Vatican paper criticizes ruling in brain-damaged woman's case :: News

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March 22, 2005

Vatican paper criticizes ruling in brain-damaged woman's case

Topics: News

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VATICAN CITY - The Vatican pressed its campaign to keep Terri Schiavo alive Tuesday, saying that pulling the plug on the brain-damaged Florida woman amounted to capital punishment for someone who has committed no crimes.

In a front-page editorial, the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano criticized a U.S. federal judge's refusal to order the reinsertion of Schiavo's feeding tube.

"She has no possibility of being 'restored' to a 'normal' life. Therefore Terri Schiavo must die," the editorial began. "This is ... the absurd and terrifying reason" for the judge's decision, it added.

U.S. District Judge James Whittemore said the 41-year-old woman's parents had not established a "substantial likelihood of success" at trial on the merits of their arguments that Schiavo's rights had been violated.

The decision came after feverish action by President Bush and Congress on legislation allowing the brain-damaged woman's contentious case to be reviewed by federal courts.

(snipets)

A top Vatican official, Monsignor Elio Sgreccia, also criticized the ruling, saying it legitimized a "cruel" death by hunger and thirst for Schiavo. Sgreccia, who heads the Pontifical Academy for Life, told Vatican Radio that he hoped the ruling wouldn't be repeated in other cases.
"It's not euthanasia in the literal sense of the word," Sgreccia said. "It's not a good death, it's a death provoked by a cruel act. It's not a medical act," Sgreccia said.

"I confirm the moral judgment doesn't change, because it remains an illicit and serious act - even more serious since it appears the decision over who lives and who dies has become a question for a court," Sgreccia said.

In its editorial, L'Osservatore Romano said Whittemore had condemned Schiavo to an "atrocious death: death from hunger and thirst."

"After all, Terri's destiny appears not unlike that of many men and women who in the United States get capital punishment for their crimes," said the paper.

"But Terri has committed no crimes, if not that of being 'useless' to the eyes of a society incapable of appreciating and defending the gift of life. Of any life," said the paper.

Comments

I hope some nurse with a conscience sneaks water to Terri while nobody is looking.. and puts some poison in Michael's coffee..

Posted by: demonsurfer at March 22, 2005 6:57 PM

Demon, we got to remember that we can't sink to their level.. although it's easy to want to. :-(

Posted by: Sirena at March 22, 2005 6:59 PM

A life is in jeopardy.. at this stage I think it would be worth it unless we want to say our dignity is more important than Terri's life, although I understand where you're coming from.

Posted by: demonsurfer at March 22, 2005 7:04 PM

You know its bad when the vatican responds, look out Michael!

Posted by: adrienne at March 22, 2005 7:08 PM

We can't sink down to their level. I believe in doing all we can to save her, but sinning for the right reasons is still a sin. And we can't take another human life, or else we'll be no better than Michael, Greer, or Felos.

Posted by: Sirena at March 22, 2005 7:09 PM

fair enough, cancel the poisoned coffee, but I'm still hoping a nurse there will act while nobody is looking.. Michael can't stay awake 24/7.

Posted by: demonsurfer at March 22, 2005 7:15 PM

Agreed.

Posted by: Sirena at March 22, 2005 7:18 PM

You people are so self rightous. YOu hope for death of another in the name of your opinion. Great, the nurse would try to give water to a women who has no swallowing function, that would work just great?! Obviously you don't understand the concept of a peg tube and its indications in medicine. DOn't take away my rights because of your opinions.

Posted by: susan at March 22, 2005 8:01 PM

To paraphrase Edmund Burke..."Evil triumphs when 'good people' do nothing". Obviously, the courts and government are too complicated to be able to do the "right thing". To counteract this evil that is permeating Florida and the United States...

I'm calling on all good people to travel to Florida NOW to stand between the authorities and Terri....so that the feeding tube may be reinserted.

Thereby stopping the advance of EVIL in this country and SAVING Terri's LIFE.

Posted by: Joseph [Detroit Mich] at March 22, 2005 8:13 PM

To Susan: a note about the swallowing issue...I heard it reported that Terri swallows every day...her own saliva...so a drink would be very appropriate. Incidently, we human can go without food for a reasonable long period...but not without fluids. If someone of good will who is courageous enough to do so, doesn't act soon Terri will die a very painful death.

Posted by: Joseph [Detroit Mich] at March 22, 2005 8:17 PM

Even her parents are frisked and have to see her only in the presence of police officers, so hard to sneak any drink in.

Posted by: sujata at March 22, 2005 9:22 PM

To Joseph,

YOu are raising exactly my point: YOu don't have the medical knowledge to understand the concept of a peg tube. The patients I put them in CAN swallow their own saliva, but aspirate Thin liquids and food, which in turn results in aspiration penumonia and repeated risk of con't antibiotic use, respiratory failure and death
GOT IT??? DOn't comment on something you are only hearing through the media, internet and hearsay. Most of the facts are incorrect, but you pass judgement and can't tolerate someone elses opinion.

Posted by: Susan at March 22, 2005 9:56 PM

Susan: perhaps you are unaware of the testimony of medical professionals who have tended and examined Terri and who testify that she can swallow more than her own saliva. For example: http://www.apfn.org/apfn/aff2-terri.pdf
- and:
http://libertytothecaptives.net/hammesfahr_dr._report.html

Posted by: Edward at March 22, 2005 10:30 PM

Does anyone ever stop to think that maybe Gods hand is already on Terri leading her out of her miserable status, enabling her to die in this manner? Suffering is known to saints and Terri is a saint for living in that sad state for 15 drawn out years.
Maybe the parents need to accept that she has suffered long enough and love her enough to allow this to be. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh.
I think in this upcoming Easter and Holy week, we need to pray to Our Blessed Lady who saw her own son scourged and die on a cross. Did anyone think it was easy for Mary?
I think let go and let GOD! The Gov't should stay out completely and absolutely. People die everyday in hospices, tubes are pulled and no food, just pain meds and water for terminally ill then do succumb to death, those even with brain function. I think it is a worse sin to let someone in this vegetative state to live on and on.

Posted by: dlm at March 22, 2005 11:01 PM

the lord giveth and michael taketh away in this case dlm.

Posted by: demonsurfer at March 22, 2005 11:19 PM

Jeb must act NOW, and he can, says Keyes
Governor has 'supreme executive power'

March 25, 2005
RenewAmerica staff

Thursday, Alan Keyes appeared on MSNBC's Scarborough Country with Joe Scarborough, and on Joseph Farah's national radio show, and declared that Gov. Jeb Bush not only possesses the "supreme executive authority in the state," but must act now to save Terri Schiavo.

When asked if Gov. Bush has done enough to help the disabled woman, Keyes said, "Of course not. He hasn't done anything. She is being starved to death!"

Keyes made it clear on both programs that Gov. Bush needs no permission from the courts to fulfill his statutory and constitutional duty to act in Terri's behalf, since the executive is equal to the judiciary.

To see the Joe Scarborough transcript, click here.

To see the Joseph Farah transcript, click here.

Posted by: AMYLYNN at March 27, 2005 4:26 PM

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March 22, 2005

Vatican paper criticizes ruling in brain-damaged woman's case

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