The Kennedy funeral
Anybody else watching? I’m catching up now (thanks to my DVR). But you can tune in live at the Web site of the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
UPDATE: Don’t miss E.J. Dionne’s column about the Liberal Lion. A sample:
He suffered profoundly, made large mistakes and was, to say the least, imperfect. But the suffering and the failures fed a humane humility that led him to reach out to others who fell, to empathize with those burdened by pain, to understand human folly, and to appreciate the quest for redemption.
That made him a rarity in politics. Never pretending that he knew everything, he had a magnetic draw for talented people who stayed with him for years. He trusted them and gave them room to shine. Their guidance and his own intelligence and feverish work made him one of the greatest senators in history.
The pastor from OLV, Centerville, is now giving a well-prepared homily. We are assisting by television. What a vigorous “Holy God, We Praise Thy Name!” as entrance hymn! The clerics speak clearly, no mumbles, no lack of preparation. The lay readers were superb in their voice, cadence, and interpretation. Claire just observed, “Barack is listening intently (to the homily).”
After all that, I almost forgot President Obama was going to speak!
Watched on ABC with Raber, avid Wafer Watcher, who was disappointed that the cameras stayed on Placido Domingo and the Tanglewood singers during reception of the sacrament and not on the communion line.
Am guessing that somebody somewhere was taking note and any outrages will be duly noted.
Eulogies were refreshingly free of the hagiographical elements that marked the funerals of the murdered Kennedy brothers.
Sen. Kennedy’s sons seem to have had no illusions about their dad–and loved him anyway, and I found that particularly touching. Isn’t that what we all hope for our kids? That they recognize and learn from both our good side and take our failings as cautionary tales?
Lovely “Ave Maria.”
On my own blog (nancydallavalle.blogspot.com), I reflected on the moment early on, after the military guard had brought the casket in and the funeral itself began, when Vicki Kennedy, with two other women, placed the pall over the casket. Their movements were homely and beautiful … and unchoreographed.
Forgot about the possibility of outrage, but you’re right, Jean, I’m sure we’ll hear!
The ending of Dionne’s column is quite moving and was reiterated, in different ways, by numbers of people these days:
“In 1995, Kennedy was at our church on a Sunday when a call for prayers came forth for a hospitalized member of our family. Kennedy eventually learned that it was my three-year-old son James who was stricken with a rare condition. I returned home late that night after spending the day at the hospital. Waiting for me was a message from Ted Kennedy. A quiet voice described his own son’s youthful illness and expressed a total understanding of the fear and pain I was experiencing. My son recovered, thank God, and I will never forget what Kennedy did.”
It was a great funeral. When it is done well, there is no better way to be sent off than with a funeral Mass. YoYo Ma also contributed a great deal to the emotional gravitas as did Placido Domingo and Susan Graham (that covered for the Catholic weakpoint–congregational singing).
Of course, I was sitting in my breezy dining room watching; I suspect the attendees were all sweating profusely from the heat (no ac–a fact I gleaned from Dan Barry’s terrific description of the church and its preparations for the funeral). Barry here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/29/us/29church.html?_r=1
I was curious, but delighted, that Father Monan, chancellor of BC, was the presider. Sermon very good. Eulogists, all three, were terrific.
This may seem blasphemous but I couldn’t help watching George Bush. Would he convert to get such a great send-off? And the tributes of so many grateful friends? Hmmmm? I wonder.
FWIW, my take on some of the “secular” as well as sacred elements of today’s burying and praising–dualities that seemed especially inextricable in this context:
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/08/29/edward-kennedy-his-funeral-and-busy-afterlife/
The ability to get OLV ready in such short notice is a small example of what we tend to forget: not all power has to corrupt.
Conversion or not, I seriously doubt that Dubya would get anything close to that kind of a send-off. There has to be something to celebrate first.
Nancy, I enjoyed reading your blog reflection. I noticed Kennedy’s sister Jean smoothing out the pall, pulling on a corner, as if she were smoothing a bedsheet–truly a woman’s gesture.
David G., you quoted Obama’s remarks in your observations: “We cannot know for certain how long we have here. We cannot foresee the trials or misfortunes that will test us along the way. We cannot know God’s plan for us. What we can do is to live out our lives as best we can with purpose, and love, and joy.”
I wonder of anyone elseheard something of a hymn Mahalia Jackson used to sing, “Walk On By Faith,” in that passage:
We cannot see in the future, no, Lord,
And we cannot see through dark cloud, Lord
We cannot see, Lord, through all of our tear drops, oh Lord.
Walk on by faith each day.
Oh, happy to walk on
Oh, by faith, Lord, each day.
Without taking anything away from Margaret’s sentiments about the glories of a Catholic send-off, I’d have to say that, for me, Mahalia singing at MLK’s funeral was pretty much the apex in the catalog of “Great Moments in Famous Funerals.”
As for George W. Bush–a bit premature to start thinking about his funeral. Other presidents who fell from grace with the public–think Carter and Hoover–found grace from above in their years after the presidency. Charity calls us to remember that miracles do happen …
I did wonder if Obama and Michelle didn’t long for a bit more of a sing-out allelluia few moments; maybe Bill Clinton too.
Miracles do happen. Amen. But in the Bush case, I’d be surprised. That’s why he might like our policy of never speaking ill of the dead.
Margaret, that’s why they call them “miracles,” because they’re a surprise!
Good catch, Jean. What I noted was his ripping off Lincoln yet again. “The world will long remember their son Edward…” None of the “little note what we say here” (false) humility.
At the graveside, the letters that Cardinal McCarrick read from Sen. Kennedy and from the pope’s representative should lay to rest any foolishness about whether Sen. Kennedy was a “good Catholic.’ Few if any of us is a particularly good Catholic and Kennedy is at the very least as good as most of us are. That surely includes the hierarchy.
http://www.wuaala.com/channel/necn/28287
At the beginning of Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s burial service at Arlington National Cemetery, Cardinal McCarrick read a letter the senator sent to Pope Benedict. It was delivered by President Barack Obama during his trip to the Vatican. As part of his initial correspondence, Sen. Kennedy wrote, “I am writing with deep humility to ask that you pray for me as my own health declines. I was diagnosed with brain cancer more than a year go, and although I continue treatment, the disease takes it toll on me.” Sen. Kennedy continued, “I know that that I have been an imperfect human being, but with the help of my faith, I have tried to right my path.” Sen. Kennedy mentioned in the letter the many rights for which he fought during his 47-year career as a United States Senator, including immigrant rights, championing the rights of the poor and fighting discrimination. “I’ve always tried to be a faithful Catholic, Your Holiness. And though I have fallen short through human failings, I’ve never failed to believe and respect the fundamental teachings of my faith,” Kennedy wrote. “I continue to pray for God’s blessings — on you and on our church — and would be most thankful for your prayers for me.” The Vatican responded to the letter two weeks later, saying that Pope Benedict read the letter provided him by President Obama. McCarrick read a portion of the pontiff’s correspondence. The Vatican wrote, “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.” The letter continued, “The Holy Father cordially imparts his apostolic blessing as a pledge of wisdom, comfort and strength in the Lord.” Sen. Kennedy was laid to rest just a hundred feet from where his brothers President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy were buried.
The scene at Arlington was stunning. I was moved by the military rituals–a lone soldier blowing taps before the blue-and pink-sky of the sunset, with Robert E. Lee’s mansion in the background. And the lightening, not ominous, but not of this world, off in the distance.
to empathize with those burdened by pain, to understand human folly, and to appreciate the quest for redemption.
An empathy that was, no doubt, reflected in his love for Chappaquidick jokes, inadvertently revealed by a long-time friend on NPR. Classy stuff.
Stuart: Ed Klein, “a long-time friend”? “Inadvertently”? Come on. As Media Matters put it: Why would anyone take Ed Klein seriously?
Ah, I forgot it was that Ed Klein. Nonetheless, we’re at an impasse, I think, because I’m not sure why anyone would take Media Matters seriously (from what I’ve seen, that website features an occasional truth mixed in with many tendentious attempts to characterize reasonable differences of opinion as plain errors of fact).
Well, they do seem to have a better record than NPR when it comes to evaluating the credibility of Ed Klein! I think you’re wrong about MM overall, but even if you weren’t I think it’s a bit problematic to go to “consider the source” at this point.