Council of Catholic Bishops, is still in denial about his actions around clergy sexual abuse TODAY at this moment. The media cannot allow these kinds of statements and actions to simply appear, unchallenged.

There is a movement afoot in Chicago and nationwide to have Cardinal George removed. If anyone is interested in being part of that movement please go to teh following web address: www.votf.org/change.

The Boston Globe has a history and tradition of being at the forefront of unearthing this kind of coverup for all to see in Boston. Now we see that the head of all the bishops nationwide is also in big-time denial. I hope you will follow-up on this story.

Below are links that readers may find helpful in learning more about Cardinal George's actions which protected pedophile priests as recently as 2006:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-cardinal-george-abuseaug17,0,3082885.story

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1141/is_/ai_n26695747

http://www.archchicago.org/c_s_abuse/Deposition081208/statement.htm (link to deposition itself)

This is just another petty attempt by the notoriously anti catholic Boston Globe to smear the Catholic Church and pander to liberals and their darling Kennedy's. It's funny how all the celebrities they quoted, Maher, Sarandon, and Byrne are very liberal and staunch Democratic supporters. Why didn't the Globe take the time to interview both sides? They didn't even bother to get interviews or comments from those of us who support the church on issues such as male only ordination and prolife causes. That's because the Globe is a biased tabloid rag and the Kennedy's are a bunch of fools desparate to keep thier name in the headlines. I guess Kerry Kennedy is another great "theologian" like that dispicable Pelosi. What a joke!

Hurray! Now the Globe's bigotry toward the Catholic religion can continue ...

I'm a gay 53 yr old man who was raised Catholic, was an alter boy and did all of the religeous things that one does growing up Catholic. I was dealing with my sexuality just before the abuse scandal broke out which did not help me deal with coming out. I knew that the scandal had nothing to do with being gay, but of course thats how the church was trying to portray it in the media and went as far as placing tighter controls on new candidates for priesthood. The timing of this book if perfect and is just what I need to read. I have had some of the same feelings Kerry has had, but I have gone further in that now I don't believe there is a god or anything after death. I'm hoping that after reading the book, it might change my views on faith and religion in general.

For all those who have "completely lost any respect for the Catholic Church," I suggest you dig a little deeper into the life of the Church and realize that, particularly in the Boston area, the Church has done amazing and wonderful things for people for many, many decades. The Church continues to provide a better education to inner city youths than the public schools, has assisted more poor people than any other religious or secular organization, has been the primary instrument of immigrant assimilation into America, and has trumpeted the cause of social justice more effectively and louder than anyone else. Yes, terrible acts were committed by some priests and the hierarchy made many mistakes in judgment. People have undoubtedly suffered (and still do suffer). But do not be so blind as to dismiss all the good the Church has done and continues to do.

Gleaning snippets from the article: "Law is a villain, climate of coverup, clergy abuse, nuns holding matches to fingers, Bill Mahers (constant) whinings, etc. Many who comment on the Catholic Church have very little understanding of the faith. Christ instituted the church and its sacraments, showing us the way to salvation, fully understanding that his followers would stumble along the way. He even allowed for sinners to administer his sacraments. Detractors continue to label the acts of (we) stumbling Catholics as acts of "The Catholic Church". Sinning members do nothing to alter the basic truths Christ gave us. People who leave the church because of member weaknesses never understood the faith to start with. People who aren't Catholic don't understand it to start with. If they fully understood Christ's teachings they would embrace the Church.

Fifteen billion years ago, the cosmos did not exist. Time did not exist. Space did not exist. My belief tells me that God did exist, when "things" did not.
Astrophysics describes that from a "point" of no dimensions, emanated all that we call energy or matter, including what we now call "dark" matter. This emerging cosmos spread outwards at enormous speeds, with births of stars from clouds of invisible matter and forming into galaxies containing ten of billions of stars in each of hundreds of billions of these galaxies. Five billion years ago, our "star", the one we have named "the sun", was born and other non-luminous objects formed in orbits at varying distances from that star. The third object apparently developed the exact conditions from which lining matter could evolve, and that matter apparently was the matter which in ways we have yet to understand, caused living organisms to evolve.
Having evolved to a certain plateau of intelligence to allow for rational discourse and dialogical communication, these beings we term "man" according to our present belief welcomed the aforementioned God as one of us. This man we have called "Yeshua" as he was an Aramaic speaking Galilean Jew. He lived an apparently mostly simple life until age thirty or thereabouts when according to the earliest written narratives of his life [the "good news" according to Mark] he became an active preacher following the death of a desert trained ascetic named John the Baptizer".
This same source records as Yeshua's very first public words, "Metanoiesete[i.e., change the way you think about reality], the Kingdom of God is within you. Believe this good news."
Kerry Kennedy is on to something genuine in her discovery that the Catholic Church has done more than any other institution in promoting loving care for the poor, the sick etc... while through the same historical period have given more scandal than most other institutions.
When the Church strays from the truth in Jesus' keynote address, it lkewise is forgetting to perform the primary task of Jesus, to "proclaim THIS good news.
Throughout the ages, Roman Catholicism has focused on the exteriority of religion, the liturgy, the symbols, the buildings, the words, rather than upon the interiority of spirituality.
Where is that original "point of no dimensions" now? It is WITHIN. The Kingdom of Heaven is within me, and within you, and within everything that exists.
We can take a lesson from the religions of the East and begin to venerate the sacred within by a bow, or a loving word or deed. Amen.

I just finished reading th article and transcript of the Kerry Kennedy
interview. I am not much of a book reader, but after reading the story I am
getting her book. While some will strongly disagree with her, most people I
know will say she is 100% correct!

First of all how does Kerry Kennedy know anything about the average Catholic who goes to church every Sunday, sends their kids to Catholic school and supports the church in the collection. It is very easy to say the things she says because of her financial position. Also all the people she interviewed are wealthy. Most of them don't go to church. 90% of the Catholic people I know are not voting for Obama/Biden.

SOUNDS LIKE KENNEDY NEEDS TO FIND ANOTHER CHURCH.

THE CHURCH IS BIGGER THAN SHE IS. IF SHE DOESN'T LIKE THE DOCTRINE, FIND ANOTHER RELIGION.

I GUESS SINCE THERE AREN'T ANY NEW SCANDALS WITH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH......THE GLOBE WILL BRING UP AN OLD ONE.

WHY DON'T YOU TRY WRITING A FRONT PAGE ARTICLE ABOUT ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DOES FOR PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD. THEY ARE MORE CHARITABLE THAN ANY SINGLE ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD. OR DOESN'T THAT FIT YOUR AGENDA?

I am a 46 year old gay man who was raised Catholic, and remains a proud Catholic. My parents had uncles and cousins who were priests, and during high school I worked for the Jesuits at their summer house in Cohasset, so I was fortunate, while growing up, to know many priests well, and consider them friends. I must add that I missed out on the Catholic school torture that seems to be the source of so much bitterness I hear from so many lapsed Catholics. In short, my upbringing in the Catholic faith was quite satisfying and trauma free.

In later years, as I began to understand my sexuality and the Catholic Church’s dim view of it, I wrestled with how I could be associated with such an institution. That all changed for me when, as a young man in college, my father was dying from colon cancer. His Catholic faith allowed him, and thus, our whole family to face his death without fear, albeit, with great sadness. With the support of our pastor and parish, my father and family were surrounded with more kindness, love, and compassion than we had ever know. I now knew that despite my obvious disagreement with the Church’s teachings on homosexuality, I must be associated with a community full of such love, kindness, and compassion. It brought home that early lesson taught in CCD class: The real church is not the building with the steeple, it is not the priest on the altar, nor the Pope in the Vatican; rather it is the communion of the faithful.

Now, as a grown man living in Manhattan (still a Bostonian at heart), Being Catholic Now means I enjoy the love, kindness, and compassion of a large Jesuit parish here that not only welcomes, but celebrates gays and lesbians. On gay pride Sunday in 2006 our pastor challenged us to, in the face of “hate speech from the Vatican towards homosexuals”, to be out and proud as both gay and Catholic. Many people cried listening to those words, and it is the only time I have seen a sermon receive a standing ovation.

To others out there who are feeling disenfranchised with the Catholic Church, try and find a Catholic community where you can enjoy the love, kindness, and compassion that are abundant there. Especially for my gay and lesbian friends out there, check out Fr. Pete Liuzzi’s book With Listening Hearts – Understanding the Voices of Lesbian and Gay Catholics. One of his messages is: DON’T EVER LET ANYONE DENIE YOU YOUR RIGHTS AS A BAPTISED CATHOLIC.

For me, Being Catholic Now means bringing Christ’s message to daily life, and being and a proud example that the Catholic Church is a communion of the faithful, not just a building, a priest, or a Pope.

Sinning members do nothing to alter the basic truths Christ gave us. People who leave the church because of member weaknesses never understood the faith to start with. People who aren't Catholic don't understand it to start with. If they fully understood Christ's teachings they would embrace the Church.
Thanks Al---worth repeating over and over.

Nowhere in Church dogma does it say humans won't make mistakes. Not loving the Catholic faith because of sinning priests makes no sense at all.

As a former Catholic ( and a part of me will always be catholic), I respect those like Kennedy who remain within the church to speak out not only about the sinfulness that they see, but can also admire the good that the church still does.. For me the church was just not loving enough, and I had to find a place where I could both nourish my relationship with God, and at the same time be able to love all my neighbors without restriction or exclusion. ( no matter the religion, race, class, gender, sexual orientation, culture) God loves us all and Jesus asks us to love everyone as he loves us, even our enemies.. I have found a spiritual home for the past 2 1/2 years as a Unitarian Universalist, and it is the place I have been looking for my whole adult life. While I continue to pray for and with my Catholic brothers and sisters, I personally could not remain as an "angry' Catholic. Life is too short.. May we all work together in harmony to bring about Jesus vision on earth, in the best way that we can...

The Catholic Church, like all institutions, has rules and regulations. It is not, and never will be, a democracy. Too many on the left believe they can say and do whatever they please, and still claim the right to call themselves Catholic.
A hamburger-eating Vegetarian has more credibility.
Those who lacked the faith and fortitude to attend weekly Mass have used the sex-abuse scandal as the reason for not attending. Were they lying then, now or both?
The pedophile priests belonged in jail. Period. Were it a lawyer, a carpenter, a dentist-wouldn't they be incarcerated? Anyone taking money as a settlement for being sexually abused became a prostitute after the fact, with the exception of those whose offenders had already passed on.

I am a devout Catholic and proud of my liberal leanings which are dictated by my faith and my humble attempts to follow the path of Christ. I vote my conscience on all the social justice issues and not just one. Like many other Catholics I was horrified by the sex abuse scandal, and while I remained a practicing Catholic, I cannot fault those for whom it was the last straw. Religion is a deeply personal matter and I am no better for remaining Catholic than those who went their separate way. "Judgement is mine saith the Lord."

For those who bash the liberals in this blog, the last I checked Bill O'Reilly is to the right of Ronald Reagan, which is to say, about as conservative as they come!! And the Globe's story discusses a book about being Catholic in today's world, not about the issues contained therein. To trash it without reading it is the epitomy of ignorance. I for one am grateful to the Globe--as I would be to the Herald, or any other newspaper--for informing me about this new book.

I am a 53 year old female who was raised Catholic. I also, by coincidence, was a parishioner at several churches where some of the much publicized pedophile priests served. I watched the Church annul my parent's 33 year old marriage (with 5 children) because a my future stepmother wanted to marry in the Catholic church. Such a joke since she is not a practicing nor devout Catholic. 10 years ago I became a Christian and have developed a spirituality that is phenomenal. I no longer live as a hypocrite. I will read her book just to see how much brain washing she has received.

This is a typical sharing from those raised in the formerly orthodox Kennedy family. The Magisterium of the Catholic Church has consistently taught for over 2000 years that those who support abortion are no longer members of the Catholic Church. But Kerry Kennedy would have us think that belief is a series of cafeteria a la carte selections, and here she is through this book trying to continue fostering her incorrect beliefs on those foolish enough to listen to someone who has the Kennedy name. The truth is that to have a Kennedy in politics help you, you first have to survive their attempt to destroy you in utero. And yet they write books about struggling with their faith that simply reveal that they are no longer Catholic at all.

It reminds me of a famous quote "there aren't 100 people whom hate the Catholic Church but there are thousands whom hate what the peceive the church to be".

Just a few comments.
1.) I have always found the Boston Globe to be very much a promoter of the Catholic Church. Have not forgotten attending the play Mass Appeal as 1 of 6 members of the audience. The play was panned by the globe critic. The cardinal did not approve you see. To call the Globe anti catholic is a slur.
2.) It is not easy to be a catholic in boston now, knowing you can trust no one. 90% of priests are good, as proved by their rejection of Law. But still, the 10% look like everyone else, and those who looked the other way are greater than the offendors. No group of men living in the same house for years at a time can not determine whom is odd. It is as true in a college dorm as in the rectory.
3.) There is nothing on your babptism certificate requiring unquestioning obedience. And it is very hard to get excommunicated. Down right impossible, even if you go to your parish priest and tell them that you do not want to be catholic anymore and request it. They can't do it.

So enough already of this "if you don't like the catholic church, leave" Pretty cowardly if you don't tell people how. Anyone ever seen a certificate of excommunication? No, did not think so.

The church is much more than just the members that have been ordained. As a child, I attended Catholic schools and mass every Sunday, but my Catholic faith was a result of the daily examples of my parents. They are the ones that talked to me about right and wrong and the love God has for me. It is that faith that they turned to celebrate life's joys and to sustain them during its sorrows. They too were disappointed by the sex abuse scandal, but they also know many preists and lay people who have dedicated their lives to helping others. Both my parents are in their late seventies. My mother still volunteers at church and my father has devoted countless hours to helping others through St. Vincent de Paul. I am fortunate to have these good people still setting the example for me and even more fortunate that they were the real teachers of my faith. I had my first child two years ago and I pray I can to the same for her.

The comments from the "gay" Catholics are interesting. But the fact is that 81% of the sex abuse was men preying on young adolescent boys. This is not pedophilia, but pederasty (look it up). In no way does that excuse the bishops who covered it up, but let's get real about who was doing the abusing: homosexuals. And a number of bishops have been outed also, and removed.

And let's get real about "gay" too. "Gay" is something you do, not something you are. All of us, as a result of our fallen nature, are easily drawn to sin. Homosexual behavior is just one of many types of sin. Stop kidding yourselves. Repent. You cannot and will not be saved otherwise. Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.

It seems that Kerry Kennedy has sincere instincts in writing this book. There's just one broad-based problem: Kerry Kennedy isn't interested in Catholicism.

She's interested in whatever her feelings, her ideology or her preferences SAYS Catholicism is. Presumably, she believes that Jesus was the Son of God. But she refuses to believe what Jesus and the Church he founded teaches, unless it fits her own ideological values, some of which have nothing whatever to do with her Faith. To her credit, in some measure, unlike many in her clan and those of similar views, she is remarkably honest about this fact.

Why was the devout Faith of grace before dinner, bible reading and praying to the Saints warm and wondrous then but so deficient for her own children now? Doesn't she want for her children what she had for herself as a child?

She's seen first hand some of frontiers of positive action that the Church has taken in war ravaged and poor areas of the world as the largest charitable organization on the planet. Where does she think all this came from, if not, at first, from the Vatican and the the Magisterium? Given what has been achieved by the Church in these areas and the wisdom that must surely have guided such progress, why can't she bring herself to rethink what the Church teaches about other areas?

It seems there's no reason for that other than that she simply doesn't WANT to.

Has she ever read any of the great saints like St. Augustine, Aquinas or recent popes likes John Paul II or the many books by Pope Benedict XVI? It seems instead she's fundamentally decided to seek self-serving platitudes by those (like Fr. Drinan) who wish to give her mistaken guidance.

She's gotten a divorce but it's not an issue because she hasn't remarried. Huh? And what if she does remarry? What then, Kerry? Then, will it be an issue? It seems doubtful.

Given the people mentioned here, Sheen, Quindlan, Pelosi, etc, does anyone worth their salt really think she's decided to pursue a real diversity of views in her book?

In short, Kennedy, like most of her family, does whatever she pleases. It's really all about Kerry, not about God and His Church. Calling this "Cafeteria Catholicism" is probably generous; it's more like Catholic schizophrenia.

What can anyone expect from men who dress up in women's clothing and where the same hat as the guy from Burger King.

By the way I spent 13 years in parochial education system I know the drill.........phonies & hypocrites the whole lot of them

Oh, joy. More "news" about people and their fairy tales.

Sadly many people of my generation have turned their backs on the Catholic religion.....but let's not forget the church is an institution, and instituions are run by humans who, the last time I checked, ARE NOT PERFECT!!! Humans make mistakes, and having been sexually abused as a child myself, it has taught me the greatest lesson of all, to FORGIVE....this is at the heart and soul of the Catholic faith!! Ironically, I would not have to wonderful life I have today without my strong Catholic faith!!! I have both my wonderful parents to thank for that, and I only hope I can do half as good a job with my own children. People need to continue to seek out the goodness in the Church; and let's practice the message of forgiveness and move past this horrible period.

None of our young boys or girls are safe from rape and sexual assault by grossly immoral homosexuals who are pandered to and encouraged by the media and by all the radical Liberals--like Obama, Reid, and Pelosi.

Save our boys and girls!......Vote with the good guys--the Republicans.

Let's take Kerry Kennedy's astute insight on 2,000 years of moral teaching by many of the world's greatest thinkers and put it into practice. We allow abortion on demand (possibly infanticide, as some suggest), divorce, and women priests (which has worked well for the Anglicans). No mention of gay priests, as we are enlightened in this area (the front pages of the Globe attest to this). Now on Sunday, relieved from the freedom of making choices between good and evil and the burden of responsibility, I can sit there passively and get the warm fuzzies. That should get me up. But Kerry, we already have these churches, I suggest looking into them and leaving Catholicism as is. With all its faults, and there are many, it is the great hope of a fallen and confused world. Catholicism is not the easy way, but it gets me up! And, the nun stories are tiresome. The fact is the vast majority were the first liberated women in America. They, not the church, ran their orders physically and financially, worked as educators, missionaries, ran orphanages, worked in hospitals and ran charities to help the poor. Alas, I'm only a "pray, pay and obey Catholic, state university grad and, do I dare say it, Newton housewife. Obviously, Kerry knows something I do not.

Julie R's post is on target, with links to important articles about George's record. I would recommend instead though the www.bishopaccountability.org version of George's deposition (released three weeks ago), which is organized in a far superior fashion to the archdiocesan website.

www.bishopaccountability.org has links to exhibits and a very understandable format at http://www.bishop-accountability.org/depo/2008_01_30_Cardinal_Francis_George/#depo

The story is recent and timely, related to a $13 million settlement in August.

Key is George's admission he NEVER reported allegations of abuse in accord with IL law.

The law reads: : “Any member of the clergy having reasonable cause to believe that a child known to that member of the clergy in his or her professional capacity may be an abused child as defined by law shall immediately report or cause a report to be made to the department.” (325 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/4 (West, WESTLAW through 2003 Reg. Sess.)

Further, “Any…person required by this Act to report suspected child abuse and neglect who willfully fails to report such shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first violation and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent violation.”

I want to know in light of George's admission why he is not being prosecuted by IL authorities. He handled two priests' cases where he kept them in ministry until 2006. That makes George a multiple offender.

When is a cardinal or bishop not going to be above the law, kept there by the deference of laity and public officials? People of conscience everywhere need to contact these officials to press for criminal prosecution:

Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General: 312.814.3000
http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/about/email_ag.jsp

Richard A. Devine, Cook County State’s Attorney: 312.603.7985
stateattorney@cookcountygov.com

It is tragic to see the posts here that accuse the Globe of bias. Such is the willful blindness and conscious ignorance of laity who like bishops are in denial.

It was a shame that Cardinal Law was able to leave the country in the darkness of the night. I find it interesting that there were priests who committed these crimes who were excused because of the statue of limitation yet there is no such statue when your in the confessional.
In addition to the victims, the innocent people in need also suffered because the faithful decided they would no longer contribute to the church.

I make reference to message #10 by anne marie who finishes her opinion by stating that 90% of her Catholic friends and associates are not voting for O'Bama. I would suspect they also Irish and from Boston.

It's amazing that the 'business' called the Catholic Church is still in business. Morally, it's certainly bankrupt. It's amazing that an organization that knowingly participated in the continual cover-up of priests molesting young boys still has any 'followers'.

Throw in a few outdated views (their barbaric stance on birth control has contributed to a rampant AIDS issue in Africa and masturbation causes insanity, for example), and you have an organization that is borderline criminal. It's interesting to read the stories about the church having to sell off their assets to pay for the sins of their fathers. Be thankful that the IRS allows the sham of "tax-free religion" to continue, or otherwise you would be facing an almost certain bankruptcy filing.

Yes, the Catholic Church is a pyramid scheme whose time has come to an end. Enough of the cover-ups, the lying, and the politics, Catholic Church. This is the new Age of Enlightenment, and nobody is buying your go to market strategy!

I hope that Cardinal Law is still dropping his Pope-Soap-On-A-Rope in the showers.......with God knows who!

As a recent convert to Catholicism, admittedly a Paulist Center liberal kind, I had to find it in myself to forgive the Church and its various Popes for such egregious sins as the Crusades, the whole Borgia thing, and so on. The very idea of granting infallibility to the Popes and then stand back to let them behave however they want undermines anyone's desire to truly believe. For me, it's the collision between the claim to infallibility and the obvious behavioral evidence to the contrary that makes me suspicious of any ecclesiastical claims to authority. People will say, "well that was then", but of course, now is the then of those who will come later, and how can we be so sure that the current Church isn't worth judging harshly?

The author portrays the views of a "thinking Catholic", no longer an oxymoron! I will get the book. As a Chicago Catholic I am devastated by our local hierarch, Cardinal George. He is neither a shepherd nor a leader; his management skills are worse than my 11 year old. It is a sad day for Chicago when "the enforcer" came to town 10+ years ago.

The deposition was a wake up call for us all as we knew bits and pieces but this document connected the dots for us all as he was under oath. As a mandated reporter George is guilty of not going to the police.

The sadder reality is that the sheeple have been so trained to be docile, obedient and trusting that they cannot imagine being a Catholic any other way.

To Montgomery:

Have you ever actually spoken to any of the clergy abuse victims who settled with the church? If you had, you would know that for the vast majority, a civil suit was the only way to find any justice. It makes no difference if the abuser is alive or dead. The reason that victims cannot find justice through the criminal system is due to the statute of limitations. Most of the victims have had their lives impacted negatively in every way because of the abuse. They deserve to be compensated for the crimes committed against them just as any crime victim does. Why do you feel the need to blame the victims? Calling them prostitutes is simply cruel and absurd. Perhaps you would have some compassion and insight if you had been raped by a priest as a child, and the hierarchy knowingly failed to protect you. I fear that your comments are based in a lack of education and a closed mind.

Pat,

The clergy abuse problem is not an "old" one.

Check out www.bishopaccountability.org.

Every day it posts new stories from around the world regarding victims coming forward, new settlements, continued covering-up by bishops. Perhaps it's easier to pretend it's all ancient history, but that's not reality.

Thank God for the good Sister of Notre Dame, a heavenly flock who, in spite of their faults, quirks, weaknesses and misgivings, instilled faith and knowledge (and yes, a keen appreciation of evolution) working as the lowest servants of the Holy See. Never have I heard of their or any other sisters' complicity in heinous acts against children. I pray for many of these departed sisters often and thank my lucky stars I had the pleasure of their teaching. They set me free and out upon life's journey...by the end of my college career, many of them had left the Church. Were they all wrong?
The very first priestly scandal to hit the news, of course, was Fr. James Porter right here in New Bedford at my old St. James Parish. I read the descriptions of the sacristy and downstairs men's room where he did many of his dirty deeds to the young innocents. I spoke to some who couldn't even talk without shaking in anger. And I heard the stories of his "friendly" attempts to visit sick children in the local hospital, and the parents who'd confront him asking him to leave. And then, of course was Fr. Fernandes, a former clasmate of mine, who also strode those same rooms either before or after preaching celibacy, strict adherence to church views of procreation and his private viewing of lewd videos of young men on his laptop computer. I remember parental complaints of his public nudity in the boy's shower room at summer camp. I asked, and was glad to hear that he nnever touched my son. Fr. Fernandes was designated the Bishop's (now Cardinal's) anti-abortion stalwart for the Diocese of Fall River. He had aspirations to become a Bishop one day. He made it all the way to pastor of a church on the Cape. I prayed for him when I read his sickening story...but I prayed for his father more. It made me shudder to think I strode through that room (sometimes reading for Fr. Fernandes!) and used that facility.
But I also saw St. James more recently used as a 24/7 refuge for families of New Bedford's "illegals" (the poor who are always with us) who were round up last year by a politicized Justice Department, Homeland Security and DEA mob which was reminiscent of the crowd on Calvary.
The Church, just like St. James, can be a place of great evil and great good.
I'm sure there are many "catholics" out there who'd disagree with both of these perspectives as they suggest the Globe perpetrates a slur or that these views are not valid. These are of the same ilk who among other things, forced Fr. Drinan from Congress and applaud mobs jeering at parents facing deep moral crises. I'll always be a Catholic deep down even though the hierarchy doesn't want me for my divorce. I'll definitely buy the book.
I "wear" that non-practicioner designation as a badge of honor. What badge does Cardinal Law et. al. wear?

Kerry Kennedy would do well to consult a Dictionary before using the word "anathema" against the Church; although it's not surprising in today's day and age for a dissident Catholic to elevate herself (according to an erroneous understanding of the term "freedom of conscience) above the content of 2000 years of Catholic teaching. Be that as it may, an individual can't "anathemize" the Church. However, an individual can certainly reject fundamental Church teachings, such as the belief in the sanctity of human life (human persons are made in God's image and Redeemed through the blood of Christ). That rejection doesn't make the Church wrong. It just means that the person is an unbeliever who has has squarely removed herself from the community of believers. The correct word that Ms. Kennedy should have used is "excommunication," because that's one thing she can do on her own.

"If you believe what you like in the Gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself." St. Augustine

Okay… I’m not putting down the beliefs of others but when given the opportunity to speak out ~ I do. Some background – I was baptized as a Protestant (being so I hope this doesn't discount me from adding my comments to this blog - but wait) and later thought I was self-converted to Catholicism – big mistake. I have on many occasions written back about the church's involvement in our daily lives and honestly I am now not a pro-church person at all. This article, book, blog whatever is just another example of which just confirms the point I make when I do speak out. For one, I do question the proposed word of god. If god had created all of us equal and is so very loving – then why are there so many freaking rules that make many catholics so unhappy, guilty, and resentful and also banish others - like gay people? It’s like they have their own club and if you don’t like it – get out! Another question, I still ask why we allow a church group to be so involved in our daily government and politics when the church is such a farce! Like Bush – why do we tolerate them/him? Another, they can’t even afford to pay for their own property maintenance, they are exempt from paying taxes, there are less church goers as well as “leaders/pedophiles” and yet still people are drinking the coolaide ~ then why do we have them???
There are so many things wrong with the church from its direction, archaic rules, being non-progressive and it costs tax payers to have them! However, I do note that more churches are selling their property and closing some churches down to pay for the priest rapists wrong doings. In addition, some/most of the churches are leaches in demanding you give them more money to feed into their systems. Doesn’t anyone see how wrong the whole church concept is and how stupidly reliant our government is to even refer to god bless America??? What does the church really do for us except provide a place for those weaker needing some formal words on a Sunday or those who are guilted in some way to attend church because if they don’t they are not keeping up with the Joneses and they will talk {shutter}?
Trust me folks, as you read this - I’m not a lost soul – I have not been raped by a priest nor am I an outcast of society ~ but I am a sinner by my own terms. So I’m not any better than any of you which is part of my point in writing this – get stronger and move away from the church and be yourself as well as let our government run without ties to the church.
The end – for now.

Comment to posting #3 - now that's not being very Catholic is it - you need to repent and get confess - NOW!

To No. 21 Wainwright Peregrine:

How to get excommunicated:

1. Go to the website of the diocese in which you were baptized.

2. E-mail the "info" address and tell them you'd like your baptism rescinded. I included the statement that any attempts to dissuade me from this resolve would be considered disrespectful and abusive. Request a copy of the change to the baptism register. Include the info on where and approximately when you were baptized.

3. Receive a response from the diocesan archivist, who will tell you they will contact the parish in which you were baptized and they will make the requested change.

4. Receive your manumission (release from slavery) paper - the copy of the register page with the notation that you have left RCC Inc. (complete with embossed seal - no glitter or stars though). If there is a marriage listed, they will cite canon laws 205, 1186, and 1117. They wrote on mine: "Indicated her desire to formally withdraw from the Catholic Church 13 August 08 (canons 205, 1186, 1117)." (BTW, I've considered myself a non-catholic for the last 26 years or so.)

5. If you married a Catholic, then your marriage is (if I read the canon laws correctly) annulled (fee annullment without going through the usual expensive process). You are still *legally* married by the laws of the state in which you married, so simply ignore the irrelevant laws they're trying to apply here.

6. This rescinding goes back in time and undoes your baptism and all rituals (including marriage). You were never baptized, confirmed, made your first communion, or were married.

7. As an alternative, you can unrepentantly say something obscene about the holy spirit in the presence of a priest - he's duty-bound to excommunicate you for that. However, this provides no documentation. My method does provide documentation.

8. If you leave in this way, they can no longer count you in their false figures (note the discrepency between how many catholics RCC Inc says it has vs the 50% of Americans who say they are ex-catholic). This is why I made this move - I didn't want them to count me anymore.

The central myth of christianity starts with the ***rape of a young girl*** (hence all the pedopriests working so hard to emulate their god, who they believe they are more like than are nonclergy people). The next central myth is that of "god" as a shepherd and the people as "sheep". What is the true relationship of the shepherd to the sheep? Fleece 'em, screw 'em, kill 'em, eat 'em. Yeah, right, real loving and pretty picture. We can choose to be human beings instead of sheep. There is no point in supporting in any way, shape, or form an organized criminal child rape cult. Take your faith and make it your own, independently of the sex magicians who say you need them to make contact with the divine. You do NOT need them.

The Emperor Has NO Clothes!!!!!!!!!!!

"...and playing Three-card Monte with the pedophile priests and blaming it on people who are gay," she said. "So it was important to me to resolve that."

Why was it important for YOU to resolve that? I'm a Kennedy so now I'm a scholar on Catholicism? Yeah, your families history exemplifies how a Cotholic should live.
When the Church is experiencing a difficult time, and we are, is when Catholics should be praying and coming together instead of the easy excuse "I knew it so I'm outta here" mentality.
Pray for unity & healing, don't promote your agenda.

Another concern - the extraConstitutional involvement of RCC Inc in our justice system. According to them, allegations of sexual abuse must be reported to them *first*, then *they* decide if the allegation is credible (surprise - it almost never is) and pass it on to law enforcement (almost never). No other church has this ability to vet accusations of criminal conduct. No other church has the ability to *lobby* legislators to prevent law enforcement from doing its job. No other church can summarily decide the guilt or innocence of someone without due process, without the proper gathering of evidence, and without application of the Constitution.

If a priest or other clergy member molests someone, RCC Inc must be bypassed entirely and law enforcement contacted. Get a rape kit done for evidence. Even then, count on RCC Inc interfering in the due process of our justice system, from bailing out the charged perp to paying megabux for his defense lawyer to talking to the judge (especially if the judge is catholic) and requesting that charges be dropped.

A priest we knew was arrested for soliciting child prostitutes. His bishop requested that the charges be dropped in return for removing this priest from the state. This was granted. This priest offended with children at least one more time (that anyone knows of). He may be laicized now, but he lives in Manhattan at a shelter for runaway teenage boys/youth hostel, right in the middle of Alphabet City, where he can satisfy his desires with minors with impunity (he lives there because he's a friend of a priest of his order who was jailed for four years in Club Fed for laundering IRA money from a Brinks truck robbery - talk about Toilet Bug Central!). I do not know for a fact what this "priest" is doing, but pedophiles never stop offending, so take that for what you will. I have contacted the NYPD but have not had an opportunity to follow up yet. The safety of *all* children is important, even those who aren't abused in a church setting.

All these comments along with Ms. Kennedy are missing an important point. What is the Truth of the matter? Not my truth or as I understand it to be, but the Truth! We all have our opinions on everything, but these are not always Truth. Just because someone sinned in someway, does not change the ultimate Truth. Seek the Truth in all things. Do not fear the Truth, because the Truth is Jesus Christ, and His Church, which contains the Truth. He said that weeds would be planted among the wheat. He said we must listen to Peter (the Pope) and those who are in Comunion with him. Do not listen to wolves, those who would lead you away from the Church. Where Peter is, there is the Church, there is Christ. Polls and public opinions have never been a good judge of Truth. Christ said, "He who hears you, hears Me." Do you hear the Pope and the Bishops, and priests, and nuns who united with Peter, the Pope, Benedict? Do listen to any other voices, they will lead you where you do not want to go! Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!

Really? It starts at home- where is her focus when her family has nothing but affairs, divorce, annulment AFTER having children? The Kennedy's are BLESSED indeed.

My opinion notwithstanding (man must exist for God to exist), to place blame on liberals for exposing pedophilia is horribly flawed. Take your medicine...welcome to the new Reformation...And stop letting faith blind your sensibilities.

I attended Catholic school for 11 years. From the third thru eighth grades, I was unfortunately subjected to daily 'psychological torture" by screaming nuns who absolutely terrified me. I finally quit the Church at about age 40 - well before the pedophile scandal became evident. It seemed like if it felt good, it was a sin.

I still feel a sense of loss but have no plans to return - or to any other religion. Part of me will always be Catholic - that's why I automatically read the article and will definitely read the book.

Montgomery, you are angry at abusers who get a settlement from the rcc? You dare to call them "prostitutes after the fact."

You and your fellow haters have just made our case for us: the hierarchy needs to go.

Dearest taad:
If it's the truth you seek, it's time to leave the flock. How can you know truth if your mind is closed to everything but faith? I don't fault anyone for believing, but it is only your truth...not the truth of others. It's OK to let religion be your crutch, your strength and your truth, but not for a moment should you think that others must feel the same. They may find their crutch in a bottle, their strength in nature and their truth in song. As for Catholicism:

"If you plant ice, you're going to harvest wind"

To clevelandgirl
Interesting. How much does it cost and how long does it take?

Wainwright Peregrine:

It cost me about 10 minutes of my time (long enough to compose an e-mail). I then read the e-mail from the archivist (about two minutes), then sent another e-mail with my request to have a copy of the change to the church register (didn't think to the first time, so another five minutes). I received the copy of the register in the mail in less than a week from my original e-mail to the diocese. It was dated from the date of my first e-mail, so it was official as soon as the parish got word from the archivist. All very mannerly and efficient all the way around. I wonder how common the procedure is because what was written in the register appears to be a "canned" formula (maybe I'm one of many?).

I noticed a typo in my above post ("free" not "fee").

So, it cost me no money! I was wondering for years how to officially get off the rolls, when someone mentioned about getting one's baptism rescinded by contacting the diocese in which it occurred. I did it and posted on another message board about it, and I got accused of being a Mormon (an even bigger joke than being catholic). Apparently, Mormons request that any prior baptisms or similar rituals be rescinded, something I didn't know. Heck, I'm just a long-time ex-catholic that's been trying for years to find a way to defect once and for all! This kind of thing makes you an apostate - been one for years, so no big deal there.

The bind people seeking annulments are in is that they want to stay catholic but have their marriage canceled, so rescinding baptism isn't for them. I'm still happily married to my high-school sweetheart and didn't want any changes there - I just wanted to be divorced from RCC Inc., be freed from religious slavery, find liberation from the Old Bish's Club. The end result is that all rituals that occurred in the RCC Inc context "never happened", but because the state marriage license was properly signed and witnessed, it is still valid and I would have to get a civil divorce to be divorced in the usual way (something I'm *not* planning to do!). In addition, it doesn't matter how RCC Inc feels about my marriage (they didn't have the date or the officiating priest right anyway) because a person licensed under the Ohio Revised Code to officiate signed it so it's legal (I'm licensed to officiate at weddings in Ohio, so I know the code and the obligations that go with it for the officiator.). If we lived in a catholic theocracy, this might be a different situation, but we have civil law in this country that trumps religious law of any religion.

So, don't bother to blaspheme, don't worry about finding an abortion to participate in, don't worry about being present at a Womenpriest ordination (things you can be excommunicated for, but they can be undone with sufficient reconciliation/groveling). Don't go through a present parish priest. Go the cool, unemotional, bureaucratic, and administrative route. I was shocked at how quick and easy it was! Most people just walk away (as I did years ago), but until/unless you do something like what I did, they still count you as catholic. I've lived for over 26 years as a noncatholic (more than half of my life), so I didn't do it so much for me as much as a way to tell RCC Inc not to count me in their propaganda numbers, make me a -1 in that count. A side result is that it felt good inside to do it, and it feels better every day! It turned out to be important for me symbolically if for no other reason! I'm glad I was able to share this with you and anyone else who might be interested in defecting!

Good luck!

Having been raised in a devout Catholic family with grandparents who had us kneeling down in the living room to "attend" daily mass on TV when we weren't able to go; attending Catholic school; being married in a Catholic Church etc... I have to admit how disappointed and disillusioned I have become as I have grown into adulthood regarding the Catholic faith.

I learned in Catholic school that God is about love but as I grow older I realize that in the Catholic faith, God is only about love for those people who are exactly like us, the Catholics. "God forbid" that you might have a different sexual preference, a different religious preference, prefer not to look away when there is obvious sexual abuse occurring under your very nose, have been divorced, etc..

My sister who was married for 15 years had to get a divorce because her husband cheated on her. She goes to church every week but it was him who asked for an annullment (a Catholic divorce) because his adulterous girlfriend wanted to get married in the church. When my sister told the priest that she opposed saying that her marriage never existed because she had two little girls to show that her marriage did exist, the priest told her "to get a life" (I am quoting).

Even with all these new realizations about being Catholic, I still chose to send my child to CCD. Not sure why exactly but I know that I am supposed to and because my Catholic guilt keeps tugging when I think I shouldn't. But the last straw came this past spring when an article came out in the paper, an article that was ignored because it came out the same day as the Governor of NJ was getting in trouble for his actions, that quoted the spokesperson for the Vatican as saying that he (the Vatican) feels that the whole Priest pedophilia thing was overblown by the media as an attempt to take down the Catholic church. That was it for me. Another shining example that they still don't get it. And not only do they not feel bad about it, they won't even admit that there was a problem.

That afternoon, I called my church and took my son out of CCD. I cannot in good conscience walk through those doors in good faith and trust that they are sending the right message to my child.

I love God and I believe that we have a very good relationship and I strongly feel that I don't need a building or a person who hasn't had any of the same life experiences as me tell me how to conduct my life. When a priest can tell me how to have a good marriage, how to live financially, how to do the right thing and turn someone in when they know that they have harmed someone else, then I might be able to trust their judgement.

In the meantime, I will teach my child about God and his love and how to live a happy and respectful life. He will learn how to embrace people of all religions and lifestyles and he will be better for it. Until the Catholic Church can admit their problems and truly begin to accept EVERYONE as God's children and not just those that they like then I can't understand supporting such a hipocracy.

To clevelandgirl, much appreciated.
Certainly cheaper and easier than becoming a mason and getting excommunicated for that.

Why does it surprise any one that some of us who are catholic are at odds
with certain teachings of the Catholic Church. We are human and we all
have our opinions and some run in conflict with church teaching/
I for example do not agree with the Birth control issue I do agree with
the abortion stand,
The bottom line is and I think I got this from your story Despite the
difference of opinion I have with the church, It is the faith I was raised
in It is the faith that taught me Social Justice, That Human right
supercede individual desires, That God is a Loving God. It is the Faith
that as I grew offered me a sense of continuity, A sense of stability .
In closing there is a Latin saying about the church ( pardon my spelling )
Et tu eccliasia ( we are the church ) and since we the people are the
church we are individual with our on opinions Thank you
Lennie Malvone RN

They don't excommunicate you for becoming a Freemason anymore as long as you didn't join for religious reasons (OK to join for social reasons only, especially if you live in a small town and many are Freemasons and there's no KofC to join). Hubby became a Freemason out of feelings of deep patriotism (despite the fundies condemning Freemasonry as "satanic", many of our Founding Fathers, including George Washington, were fervent Freemasons) (as opposed to the flag-waving kind of "patriotism"). We both joined Eastern Star as well. All of this is too Abramic for my tastes, but it's pretty cool if a bit quaint.

Waving your Master Mason certificate in a priest's face won't get you excommunicated anymore (unless the priest is uber-conservative). Freemasonry cost about $100 to join (all dues and equipment - this was in 1994/95), and there's annual dues of about $40. Still cheaper than what RCC Inc wants you to donate to them. Join if you feel moved to do so, but don't think it will get you excommunicated. Easier to do what I did - all it took was an e-mail. They didn't even charge me for the stamp to send my manumission paper (I was wondering if they'd be so cheap that they'd bill me for the stamp and the cost of copying and admin time!)!

For all of those Catholics who accept US Law instead of God's Law on protecting human life - I wish you the best of luck when you try to explain that to God someday. I'm guessing that He may have an issue.

You - "Sorry God, but it was just too difficult to protect your youngest human beings from violent death. We couldn't build it into our laws without invading the rights of your other children."

God - "So you are saying that you permitted my children to kill their children, because you didn't want to invade their privacy? It is true that I gave you a very difficult test by limiting the joy and difficulty of pregnancy to women, but funding and permitting the killing of my children is definitely not the answer I was looking for. I'll have to get back to you on the Heaven thing."

As per usual on here, people are getting way far afield.

What does Kerry's book have to do with bishop accountability websites? Save your vitriolic views for those websites.

Some of you make it sound as if you were loyal, authentic, doctrinally in line, rosary-prayin' Catholics until the abuse crisis. Then, you "knew deep down" that the Catholic faith was a sham. HUH? A small percentage of shepards shamefully harm the youngest of the flock and that, therefore, makes all the Truth and mystery of the Catholic faith all patently false? Talk about self-fulfilling delusion.

Justin,

I can't speak for anyone else. But I mentioned the Bishop Accountabilty website as a suggested reference for those who say that the clergy abuse crisis is old news. Those people want to forget it and move on. My point is that it is not history and cannot be dismissed as old news. And Bishop Accountablity is not "vitriolic" in any way. It simply lists facts regarding clergy abuse. The facts it contains are sickening. Don't blame the messengers. They are only giving the public the evidence of horrific crimes and cover-ups. Why do you find it "vitriolic" to simply tell the truth? Your scorn should be directed at the people who allowed child abuse to happen, not at the recorders of history.

And, Justin, perhaps a "small number" of priests raped kids. But the cover-up went all the way to the top. Just look at Bernard Law as an example of putting the brotherhood above the victims. Now that is shameful.

Kerry Kennedy's childhood faith nostalgically reflects the bygone Camelot era where traditional values were the norm rather than the exception; politicians inspired our faith and trust and the Catholic Church enjoyed credibility as the rock solid magistrate of an institution founded by the Son of God. The latter has not changed - Kerry Kennedy has. Contrary to our destructive social mores, the Catholic Church still stands on the Chair of St. Peter, where infallibility in church doctrine is unchanging and has been for over 2,000 years. The Church maintains her integrity as the voice and the will of God Almighty, despite the 'gates of Hell' that unceasingly attempt to prevail against her, and the decreasing numbers of those firmly committed to her magisterial doctrine, wisdom and beauty. Ms. Kennedy's faith today reflects the whims of a culture that blurs the definition of good and ev il, does not recognize the reality of damnation, does not believe adhering to the laws of the Creator as imperative, disingenuously believes that if you are civic minded, and carry tolerance and social justice as your breastplate and helmet, you elevate yourself to the pharisetical misconception that you are justified in interpreting the laws of the Catholic Church according to your own intelligence and desire. God's laws are perfection and His will for His Church is sovereign - it would behoove Ms. Kerry to go back to her childhood catechism for a refresher course instead of putting her faith in a broken and fallen culture.

I was so glad to hear "On Point" last evening and hear a progressive Catholic view! Thank you Kerry and Michael. Kerry, a quick message regarding your child's challenging a teacher about the sign of the cross including only male references--my wonderful parish/spiritual community in Rochester, NY, has said "In the name of the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier," a wonderful blessing, I think. Although I was with Corpus Christi from 1984 until I moved in 2000, for the past ten years it has been Spiritus Christi. The exceptional priests, sisters, and lay ministers grew a parish from a few hundred to close to 4000 by including all in the Eucharistic liturgy, the prominence of women in leadership, and the blessing of gay commitments. Finally, these practices became too public for Benedict in his previous role. You have to visit to "See how they love one another!"

Kerry, that must have been just terrible to have to sit in Church and listen to all those prayers for aborted children, knowing that your family, along with Drinan, Curran, and some other early dissenters laid the foundation for it to take place....I'm so sorry!

Please Lord, spare us from anymore Catholics who want to remake the Church according to their own desires. For centuries history is filled with those who would "reinterpret God" or remake him according to human images, most often their own desires. I'm always amazed that we have these labels of "progressive vs traditional". Faithful and unfaithful would be more honest...and since when did progressive become synonomous with abandoning centuries of truth.

And please, don't keep blaming pedaphile priests for everything that's wrong in the world and/or the Church...unless you want to target the public school system in the US next. Statistically, there are are more instances of child abuse there than the Church ever got close to. This is not a defense of those priests or bishops but let's try to have a balance and some intellectual honesty.

Folks, you can't have it both ways; either it was true then and now, or it never was. There is a church that accepts many of your new "progressive" doctrines and beliefs...it's called Episcopal, and they need some new converts to replace those migrating back to Catholicism.

Robin,
You're neglecting the fact that bishop accountability websites have nothing whatever to do with Kerry's book--have you forgotten that this is what this blog post was about? Or is your anger at the sex abuse scandal obscure your willingness to weigh and discuss any other matters having to do with the Catholic faith?

My scorn remains on those who abused children. But what about all the priests and nuns out there serving the poor and downtrodden dutifully while living their celibacy successfully? Do you offer them proper praise and respect, Robin?

Cardinal law is of course shameful. But he's gone now and it's been almost 6 years since he left. What about all the precautions taken by the Archdiocese on abuse of children? How more accountable could they be?

I notice you didn't even begin to respond to my charge that folks are peddling the notion that they were fully in the fold before the abuse was unearthed and then left as a result? That is intellectually dishonest.

Again, Robin, I'm asking: what about THE TRUTH of the Faith?

How does Kerry Kennedy reconcile adultery and divorce with being a Roman Catholic? I've read that she teaches CCD at her church, St. Patrick's in Armonk. I hope she isn't receiving the Eucharist.

When I saw that a Kennedy was writing a book on being Catholic I had to laugh, but I thought I better be fair and give her a chance. After seeing a brief interview with her on Bill O'Reilly told me more than enough that this book is not about being Catholic, it sounded more protestant. Seeing some of the people she interviews also tells me more than I need to know. Nancy Pelosi is not a Catholic. She needs to be excommunicated. So to get her views on Catholicism is a joke and a disgrace to the Catholic Church. Bill O'Reilly then asked Kerry Kennedy if she goes to church every Sunday. She said almost every Sunday, which if she knew her religion she would know that missing mass is a mortal sin and she cannot receive the Eucharist without going to confession first. If she does receive communion, she is commiting a sacrilege. She is trying to convince herself by interviewing liberal people (and there are liberal priests and bishops) that the Church needs to change toward us. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! We cannot change the Church to make our sins acceptable. The Church is not about our feelings. It's about the Truth and you CANNOT change the
Truth and the Truth is Jesus Christ. I would encourage Kerry to read her Bible and the Catholicism of the Catholic Church and talk to a conservative priest or the Pope if she can because they arePillars of the Church not Nancy Pelosi or Susan Surandan or even Martin Sheen who really doesn't live his Catholic faith either. Kerry needs to understand the there is a war going on in the Catholic Church right now. A war of right and wrong and she appears to be following the wrong ones. The Church is divided and so you have to be very careful who you follow. Pray and Jesus will lead you to the Truth. You will not find that in politcians or entertainers to be sure. Pray for the Truth and the Truth will set you free. The Church cannot change to our liking to make our sins seem acceptable. The Church is NOT the people. The people make up the Church, they are the members of the One Body of Christ.. The Pope is the head of the Church on earth, but the Church is Jesus Christ!

It seems that Kennedy has used her "prominence" (once removed) to present a mininformed sterotype of the Church and a socially "enlightened" response. I am sad for those who did not have a good experience of the Church, but that was due to the failings of some of it's members, not the Church herself. JPII stated, "The Church has the right to be a teacher for mankind, a teacher of the truth of faith: the truth not only of dogmas but also of the morals whose source lies in human nature itself and in the Gospel. ... By means of her social doctrine, the Church takes on the task of proclaiming what the Lord has entrusted to her. She makes the message of the freedom and redemption wrought by Christ, the Gospel of the Kingdom, present in human history." (The Church in Boston has the responsibility to respond to Ms. Kennedy and those involved in the making of this book as much as She had the responsibility to respond to the sexual abuse scandal. Harm to the Church's members comes in various forms.)

The real Issue is taking Communion while knowingly in a state of Sin. The Church has not changed it's teachings for 2000 years, Confession is for repentance, and does no good if you intend to commit the same sin again. There are particular rules for annullments, it is not given based on money, (ask Henry 8th about how easy it is). Marriage is a Sacrament that protects women and children and promotes stability in a society. The ease of divorce is a blight on our society, and , in my opinion, is contributing to its fragmentation.