PROVIDENCE, R.I. (November 11, 2009)--Congressman Patrick Kennedy says recent comments by Rhode Island's Roman Catholic bishop questioning Kennedy's faith because of his stance on abortion were "very disconcerting."

Kennedy, a Catholic Democrat, planned to meet Thursday with Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin to discuss the issue, but the bishop's office announced that the meeting was postponed indefinitely.

Kennedy said the bishop had not kept an agreement not to debate the issue in public in terms of Kennedy's personal faith.

The bishop has questioned publicly whether Kennedy can call himself a Catholic, given that in the health care debate, the congressman voted against a ban on funding abortion.