Even as they agreed to postpone a planned face-to-face meeting that had been set for Thursday, Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas J. Tobin turned up the heat Monday on U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy over his \u201crejection\u201d\u009d of church teaching on abortion, calling on him to enter into a process of conversion and repentance.<\/p>\n
In a letter to Kennedy posted Monday on the Web site of the Diocese of Providence\u2019s weekly newspaper, the bishop disputes Kennedy\u2019s assertion that his disagreement with the hierarchy \u201con some issues\u201d\u009d including abortion did not make him any less of a Catholic.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, in fact, Congressman, in a way it does,\u201d\u009d the bishop said in a letter issued just two days after Kennedy was among a group of minority lawmakers who attempted to block tough new restrictions on abortion that were added Saturday to the House\u2019s health-care reform legislation.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough I wouldn\u2019t chose those particular words, when someone rejects the teachings of the Church, especially on a grave matter, a life-and-death issue like abortion, it certainly does diminish their ecclesial communion,\u201d\u009d the bishop declared.<\/p>\n