Recently Cardinal O’Malley, a usually a strong defender of Catholic tradition, commented on the Sen. Ted Kennedy’s Funeral.  He defended his position of givingthe Sacraments to a political figure that openly contridicted the teachings of the Church.  Of course, this broght on additional commentary from Conservative Catholics, and a very heated exchange occured.  My issues with the Heirarchy in the Catholic Church is that some priests and bishops will openly challenge the writings and decrees from the Vatican.  The liberal response to this critism is the Church needs to allow Grace to be given to these Catholics through the seven sacrements, in effort to bring them fully into the Church.  I just think this waters down the teaching of morality by the modern Church.  Thankfully, we have a Pope and Vatican that defends life at every turn, but in my perspective I wish they would take a harder line on bishops and priests that give the sacrements to those that enact public policy contrary to the teachings of the Church.