Kennedy prayer banned in Chicago

"For those who have given their lives to service to their country, promoting values of peace, justice, equality, and liberty; especially, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, that he may find his eternal reward in the arms of God . . . . We pray."

But not in Chicago.

Liturgy Training Publications, located in Chicago, issued the original prayer as a suggested Prayer for the Faithful for use at Sunday Masses after the prominent Catholic senator's death on August 25.

The prayer, however, triggered complaints from the pro-life Catholic blogosphere, including popular Catholic writer Rev. John Malloy, who encouraged prayers for Kennedy on his pro-life blog, but noted: "To pray for Senator Kennedy as one who promoted peace, justice, equality, and liberty, ignoring the 49 million+ babies killed through legalized abortion, would be simply to pray a lie at Mass."

This led to a Liturgy Training Publications apology, a kind of ecclesial prayer retraction.

Director of the publishing house, John A. Thomas wrote to Malloy: "I'm writing, in response to your message, to apologize for the extremely poor use of words reflected in the recent posting of our Prayer of the Faithful resource as it relates to the petition regarding Senator Edward Kennedy,"

He added: "Upon reflection, the editors who adapted and wrote the prayer recognize their poor judgment."