I don't see why RCs and Evangelicals seem not to be able to distinguish between advocating some action and advocating making that action legal for those who choose it. Do they really identify legality with morality, so that every sin must be unlawful (and every unlawful act sinful -- surely not)? I fear the answer is that they do and so any chance of appealing to them on grounds of the broader notion of legality on which this nation is based seems a hopeless pursuit. Nor is calling their attention to many well-established sins that are now sta re decisus lawful and which they have given up on likely to make them look ahead to the time when their present preoccupations will have faded into normalcy.
Would it be political suicide for a Kennedy to become an Episcopalian?

He doesn't have to "become" an Episcopalian to receive the sacraments from our clergy or participate in the life of the local parish. I hope someone makes him feel like he can turn to us if he is exiled from his own communion. Resident aliens are always welcome in our corner of The Kingdom.

Whenever I read this sort of thing, I feel a deep sense of sadness. The Eucharist not ours, it is God's and when we start pretending it isn't, we are in grave danger. May God teach us a lesson here.

One wonders why only abortion brings this kind of reaction. If the Catholic bishops were consistent, shouldn't they bar anyone who supports the death penalty or who voted to go to war from communion?

This is just more Roman hypocrisy, frankly. If they pushed out all the RCs who were using birth control they would find themselves with enough priests to serve what was left!

In fact Kennedy is just a victim of showmanship on Rome's part. Punish one visible high profile person and the sheep will stay in line. Practice avoidance and denial with respect to their own refusal to obey and you keep your parishes full.

Clint -
You are correct when you say that he doesn't have to become an Episcopalian to receive the sacraments from our clergy, but, since we're all heretics and our orders are invalid, for him to engage in such a mockery of the One True Church would just piss off the Blessed Father even more.

The reason Kennedy has been asked not to receive communion is that he has persisted in causing a public scandal by his support for abortion. By his support for abortion Kennedy is excommunicating himself. I'm surprised that the commenters don't seem to get it, as the same rules apply in TEC. If a layman in TEC is involved in a notorious scandal his priest or bishop can refuse him communion, right?

The Catholic bishop is not being inconsistent. Both the death penalty and issues of war involve prudential decisions unlike abortion which the Church believes is an intrinsic evil.

Deacon, you're not "all" heretics.

Tricia and others, I would also wonder why those who want to "protect" marriage aren't also demanding that divorce be criminalized. It is very interesting how these issues are dealt with is such a selective way.

"Kennedy is just a victim of showmanship on Rome's part." - Michael Russell

Maybe. But Bishop Tobin is baited by pol Kennedy to gain publicity and votes. Going over to the Episcopalians would be the last thing he would want to do. This ongoing squawkathon is a win-win situation for the two of them as long as it gets press.

Actually, it seems to me that the US RC Bishops have been pretty light-handed on the RC politicians that have supported funding for abortions, in light of the canonical firepower the Bishops have at their disposal to chastise the wayward.

In Chapter 2272 of the RC Catechism, it's stated that "cooperation" (massive funding probably fits into that definition) of abortions constitutes a "grave" offense (and "a crime against human life") that triggers an automatic (i.e., latae sententiae) excommunication.

That penalty requires no action by a Bishop for it to occur and it deprives the excommunicate of the right of access to the Eucharist (but otherwise does not exclude the excommunicate from attending mass or otherwise participating in the RC community).

(Thanks for the comment, Sam, but we can't publish any more until you leave your full name.)

Actually, it seems to me that the US RC Bishops have been pretty light-handed in dealing with the RC politicians that have supported funding for abortions, in light of the canonical firepower the Bishops have at their disposal to chastise the wayward.

In Chapter 2272 of the RC Catechism, it's stated that "cooperation" (massive funding probably fits into that definition) of abortions constitutes a "grave" offense (and "a crime against human life") that triggers an automatic (i.e., latae sententiae) excommunication.

That penalty requires no action by a Bishop for it to occur and it deprives the excommunicate of the right of access to the Eucharist (but otherwise does not exclude the excommunicate from attending mass or otherwise participating in the RC community).