In his blog shortly after the funeral liturgy for the late Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Boston’s Sean Cardinal O’Malley provided reflections in response to the many Catholics who thought that providing the Senator with a Catholic funeral was “scandalous.”  For those who fully understand Catholic teaching and even church law on this subject — not to mention the Gospel of Jesus — there never was any question whatsoever whether Kennnedy would or should be burried from the Church.

In part, Cardinal O’Malley stated: “We will not change hearts by turning away from people in their time of need and when they are experiencing grief and loss.” These are pastoral words from a pastoral heart. These are words that answer with Gospel values the question, “what would Jesus do” in a similar situation.