Archbishop Dolan asks Rep. Kennedy to apologize for ‘sad’ accusations
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Rep. Patrick Kennedy / Archbishop Timothy Dolan

New York City, N.Y., Oct 27, 2009 / 09:55 pm (CNA).- Joining the response to U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy’s charge that the Catholic bishops are spreading discord on health care reform, Archbishop of New York Timothy Dolan has said the congressman’s remarks were “sad, uncalled-for, and inaccurate” and has asked for an apology.

In an interview with CNSNews.com, Rep. Kennedy (D-RI), son of the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, had accused the Catholic Church of fanning “the flames of dissent and discord” because Catholic bishops declared that they will oppose the proposed health care reform unless it explicitly prohibits funding of abortion.

Archbishop Dolan commented on Rep. Kennedy’s remarks in an Oct. 26 blog post on the Archdiocese of New York’s website.

“The Catholic community in the United States hardly needs to be lectured to about just healthcare. We’ve been energetically into it for centuries. And we bishops have been advocating for universal healthcare for a long, long time.

“All we ask is that it be just that -- universal -- meaning that it includes the helpless baby in the womb, the immigrant, and grandma in a hospice, and that it protects a healthcare provider’s right to follow his/her own conscience.

“This is what the President says he wants; this is what we bishops say we want,” he continued.

The archbishop said that Bishop of Providence Thomas Tobin, Rep. Kennedy’s bishop, had a “good point” in saying that the Congressman owes an apology to the Catholic Church.

Bishop Tobin also called Kennedy a “disappointment to the Catholic Church” and criticized his remarks as “irresponsible.”

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Subscriber comments:
Published by: phil clarke
Darien, Il USA 10/29/2009 06:47 AM EST
My goodness, how something that is good is twisted & made look like it's evil by another Catholic politician. Timothy Dolan steps up to the plate yet again.
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Published by: Louise
Decatur, IN 10/28/2009 03:38 PM EST
Thank you Archbishop Dolan for a voice of reason! The Catholic Church can no longer be silent. There is too much as stake.
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Published by: Kevin
Idaho 10/28/2009 11:45 AM EST
It's bad enough that the Church is routinely slandered by those outside. Catholics who do so should be called out.
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Published by: Don Schenk
Allentown/PA/USA 10/28/2009 11:02 AM EST
The "baby in the womb, THE IMMIGRANT, the grandma in a hospice"? Just what kind of "immigrant" does Archbishop Dolan want to be "protected," and does that means he wants free health care for illegal immigrants?
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Published by: Richard Cavanaugh
Woodbridge, VA. USA 10/28/2009 09:45 AM EST
It's about time a Catholic bishop stood up to the powerful and wealthy Kennedy clan.
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Published by: Robert Lockwood
Lafayette, CA 10/27/2009 10:26 PM EST
Rate: Excellent
Another in a long line of Kennedy's who care not a wit about the truth and what is right but only about political power. God help the people of Rhode Island.
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