staff :

Very well said and reflects my sentiments exactly. While I am sad for Senator Kennedy and his personal situation I mourn for the babies killed by his legislative actions and pray that he may seek God's mercy and repent. Before it is too late.

I came this site to see, whether, a post of my parish's Latin mass was listed, and if not to list it. And the first thing I see was:

"It's tempting, when a long-time enemy suddenly takes ill, to rejoice at his misfortune and relish his coming demise and the thought of his final judgment. Justice at last! That was my first thought on hearing that Ted Kennedy has a brain tumor,"

You may have an enthusiasm for the old rite, which I do have, but your Christian praxis seems weak. Have you read Christ's words spoken on the Mount? in either Matthew v., or Luke vi?

It is sad that Ted Kennedy is wrong on abortion, but he was right on many other things, especially in this Godless war in Iraq. All of us are imperfect now. We are still required to love. There are many strayings and acts counter to the desires of Jesus, being selective in our chastisements is not just.

quid autem vides festucam in oculo fratris tui et trabem in oculo tuo non vides
Any why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye? -- Matthew vii.3.

Cyprian :

Ha. It might help to read the rest of the article, Mr. Non-Judgmental!

We should have noted in the article that Clement and I live in the Gay People's Republic of Massachusetts (whoops - more judgment), where we have been trying for decades to rid ourselves of Sen. Kennedy. If we lived elsewhere, it might not have gotten mention.

So, to your point. If a prominent Catholic lawmaker who promotes baby slaughter makes a good decision on another subject, he should be regarded simply as "imperfect." Sounds like "seamless garment" malarky to me.

Sen. Kennedy is in the state of excommunication, automatically incurred, and we don't want him to die that way. And how can I say that with assurance? He has not publicly repented for his public defense of the crime. So, we pray for him.

Stanislav,

You and I actually agree on this issue. I also agree with you on the unjust war in Iraq, but as Cyprian points out, you seem to have responded after reading just the first paragraph.

My first reaction was a temptation to evil, to rejoice in an enemy's misfortune and to wish him ill. When I realized that that was not a Christian response to the situation I stopped and prayed for Senator Kennedy. I wrote the article to acknowledge my fault and to solicit prayers for him as well.

Clement