JK on Robert Drinan

[MBS]

See http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/01/29/congressman_priest_drinan_dies/

Sen. Kerry was describing himself as well as Robert Drinan here: "Father Drinan was a forever gentle, resilient, tenacious advocate for social justice and fundamental decency," said Senator John F. Kerry, who was Father Drinan's campaign manager in 1970. "He lived out in public life the whole cloth of Catholic teachings. In the most divisive days of Vietnam when things were coming apart, this incredible man and most unlikely of candidates showed America how a man of faith could be a man of peace."

[karynnj]

1. What a beautiful statement by Kerry

on an incredible man. A young relative of mine, now a prosecutor loved the class she took from him at Georgetown Law.

[MBS]

2. The whole obituary is incredible

The writer, Mark Feeney, did a beautiful job, really captured the essence of the man, and of the time. It's really worth reading the whole thing at some point (Feeney is the editor of the Globe's obit dept., and writes all the big ones himself. He wrote a sensitive account of Julia Thorne's life when she died last year. .)

[blm]

3. Please put in GDP

or GD.

Thankyou for sharing this. I admired Fr. Drinan for many years.

[MBS]

5. I just posted it on GD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x70571

[Luftmensch067]

6. Recced! n/t

[Luftmensch067]

4. Thanks so much for posting this

I learned a lot I didn't know and am glad to be able to honor this good man's memory. It was indeed a beautifully-written tribute. Sen. Kerry and his family must be grieving the loss of this friend, but what a complete and fulfilled life.

I agree that JK's words also describe himself and I can imagine how much his career and life have been influenced by Fr. Drinan's example. The role of principled outsider certainly sounds familiar as does the unstoppable resolve to pursue the course of peace and justice. I also love, right now, the element of the story that when Fr. Drinan was forced to give up the role he wanted, he found another and equally essential way of fulfilling his personal mission, that of educating future leaders. When your inner guide is constant and faithful (in every sense) nothing can stop your efforts and you will do what has to be done somehow...

I bet Fr. Drinan was very proud of JK every step of the way.

[TayTay]

7. They did have a history.

In 1970, John Kerry briefly considered running for this seat in Congress. However, he did not have the votes and he withdrew in favor of Fr. Drinan. In return, Drinan had Kerry as his campaign manager in that winning race.

Both of these people were good and honorable people. Fr. Drinan filed the impeachment proceedings against Nixon. We in Mass will always love just for that incredibly patriotic deed, nevermind the countless other great things he did. (And he was a great guy!)

[whometense]

8. He was an inspiration.

I love Barney Frank, but Drinan was a hero to a generation of Massachusetts youth.

[TayTay]

9. I remember being so sad when he was forced to resign his seat.

I was working at Boston College then and everyone, at that time, thought the Pope was wrong for doing this. Fr. Drinan was a great Congressman and was a great Jesuit who really followed his conscience.

I am glad that article had the great line about Drinan: "Our Father, who art in Congress...." I remmeber that. (Not even a district I ever lived in and I remember that.)

[TayTay]

10. Kerry, Kennedy, and Frank to Introduce Resolution with Mass. Delegation

Kerry, Kennedy, and Frank to Introduce Resolution with Mass. Delegation

Honoring Father Drinan

WASHINGTON, DC – Tomorrow Sen. John Kerry, Sen. Edward Kennedy, and their colleagues in the Massachusetts delegation will introduce a resolution written by Drinan’s successor, Rep. Barney Frank, honoring the groundbreaking Jesuit priest and former Congressman Rev. Robert Drinan.

The former Boston College and Georgetown University professor, and advocate for peace and defender of the disadvantaged passed away Sunday.

"In the most divisive days of Vietnam when things were coming apart, this incredible man and most unlikely of candidates showed America how a man of faith could be a man of peace. He lived out in public life the whole cloth of Catholic teachings,” said Kerry. “Father Drinan was a gentle, resilient, tenacious advocate for social justice and fundamental decency. It’s appropriate that we honor him in Congress, where he served with such conviction, and continues to be an example to all of us."

***************

Nice! Class acts, every one of them.

[kerrygoddess]

11. Nice coverage of Drinan in the Globe

He was such a great man. I posted about his passing last night here - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=5204

And then just put up another post about JK, Kennedy, et al introducing a resolution to honor him (and quoted heavily from the Globe) - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=5208

[cadmium]

12. Father Drinan was a wonderful man whose committment and

decency should be honored and memorialized regularly. Young people should know about him. At one time the Catholic Church had active liberal public representation in the Unitied States. I thought immediately about Father Drinan when I read Kerry's speech at Pepperdine.

[karynnj]

13. So did I

Drinan was one of Kerry's advisors in 2004.

[demdiva]

14. OMG

I didn't know he had passed. Ugg.