Bishop Bars Kennedy from Communion

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) comes from the nation’s most famous Catholic family, but the liberal politics also attached to the Kennedy name is getting him in trouble. Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin banned Kennedy from receiving Communion in Rhode Island in response to his political support for abortion rights. “The bishop instructed me not to take Communion and said that he has instructed the diocesan priests not to give me Communion,” Kennedy said, adding that Tobin said he was not a good practicing Catholic. According to Kennedy, the two had agreed to no longer discuss his faith in public, after which Tobin published an open letter to Kennedy saying, "Sorry, you can't chalk it up to an 'imperfect humanity.' Your position is unacceptable to the church and scandalous to many of our members. It absolutely diminishes your Communion with the church."