Bishop Thomas Tobin Greets Pope Benedict XVI
Bishop Thomas Tobin is digging in against Rhode Island Representative Patrick Kennedy and the legislator’s continued public attacks on the Catholic Church and its teachings over abortion and health care. The public flare up reached a fever pitch when Kennedy viciously attacked the Catholic Church for standing its ground on the need for an Amendment to the health care bill that followed the lines of the Hyde Amendment, preventing public funding of abortion in health care.
American Catholic Bishops have been fervent in their support for the pro-life Stupak-Pitts Amendment which prevents government funding of abortion through health care. A recent CNN poll shows that 60 percent of Americans say the government funding of abortion should NOT be in the health care bill.
In October, Bishop Tobin took issue with Representative Kennedy’s attack on the Church when Kennedy told CyberNewsCast, a revered online conservative media source that the Church was fanning “the flames of dissent and discord” by taking the position that it will oppose the health-care reform bill under consideration in Congress unless it is amended to explicitly prohibit funding of abortion.
Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)
Kennedy continued: “I thought they were pro-life. If the Church is pro-life, then they ought to be for health-care reform because it’s going to provide health care that (is) going to keep people alive.”
While Bishop Tobin has intended his spiritual counsel for the Rhode Island Representative and son of RFK, remain private and in confidence (he banned him from receiving communion due to his pro-abortion position), Representative Kennedy has chosen to bring the discussion into the public square. The Bishop says he will not discuss publicly his spiritual guidance (begun three years ago, but appears ignored by Kennedy), but will not stand idly by while Kennedy uses the media to attack and undermine the Catholic Church in the public square.
“I am disappointed that the Congressman would make public my pastoral and confidential request of nearly three years ago that sought to provide solely for his spiritual well-being,” said Bishop Thomas Tobin in a strongly worded statement. “I have no desire to continue the discussion of Congressman Kennedy’s spiritual life in public.”
Added the bishop, “At the same time, I will absolutely respond publicly and strongly whenever he attacks the Catholic Church, misrepresents the teachings of the Church or issues inaccurate statements about my pastoral ministry.”
Full article in Boston Herald here.
Since taking a stand on abortion and health care, the USCCB has been under attack by the media as well as liberal groups and liberal elected officials in Congress. SMS recently outlined and responded to these attacks here.
Bishop Tobin, St. Michael the Archangel is smiling down on you today — many of us say THANK YOU….for defending and promoting the faith!
