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It looks like U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) is in a bit of a bind. In an attempt to embarrass his bishop last fall — His Excellency Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island — to cover himself for his shameless advocacy of abortion-on-demand despite his professed Catholicism, he has seen his poll numbers drop. According to one cited on a cable news show last night, it’s down to 37 percent.

Mr. Kennedy has become so weak that the normally deep, deep blue Congressional district he represents is now competitive. Republican State Rep. John Loughlin (EastBayRI.com) now is on the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee’s “watch list” (Providence Journal Blog) as a possible target race. Not only that, but Representative Kennedy seems to have invited primary opposition (Los Angeles Times) as well.

It’s too early to tell, but maybe Mr. Kennedy will learn a bit of a lesson: Keep private conversations private and learn your Catechism before you do spout off. Perhaps most importantly, despite assertions to the contrary, it’s the Left that uses the Church for political gain; so now, perhaps, he and others  will learn the pitfalls of such cynical ploys that attempt to belittle and demean others and their reputations.

Ever since U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) (see A Catholic View) made public the private discourse between he and Bishop Thomas Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence, R.I., the mainstream media has had a field day, snidely belittling the Bishop and any clergy, for that matter, who stands up against abortion, especially the abortion-on-demand and conscious clause removals from the current health care “reform” legislation now in Congress. One rare fair interview was with Bill O’Reilly on the Fox News Channel (see previous post and video, here).   

Now the media is after Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri, a rare New England Republican, because he had the audacity to voice his support for his Bishop rather than his congressman (see LifeSiteNews.com). In a local radio interview Governor Carcieri said (from the Providence Journal):

“I think the Bishop had no choice … because if you go back to how this all started, it was basically Congressman Kennedy making pretty outrageous statements about the Catholic Church” and the church’s position on “protecting the sanctity of innocent human beings. So I think the bishop had no choice except to come back and defend the church, which I think he did very well.” 

Good on the governor! Perhaps more refreshing than the Bishop himself, who does not have a political class to appease, Governor Carcieri had no fear, despite an electorate much to the left of him on this issue. A real profile in courage. It shows that confidence in the courage of one’s convictions, convictions grounded in the Truth, will serve you well in the long run. Even in the short run. (See Deacon Keith Fournier’s commentary at Catholic Online.) So far, there seems to have been no backlash on the governor. Right now, the Bishop and the governor are standing tall.

Last night, Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, R.I., appeared on The O’Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel to dispel myths and misstatements about his role as Bishop in dealing with Church Scandal — that is, the misrepresentation of Church Teaching by one who claims to be of the Faithful. In this case, that someone is a public and powerful person, U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) (see Yahoo! News), who publicly claims it is fine to be pro-abortion-on-demand and be a Catholic in good standing.

Something new to me in watching the interview is that Bishop Tobin is the author of the new book, Effective Faith. I hope to have more on this in the near future. The interview itself was excellent. Bill O’Reilly was thorough in his questions and effectively took the opposing angle. Bishop Tobin’s responses regardig why Rep. Kennedy should not receive Holy Communion were grounded in the Truth, so it was no surprise he was unruffled, firm and unapologetic, while laying out the Church’s teachings cogently, logically and theologically precise.

In addition to the interview, below, here is a link to its coverage on WPRI-TV/12 in Rhode Island. Also, Bishop Tobin was a recent guest on Hardball With Chris Matthews on MSNBC. Matthews was utterly offensive and disrespectful and Deacon Keith Fournier of Catholic Online calls for his firing. 

Here’s the interview. Let me know what you think of it.

Bishop Thomas Tobin honesty and steadfastness for the Truth was a natural on the “no spin zone” last night.

Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, R.I., will give an exclusive interview to Bill O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor tonight on the Fox News Channel (8:00 Eastern, repeated at 11:00 and throughout the night). Bishop Tobin has been in the news of late because U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), son of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, and an adamant pro-abortion proponent, has made public Bishop Tobin’s correspondence to him.

Yesterday, the congressman released a 2007 letter in which Bishop Tobin requested that Rep. Kennedy refrain from receiving Holy Communion because of his abortion on demand positions and misrepresenting the Faith. Currently, the two have disagreed publicly on the congressman’s support of the abortion provisions in the health care bill.

Each time Bishop Tobin as counseled him on the teachings of the Church, all in private, Rep. Kennedy has gone public with the release of the personal, pastoral letters. But Bishop Tobin has responded with clarity and grace, despite the breach of confidentiality. While a Bishop/member-of-the-flock feud rarely becomes public, there are great lessons to be learned about this — namely, that public figures cannot bring scandal upon the Church by misrepresting Church teaching and expect those pledged to uphold The Truth let them continue misleading the faithful.

The interview should be of utmost interest. I hope all Real Catholic Blog readers will get a chance to view it. Then, please leave your comments and impressions of the interview and the controversy in general. Also, here is a link to an online poll from NBC10 in Providence. Please take the time to vote in it.

Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, R.I., has called one of his flock “irresponsible and ignorant” — and not just any member: U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy, son of the late U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy (see EWTN).

Bishop Tobin’s comments were in response to the congressman’s allegations that the U.S. Catholic Bishops were fanning “the flames of dissent and discord” because of their principled opposition to the proposed “health care reform” legislation, which will allow the public funding of abortion and strip away conscience protections for medical professionals.

Bishop Tobin issued a statement on the Diocese’s Web site, which read, in part:

Congressman Patrick Kennedy’s statement about the Catholic Church’s position on health care reform is irresponsible and ignorant of the facts. But the Congressman is correct in stating that “he can’t understand.” He got that part right.

As I wrote to Congressman Kennedy and other members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation recently, the Bishops of the United States are indeed in favor of comprehensive health care reform and have been for many years. But we are adamantly opposed to health care legislation that threatens the life of unborn children, requires taxpayers to pay for abortion, rations health care, or compromises the conscience of individuals.

While I admire the U.S. bishops for their adamant stand against the monstrosity of a government run and dictated health care system — and Bishop Tobin’s courageous stand against a powerful member of Congress — I have always wondered what, when they advocate for “comprehensive coverage” did they expect, especially from this reckless and leftist crew now running the show in Washington?

I pray this is a wake up call to the bishops. They must now realize that their panacea for each and every social justice cure — exclusive government intervention — only leads to bigger and more grave consequences for society. Unfortunately, the increase in poverty despite the Great Society and its legacy programs, has not opened their eyes. Now, however, maybe they see.