Funeral Service begins for Senator Kennedy

(NECN: Boston, MA) – In Boston on Saturday a funeral mass was held for Senator Edward M Kennedy at Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Mission Hill. Hundreds of mourners lined the sidewalks as family and friends entered the Mission Church. Rev. Raymond Collins, C.SS.R. Pastor, Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Roxbury, Massachusetts welcomed the Kennedy Family, President, First Lady, Vice President and his wife. The Senators step-son Curran Raclin read from the old testament to start the ceremony off. The First reading was from Kara Kennedy, a responsorial psalm from The Book of Wisdom. Caroline Raclin, the Senator’s stepdaughter offered the Second Reading from the New Testament, Letter of Paul to the Romans. Seven Priests, 11 pall bearers and 29 honorary pall bearers took part in Saturdays service. Senator Kennedy will be buried Saturday evening near his brothers at Arlington National Cemetery in northern Virginia.