My Last Teddy Kennedy Post, I Hope

A reader writes:

There’s a bit of a story here.

Liturgy Training Publications, of Chicago, sent out the following Prayers of the Faithful suggestion last week following Ted Kennedy’s death:

“For those who have given their lives to service to their country, promoting values of peace, justice, equality, and liberty; especially, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, that he may find his eternal reward in the arms of God….We pray…”

Then I sent them the following comment (with a CC to Helen Hitchcock):

Dear LTP,

Please excuse me if what I am responding to is a hoax, for it really doesn’t seem as if it could possibly be true; and yet I am obliged in conscience to ask about this matter.

It is this: it was related to me that the LTP sent out an updated version of their Prayers of the Faithful for today, August 30, as follows:

“For those who have given their lives to service to their country, promoting values of peace, justice, equality, and liberty; especially, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, that he may find his eternal reward in the arms of God….We pray…”

I wish to pray — in quiet and in earnest —for the repose of the soul of Ted Kennedy, that in some way the great mercy of God will have prevailed, even at the last moment, to bring Kennedy to what I would want for myself: a searing confrontation with Truth. A heart broken with repentance. A plea for forgiveness. The miracle of rescue.

But a grave public scandal has been given by Kennedy’s career of unrelenting support for what the Second Vatican Council called “unspeakable crimes.” And that public scandal has been multiplied a hundredfold by a honorific funeral that looked and sounded like a virtual canonization.

This proposed “Prayer of the Faithful” is constructed rhetorically so that it indicates Ted Kennedy as exemplary for those who promote “peace, justice, equality,” etc. This is at the least scandalous and distracting, and — with all due respect for necessary complexities of context — a lie.

A more charitable and truthful wording would be, “For a merciful judgment and the repose of the soul of Senator Edward Kennedy…”

I think an amendment to that effect should be forwarded to your contacts, even at this late date.

Again, if this was a hoax, I ask your pardon, and peace.

Today Helen Hitchcock got back to me with this:

Dear Juli,

Apparently LTP saw the problem, and sent out apologies – 2 of which I found on the web:

Published: August 29, 2009
Kennedy Prayer of the Faithful Changed
Response from Liturgy Training Publications

Dear Sir or Madam:

I’m writing in response to the article posted on your website regarding a petition that appeared in our downloadable Prayer of the Faithful resource. I wanted to let you know that the text to the pray has been amended and it now reads:

“For all our beloved dead, especially (particular parish intentions), and for Senator Edward M. Kennedy, that they may find their eternal reward in the arms of God. We pray:”

I apologize for the extremely poor use of words reflected in the recent posting of our Prayer of the Faithful resource as it relates to the petition regarding Senator Edward Kennedy. Upon reflection, the editors who adapted and wrote the prayer recognize their poor judgment. As a source text they drew from “Prayers on the Inauguration of a Public Official” found in the Book of Blessings. This was a poor choice as a source text. The source prayer, as originally intended, intentionally reflects a future hope; it is not intended as a reflection on the quality of the life of a person or persons. This was not considered enough when adapted. As adapted for the Prayer of the Faithful, the text inappropriately presents a sense of support for the positions and actions taken by the late Senator by those who wrote it or pray it. I know it was not the intention of the editors to support the Senator’s positions, but upon reading the petition, as it was originally written, support can be inferred. I apologize for our failure in judgment and poor selection of words used in the prayer. I pray that we do better in the future.

We appreciate your feedback and concern. In the future, please feel free to write to me directly if you have a concern about one of our resources.

Sincerely,
John A. Thomas
Director
Liturgy Training Publications
3949 S. Racine Avenue
Chicago, IL 60609
jthomas@ltp.org
Phone (773) 579-4900, ext. 3557
FAX 773-579-4929
www.LTP.org

***

Friday, August 28, 2009
Apologies

Dear Fr. Malloy:

I’m writing, in response to your message, to apologize for the extremely poor use of words reflected in the recent posting of our Prayer of the Faithful resource as it relates to the petition regarding Senator Edward Kennedy. Upon reflection, the editors who adapted and wrote the prayer recognize their poor judgment.

As a source text they drew from “Prayers on the Inauguration of a Public Official” found in the Book of Blessings. This was a poor choice as a source text. The source prayer, as originally intended, intentionally reflects a future hope; it is not intended as a reflection on the quality of the life of a person or persons. This was not considered enough when adapted. As adapted for the Prayer of the Faithful, the text inappropriately presents a sense of support for the positions and actions taken by the late Senator by those who wrote it or pray it. I know it was not the intention of the editors to support the Senator’s positions, but upon reading the petition, as it was originally written, support can be inferred. I apologize for our failure in judgment and poor selection of words used in the prayer. I pray that we do better in the future.

The text of the prayer has been amended and it now reads:

“For all our beloved dead, especially (particular parish intentions), and for Senator Edward M. Kennedy, that they may find their eternal reward in the arms of God. We pray:”

I appreciate your feedback and concern.

So *that’s* over with. But you sort of have to wonder how such a blunder could have been made to begin with.

Next, there’s the ever-sensible Fr. Robert Barron:

Say it again: if the Dems dropped their fanatical support for the Most Holy Sacrament of Abortion they would never lose another election. But sin makes you stupid.

And finally, it would be nice if, instead of presiding over insta-canonizations of pro-death pols, the American bishop would cowboy up a little like their Roman brethren.