Fr. Thomas Euteneuer has an excellent article (h/t Austrian Economists) on the death of Senator Kennedy, which looks at it from a Catholic point of view.  It is the first one I have seen which criticizes the Archdiocese of Boston for allowing Senator Kennedy the privilege of a Christian burial.  It is not mean spirited in that Fr. Euteneuer does not wish Senator Kennedy eternal damnation.  He writes:

It is up to God to judge Senator Kennedy’s soul. We, as rational persons, must judge his actions, and his actions were not at all in line with one who values and carefully applies Church teaching on weighty matters. Ted Kennedy’s positions on a variety of issues have been a grave scandal for decades, and to honor this “catholic” champion of the culture of death with a Catholic funeral is unjust to those who have actually paid the price of fidelity.

I agree wholeheartedly.  Fellow blogger The Cranky Conservative links to another excellent blog about the failures of Senator Kennedy.

The one thing I felt which was uncalled for were some of the nasty comments left by readers of various articles on the death of Senator Kennedy.  Many were glad he was dead and they hoped he would burn in hell for all eternity.  No Christian should wish eternal damnation on another for the sole reason we are all sinners.  To think one is morally superior to another is as grave as any other sin.

I am glad that Fr. Euteneuer has come out to criticize the leaders of the Church in allowing for such fanfare to the funeral of President Kennedy.  One question I wished many bishops would answer is why should any Catholic follow the teachings of the Church when they continually praise (many times from the pulpit) public officials like Senator Kennedy who publicly scorn so many of the Church’s tenents? 

It is not my place to say Senator Kennedy should have been refused a Catholic burial but Cardinal O’Malley of Boston could have sent a very powerful message to all Catholics if he did not allow Senator Kennedy the privilege to be public funeral in a Catholic church.