The Washington Post is reporting that President Obama delivered a letter from Sen. Edward M. Kennedy to Pope Benedict XVI last month. The letter and the pontiff’s response were read aloud by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick at Kennedy’s burial on Saturday. From the Kennedy letter:
I have been blessed to be part of a wonderful family. And both of my parents, particularly my mother, kept our Catholic faith at the center of our lives. That gift of faith has sustained and nurtured and provided solace to me in the darkest hours. I know that I have been an imperfect human being, but with the help of my faith, I have tried to right my path.
I want you to know, Your Holiness, that in my nearly 50 years of elective office, I have done my best to champion the rights of the poor and open doors of economic opportunity. I have worked to welcome the immigrant, to fight discrimination and expand access to health care and education. I have opposed the death penalty and fought to end war. Those are the issues that have motivated me and have been the focus of my work as a United States senator.
I also want you to know that even though I am ill, I’m committed to doing everything I can to achieve access to health care for everyone in my country. This has been the political cause of my life. I believe in a conscience protection for Catholics in the health field and I’ll continue to advocate for it as my colleagues in the Senate and I work to develop an overall national health policy that guarantees health care for everyone.
I have always tried to be a faithful Catholic, Your Holiness, and though I have fallen short through human failings, I have never failed to believe and respect the fundamental teachings of my faith. I continue to pray for God’s blessings on you and on our church and would be most thankful for your prayers for me.
Excerpts of the Pope’s response also read aloud by McCarrick:
His Holiness prays that in the days ahead you may be sustained in faith and hope, and granted the precious grace of joyful surrender to the will of God, our merciful father. He invokes upon you the consolation and peace promised by the risen savior to all who share in his sufferings and trust in his promise of eternal life.
Commending you and the members of your family to the loving intervention of the blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Father cordially imparts his Apostolic blessing as a pledge of wisdom, comfort and strength in the Lord.
I noticed the number of "I"s in that letter. Reminded me of the song by Simple Minds…
"Don't you forget about me…"
I do not "see" the name. I read a reference to him, but the "name above all names", Jesus is not mentioned, even by the Pope. The world has many gods and lords, but in reality there is only one God and one Lord, and his name is Jesus Christ.
"The consolation and peace promised by the risen savior to all who share in his sufferings and trust in his promise of eternal life" clearly invokes Jesus Christ. Even John 3:16 does not mention the name "Jesus," but still it is pure Gospel.