What about Kennedy's divorce?

I think the French have a much healthier attitude when it comes to living as a Catholic in a nominally Catholic country. After the death a few years ago of the former French Prime Minister, there was no mention of his relationship with the Church. At his funeral, his wife sat dressed in black in the front pew of the church consoling and being consoled by the similarly dressed mistress of that man in the casket. The only thing I found odd was that the man in the casket was doing better than me with the ladies, and he was dead.

So where is he now? The important question...what was the state of his soul when he died?
To anyone who knows the true Catholic faith--not the fraudulent faith invented by the so-called Conciliar Church--the answer lies both in Sacred Scriptures and the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church, which is that most adult Catholics are lost.
"Strive to enter by the narrow gate...for wide and well-travelled is the road that leads to destruction..."

I enjoy the tribute last night that all the friends and family gave to the great Sen.Ted Kennedy,but one thing that sadden me,was the total absence of any mention of Sen. Kennedy first wife Joan?
She is after all the mother of his children and lets be fair,she suffer from the behavior (while they were married) of Sen. Kennedy and this probably contributed to her strange behavior at the end.
Of course I have great admiration for him as a great defender of the people and their needs. I also loved his sens of humour.
His college friend reminiscence of their sailing trip to Nantucket to participate in a Regata,was just hilarious and well done. He had me in tears laughing so hard.

It was a great tribute that I will never forget.

What a wonderful way to celebrate such important and dear man,who will forever live in our heart. He left us way too soon, still having so much to do.

Who will make sure that we all have health insurance????

I enjoyed Sen Kennedy's service last night. Religion was a great part of his life and we are not the ones to judge. No matter what anyone may say or intimate God will make the ultimate judgment.
I was born and raised a Catholic of Irish decent and faith was part of our normal day to day life. Oh, yes! I am from Massachusetts.
I still have a little button from the 1960 election, which I treasure.
Rest in peace Senator Edward M Kennedy

Where are his children? Since his marriage was annulled, what did his children think of their dad?

Joan Kennedy was there last night. Not only was she not mentioned, repeatedly speakers referred to Vicki as his one true love, the best thing that ever happened to him, referring to how unhappy he had always been in his personal life. What insensitive clods. Ted drove her to alcoholism and destrpoyed her life. While his marriage to Vicki may have turned into something real, she married him as a political move to clean up his image when he had hit rock bottom. They were married within 5 months of meeting.

I found it interesting that Ted Kennedy was granted an annulment by the Catholic Church after nearly 25 years of marriage. the same Church that has refused annulments to the average Catholic couple. Money talks.

He was fallible, an idealist and a "good" man. An era has died with him and we are left with the cowardly ruined world we asked for.

What are the conditions required for an annulment and did Kennedy meet them? Is there a Catholic reaction to his annulment?

I was so hurt for Joan Kennedy when reference was continually made to Vickie being the 'love of his life' Joan gave him his children and the best years of her life..... No one thinks about her pain.... and how difficult her life has been.

I was baptised a Catholic. I never moved outside of my religion in thoughts or in practice. I practiced it for 70yrs. However, I began to understand the teachings of Joseph Campbell. I took all that I learned and treasured about the Catholic teachings to the Unitarian Chuch. There I love Mary, Jesus, Joseph and the saints the way I did before joining that church. I am much happier not worrying about what I could be doing against the Catholic Teachings. God is within. I and the pope have the same connection with the Transcendent.

I am very hurt for Joan Kennedy too. I myself received an annulement for my previous abusive marrage. I had faith that God would grant me an annulement and HE did through the Catholic Church. I live in pain of a broken family, But is was broken from the start. Those how truely love God KNOWS that HE is a MERCIFUL GOD. He sacraficed HIS life for everyone. My past is dead but my mistakes still haunts me. I suffer depression and a learning disability, and I suffer because I am a mother who loves, not because I was a wife that lost a good husband.. Life is a gift from moment to moment. I pray for Joan. Women suffer so much because they love so much. Her annulment frees her from quilt and depair and that is the greatest gift the church has given her aside from her Baptisim.. As for Vickie, she loves much too. She has seen first hand of pain and suffering. Gods Mercy is there for the asking. We all want love we all desire love and we all need love. GOD IS LOVE. When we loose a loved one, are eyes are opened and we can see precious LOVE more clearly, We love Ted Kennedy more now than before. God Bless us all. God Bless the one true church which He founded through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirt. Trust in the .love of Jesus because He IS the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE> and His Name IS MERCY.

He did not mske her an alcolholic. It was her choice. She was mentioned several times during the service by several speakers & one priest. Ted & Vickie do not have a recognised annulment by the catholic church.

Danielle---

Ted Kennedy's parish priest did mention Joan in his sermon. He referred to her as the mother of Ted's kids, not as his wife. I was personally grateful that the priest did that.

Oh yes, I forgot! the Catholic divorce. Annulment. That means it's as if the marriage never happened. And yes, there is a loophole in cannon law such that the children of that 'annulled marriage' are not deemed illegitimate bastards. If you are RICH like the Kennedys or John Kerry you can have the marriage 'annulled' - and we can all trust the integrity ot the Boston Archdiocese - but if you are a poor Catholic you rot in Hell are excommunicated and your next marriage is not valid in the church because you are living in sin. It's nothing more than an exercise in simony. Hypocrisy! Hypocrisy! Hypocrisy!

Thousands of Catholics are granted annulments every year, and they are NOT all rich. But it's much more fun to assume that they are. If you don't have the facts (and you don't) how can you possibly know why any annulment is granted?

I know how much Catholics have suffered in the "annulment" world. I do believe individual conscience should be the guide. But that's why I am no longer Catholic, but Unitarian.
I too was pleased that the priest mentioned Joan.

In this time that conservatives, in particular Catholic church officials, claim that "redefining marriage" is a new and bad thing I must ask, specifically, according to Catholic marriage laws, did Ted and Vicki have a valid "marriage?" What does it mean that their civil marriage was "blessed" by the Church? (Did she ever get an annulment from her first marriage?) I'd like to understand how the Church can call her his wife (from the pulpit) which they would never do if Ted's Virginia civil marriage to Vicki had been a Massachusetts civil marriage to another man. Anybody?

Hypocrisy!, thy name is Kennedy.

These are verifiable facts:
The divorce was initiated by Joan. The annullment was intitated by Ted (and agreed to by Joan). There were ten years between Ted's marriages and he had known Vicki for years.

I was born and raised a Catholic and no longer belong to the Church, but I don't see where any human has a right to judge the Senator's 'moral' life; to say that is between him and God is a massive understatement, especially in his dying state.

Not only did Joan and Ted need an annullment but Vickie and her husband did also as she is also Catholic. I have yet to find out if this ever happened. They were also never married by a priest as far as the public knows. So how was their marriage blessed by the church. I guess the real issue is that Ted kennedy was no saint from his college days to Chappaquittic, yet so many people continue to applaud him and forget some really bad things that are part of who he was.