February 20th, 2012 12:00 pm
3.67 (3 votes)
Healthcare Prof:
5 (1 votes)
Following the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) on Tuesday night, newspapers and magazines published features discussing his Catholicism and how his faith intersected with his stance on abortion rights and other issues.
~ AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Kennedy advocated for many “signature Catholic causes” — such as wellness care, help for the poor and immigration reform — but a “significant and public break with the church came with his support for abortion rights,” the AP/Journal-Constitution reports. Boston College professor Alan Wolfe stated that Kennedy “almost perfectly represents” the views of most U.S. Catholics because he was devoted to the church despite having conflicting views on some issues. Russell Shaw, a former spokesperson for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, argued that by disagreeing with the church on issues such as abortion, Kennedy was encouraging Catholics to ignore church teachings they do not agree with. One of Kennedy’s longest discussions of faith was during a 1983 visit to Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University, when Kennedy stated, “I am an American along with a Catholic; I love my country and treasure my faith.” In the very same speech, Kennedy criticized some religious people for wanting government to “tell citizens how to live uniquely private parts of their lives” (Lindsay, AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 8/28).
~ Boston Globe: In accordance with the Globe, “By championing the poor, the disabled, the immigrant, along with the elderly,” Kennedy’s politics “often embodied Catholic social teaching.” The Globe reports that his “personal failings” and “his strong support of abortion rights … drew legions of frequently furious opponents who wanted him excommunicated.” Patrick Whelan, a pediatrician and president of Catholic Democrats, said, “The common thread that runs through everything he accomplished was his belief in building things for the benefit of others, particularly those most in need.” The Rev. Bryan Hehir of the Archdiocese of Boston stated that while on a lot of social welfare issues there was a lot of “overlap” among the church and Kennedy, “it was no secret, and must not be overlooked, that there was direct conflict on the pro-life issue.” He added that church officials repeatedly tried to dissuade Kennedy from his support of abortion rights (Paulson, Boston Globe, 8/28).
~ Time: Kennedy’s relationship with the Catholic Church was “uneven,” based on Time, which adds that although members of his family had been deeply religious, he “only fully embraced Catholicism later in life.” Kennedy began his political career opposed to abortion rights, writing in 1971 that “[w]anted or unwanted, I believe that human life, even at its earliest stages, has certain rights which must be recognized.” However, by the 1980s, Kennedy became a staunch supporter of abortion rights, and he was usually awarded a 100% positive rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America for his votes in support of reproductive rights. Kennedy’s voting record “put him at odds with Church leadership,” Time reports. Shaun Casey, author of “The Making of a Catholic President,” stated that Kennedy “went through a period of alienation from the Church. But he came back on his own terms. He made a form of peace with the Church.” Casey said, “That must give hope to lots of Catholic Democrats that they might discover a way to stay within the fold” (Sullivan, Time, 8/27).
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