Not a lesson in humility. "I have always tried to be a faithful Catholic..." The link will take you to the complete correspondence.
"I have always tried to be a faithful Catholic, Your Holiness, and though I have fallen short through human failings, I have never failed to believe and respect the fundamental teachings. I continue to pray for God's blessings on you and our Church and would be most thankful for your prayers for me."
OK. Here's an excerpt from a letter the Senator sent on February 9th to one of his constituents. It is on the Senator's stationery and I have a copy.
This is the first paragraph:
"Thank you for your recent communication on abortion. I strongly support a women's right to choose and to make this deeply personal decision without government interference. All women have a constitutionally protected right to make this choice. I strongly oppose attempts by Congress to undermine it, and I adamantly support legislation to protect a women's constitutional right to a safe and legal abortion."
Not exactly the Catholic line, eh? For Kennedy protecting the "right to make this choice" included supporting government funding of abortion, and opposing parental consent laws, women's right to know laws, and laws limiting late term abortions (partial birth abortion.) And of course, he consistently voted to spread abortion by every means possible overseas.
Suppose Kennedy had used his very formidable talents and influence Tom Faranda's Folly: The Wall Street Journal's Kennedy editorial to follow through on his original beliefs about abortion, expressed in 1971:Ted Kennedy's Passing Highlights Democrats Who Have Flip-Flopped on Abortion
Kennedy displayed an eloquent pro-life position in 1971, prior to Roe v. Wade, when he wrote a letter to Catholic League member Tom Dennelly.
“While the deep concern of a woman bearing an unwanted child merits consideration and sympathy, it is my personal feeling that the legalization of abortion on demand is not in accordance with the value which our civilization places on human life. Wanted or unwanted, I believe that human life, even at its earliest stages, has certain rights which must be recognized—the right to be born, the right to love, the right to grow old," he wrote.
“On the question of the individual’s freedom of choice there are easily available birth control methods and information which women may employ to prevent or postpone pregnancy. But once life has begun, no matter at what stage of growth, it is my belief that termination should not be decided merely by desire," he added.
“When history looks back to this era it should recognize this generation as one which cared about human beings enough to halt the practice of war, to provide a decent living for every family, and to fulfill its responsibility to its children from the very moment of conception," he concluded.
Quite a difference. It's worth noting that not all the Kennedys got it so terribly wrong. Tom Faranda's Folly: Eunice Kennedy Shriver
Here's Pope Benedict's complete reply to Kennedy's letter:
"The Holy Father has read the letter which you entrusted to President Barack Obama, who kindly presented it to him during their recent meeting. He was saddened to know of your illness, and has asked me to assure you of his concern and his spiritual closeness. He is particularly grateful for your promise of prayers for him and for the needs of the universal Church.
"His Holiness prays that in the days ahead you may be sustained in faith and hope, and granted the precious grace of joyful surrender to the will of God our merciful Father. He invokes upon you the consolation and peace promised by the Risen Savior to all who share in His sufferings and trust in His promise of eternal life.
"Commending you and the members of your family to the loving intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Father cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of wisdom, comfort and strength in the Lord."
As Gaviglio enters the room, the six-foot-two, 225-plus-pound Kennedy grabs the five-foot-three, 103-pound waitress and throws her on the table. She lands on her back, scattering crystal, plates and cutlery and the lit candles. Several glasses and a crystal candlestick are broken. Kennedy then picks her up from the table and throws her on Dodd, who is sprawled in a chair. With Gaviglio on Dodd’s lap, Kennedy jumps on top and begins rubbing his genital area against hers, supporting his weight on the arms of the chair. As he is doing this, Loh enters the room. She and Gaviglio both scream, drawing one or two dishwashers. Startled, Kennedy leaps up. He laughs. Bruised, shaken and angry over what she considered a sexual assault, Gaviglio runs from the room. Kennedy, Dodd and their dates leave shortly thereafter, following a friendly argument between the senators over the check.
Eyewitness Betty Loh told me that Kennedy had “three or four” cocktails in his first half hour at the restaurant and wine with dinner. When she walked into the room after Gaviglio had gone in, she says, “what I saw was Senator Kennedy on top of Carla, who was on top of Senator Dodd’s lap, and the tablecloth was sort of slid off the table ‘cause the table was knocked over—not completely, but just on Senator Dodd’s lap a little bit, and of course the glasses and the candlesticks were totally spilled and everything. And right when I walked in, Senator Kelly jumped off…and he leaped up, composed himself and got up. And Carla jumped up and ran out of the room.”
A youthful indiscretion? The above happened in 1985, when Kennedy was 53 years old.
What a guy.
For another opinion, including excusing Kennedy's behavior, see Eleanor Clift's column here:
All the Senator's Women http://www.newsweek.com/id/214252
Organized women's groups overlooked a lot to stand by the senator from Massachusetts. Feminists who proclaimed "The personal is the political" made an exception for Kennedy. They argued that the political outweighs the personal: if a politician's private life doesn't interfere with his public life, why should it be a problem?
They say Ted got his act together after he met his wife Vicky. Here's another example of the value of a good wife!
Posted by: Denice Cannon | Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 05:06 PM
That's right - he seems to have cut out the philandering. I think they got married in '92.
Posted by: tomfaranda | Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 05:38 PM
You'll note that Senator Kennedy didn't merit a personal reply from the Pontiff.
Posted by: Dennis Cannon | Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 09:38 PM
Huh? Read the whole post - the entire text of the Pope's personal reply is printed above. According to the first article linked to, this was delivered by a Vatican official.
Posted by: tomfaranda | Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 10:05 PM
UGH! He had until his last second..hopefully he took it!Maybe between the prayers of his sister, his mom and the Pope he had a last minute conversion....
Posted by: Theresa | Monday, August 31, 2009 at 07:01 AM
I guess I'm too cynical. I don't consider a response from a Vatican underling to be a personal reply from the Holy Father.
Posted by: Dennis Cannon | Monday, August 31, 2009 at 03:12 PM
did ya hear the one about the senator arriving at the pearly gates? he found that st. peter was recently replaced by tim russert. "About that letter you wrote way back in '71...you did write it? and can you tell us what exactly you meant when you said “When history looks back to this era...
Posted by: nancy | Sunday, September 06, 2009 at 12:00 AM