Bishop silences Ted Kennedy's widow.

[elleng]

(e.mail)

Vicki Kennedy, the widow of Senator Ted Kennedy, is a lifelong Catholic who has received honorary degrees from two Catholic colleges. So why is a Massachusetts bishop prohibiting her from serving as a commencement speaker this year?

Kennedy had accepted an invitation from Anna Maria College to speak at this year's graduation, but Worcester Bishop Robert McManus forced them to withdraw the invitation.1 According to his office, Catholics who disagree with church teaching should not be honored by Catholic institutions -- a standard that conservative bishops seem to apply only to Democrats.

Bishop McManus even refused Kennedy's request to meet in person to discuss his concerns. As she put it, "by objecting to my appearance at Anna Maria College he has made a judgment about my worthiness as a Catholic. This is a sad day for me and an even sadder one for the Church I love."

Bishops have consistently remained silent when conservative figures like John Boehner, Antonin Scalia, and George W. Bush are honored by Catholic institutions despite flouting church teaching on war, the death penalty, torture, and other issues. This time, let's show that everyday people of faith won't accept their campaign of selective censorship and intimidation towards progressive Catholics.

Click here to sign the petition and tell Bishop McManus to allow Vicki Kennedy to speak.

Thanks!

-- Michael, Nick, and the rest of the Faithful America team

Source:

1. "Anna Maria College cancels Victoria Kennedy’s commencement speech under pressure from Worcester bishop," Boston Globe, March 30, 12
http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2012/03/college-cancels-kennedy-commencement-speech-under-pressure-from-worcester-bishop/QX1qzjBwrAea3eZnI8U6XN/index.html

[polichick]

1. My God, why do seemingly intelligent women continue to support an organization...

...that considers them second-class citizens?!? It's absurd.

[elleng]

3. 'Intelligence' has little to do with faith, imo;

you either have it or you don't. I don't, but many do.

[polichick]

5. That con organization has little to do with God, or faith.

[Marrah_G]

2. I hononestly despise these people

I would have a hard time staying polite if I were to meet any of them in public. Mrs. Kennedy should, along with her friends, remove any donations to the church, planet wide.

[polichick]

4. I'd like to see women quit the church en masse...

...and put that power-hungry, pedophilia-supporting, con organization out of business.

imo women who support that org. are as self-defeating as women who vote Republicon.

[virgogal]

6. And Vicki Kennedy and women like her are the problem. They should

leave the church and find another one. I'll bet she won't do it though.

I did it about 40 years ago and it was about the birth control issue.

Never looked back.

[polichick]

11. Kudos to you! Too bad so many stay, especially smart ones like Vicki K.

[hfojvt]

7. I wondered why I hadn't gptten this email

then I checked my inbox and I got it a 2:19, twenty minutes ago while I was doing my taxes online.

Oh, and KNR

[hfojvt]

8. link to the petition

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2518/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=10087

[horseshoecrab]

9. thanks for the link hfojvt!

[Tarheel_Dem]

10. Bookmarking for later!`

[zbdent]

12. If I were her, I'd demand all the money back that the Kennedys put into that church ...

and, with their $$$, that would probably shut down that church for good ...

[The Wizard]

13. The Bishop doth protest too much.

Methinks he could have buggered alter boys.

[peace frog]

14. For the love of all that is holy, WHERE THE HELL DO THESE PEOPLE GET OFF?

A horrifying, HUMILIATING slap in the face by a church that has benefited so greatly from the Kennedy family.

What Would Jesus Do, Bishop McManus? He'd whip your tail right out of his church, that's what.

[anti-alec]

15. I view religion with a very dim view

because religion has too much control over human beings.

I am one of the few enlightened ones that know the truth about the religion and what it does to people.

Otherwise, Happy Easter and Happy Passover for those who are stuck in a dire straits of religious hell.

[Dawson Leery]

16. Leave already.

2000 years of tyranny. Leave them behind! Take your money and let them sink!

[mrmpa]

17. Why this happened..........

Until a few years ago, Catholic Colleges were independent from the Bishops of the Dioceses they were in. The Pope ordered that all Catholic Colleges were to answer to those Bishops. I thought back then it was a terrible thing to happen, I believed that it would not allow for faculty & students to dissent. I think that this action proves my point.

[obey]

18. I'll bet Vicki didn't complain when Teddy divorced Joan, his first wife

then was granted an annulment after he admitted he wasn't being honest when he promised her he'd be faithful, allowing him to marry her in the Church as if the 1st marriage had never existed.

The Church was all politics to the Kennedy family anyway, but if you want to claim membership, and fool the constituents, you gotta play by the rules.