Ted Kennedy Praised by Cardinals Martino Steps Down, by Deal W. Hudson, Inside Catholic, September 1, 2009

Ted Kennedy Praised by Cardinals, Martino Steps Down

By Deal W. Hudson
Inside Catholic
September 1, 2009

http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=Ted-Kennedy- Praised-by-Cardinals-Martino-Steps-Down.html&Itemid=102

The last few days have not been good ones for the Church. As I have often said, it's sometimes very hard to take our bishops seriously on the issue of abortion.

With two cardinals praising the pro-abort Kennedy and Bishop Martino of Scranton stepping down, millions of Catholics must be shaking their heads, just as I am this morning.

Judie Brown's column about the funeral says all that needs to be said on that front.

That Cardinal McCarrick would read a letter from Sen. Kennedy praising himself to the Holy Father is, well, mind-boggling. (It makes you wonder if the whole thing was orchestrated in advance.)

David Gibson hits the nail on the head when he speculates that Martino was pressured to step down.

I am certain Gibson is correct, but I cannot reveal publicly the corroborating evidence I possess.

I don't blame Bishop Martino for stepping down, however, he needs to live to fight another day.

I'm sure his health sufferered because of the outrage unleashed against him for his criticism of pro-abortion politicians like Obama and Casey, and most of all, his declaration that the USCCB did "not speak for me."

Bishop Martino's most telling remark at his resignation press conference was, "By the world's standards perhaps I have not been successful here. But I did what I thought was right."

Exactly!

These distressing stories were played out against the background of a bishops' conference committed to supporting Obama's plan to put the nation's medical care in the hands of the government.

Why don't the bishops understand? Whether or not abortion is explictly included in the bill, when and if it is passed, if the government runs health care abortion will inevitably be part of its coverage.

I suppose re-wrapping Obama's health care reform in a package of "KennedyCare" would at least serve the cause of truth in advertising. The Senator's wish for federally-funded abortion on demand would come true.

Just about every Catholic lay leader I have talked to "gets" this, yet only a few bishops have publicly addressed the larger issue of government control.

The latest statement comes from Bishops Finn and Naumann of Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas respectively. Within the context of a comprehensive pastoral letter, the following stands out:

The right of every individual to access healthcare does not necessarily suppose an obligation on the part of the government to provide it. Yet in our American culture, Catholic teaching about the "right" to healthcare is sometimes confused with the structures of "entitlement." The teaching of the Universal Church has never been to suggest a government socialization of medical services.

Let's hope over the next few months this line of thinking is taken up by more bishops and Catholic leaders -- this government-run monopoly of national health care needs to be rejected, totally and completely.