While it is always a sad thing for someone to be excluded from communion, there is a certain sense of relief, almost satisfaction that comes with the news that Bishop Thomas Tobin has banned Congressman Patrick Kennedy from receiving the Eucharist. For years, Catholics have cringed when Democratic politicians who claim to share their faith stand up in the public square and brazenly declare their support for abortion rights. As the above article notes, instances where bishops step in to correct these so-called Catholic politicians have been rare.
But more than being a mere exercise in public discipline, the feud between Kennedy and Tobin has turned into an opportunity to raise important questions, such as What does it really mean to be Catholic? Is faith merely a private matter? Can one disagree with the church hierarchy on central teachings and still claim to be fully Catholic? The bishop provides an insightful, well thought-out treatment of these issues in his open letter to Kennedy this month. Some good analysis of the letter is available here. For background on how the spat started, click here.
Much of Europe and America seems aghast at the Swiss vote to ban the construction of new minarets. At first, it might seem the ban was fueled by religious bigotry, as evidenced by 
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