Posted on 05/18/2005 6:01:54 AM PDT by NYer
Terri Schiavo's parents on Wednesday thanked Pope Benedict for Vatican backing in their failed campaign to keep their brain-damaged daughter alive and gave him a framed picture of her.
"I can't even tell you how I felt," Terri's mother, Mary, told Reuters in an interview with other family members in St. Peter's Square just minutes after meeting the Pope.
"When I gave it to him he said: 'I know, I know about Terri' to me. I couldn't imagine the Holy Father saying to me 'I know, I know about Terri'. It was the most I could have ever, ever hoped for," she said.
Bob and Mary Schindler, their son Bobby and their daughter Suzanne, were in the front row at Benedict's general audience.
"When he said 'Terri' he held his hand to his heart like he was very sad," her father added.
Schiavo died on March 31 in Florida after a U.S. state court ordered the feeding tube, which sustained her for 15 years, removed at the request of her husband who said it was what she would have wanted.
Pope John Paul II, who died two days after Schiavo, had declared some life-extending treatments a moral duty for Roman Catholics.
Schiavo's case was followed around the world and sparked outrage at the Vatican, which compared the court to an executioner who "arbitrarily brought forward" the date of her death.
"As Roman Catholics, to see the Pope is the ultimate. We are trying to carry Terri's legacy on," her father said.
Terri's brother, Bobby Schindler, said the family was moved close to tears when they saw sick people being wheeled before the Pope to be blessed by him at the end of the audience.
"We could have done that. Terri is very similar to those people ... it was just sad that she couldn't be here with us to share it," he said.
Throughout the Terri Schiavo case, the Catholic Church defended the family's efforts to defend life, which the Church teaches starts at the moment of conception and ends at the moment of natural death.
"I think we are seeing a real attack on the culture of life and I think Terri's case exposed just how powerful and dangerous this 'death group' is and what's happening across America," her brother said.
"Our family has to continue to fight and speak out and try to expose just what this 'death group' is doing. I think having the Vatican showing their support really illuminates what is happening in America," he said.
Terri Schiavo's sister Suzanne Vitadamo said: "We did this for Terri. We believe she is sitting with the pope up in heaven. I'm sure she is looking down on us and smiling."
Terri Ping!
Not only is this death group getting stronger and more powerful, but they are becoming quite bold and in-your-face about it, disguised in the name of compassion. The power of prayer is hope for our future.
Thanks for posting this. I am glad to hear that the family was given some comfort by The Pope. Hopefully it will help ease the pain a little. I know it will help when they can go visit their daughters remains, I pray that that will be soon.
This is a beautiful story.
speaking of which, they are enjoying the tons of money they have right now, oblivious to the rest of the world.
In this picture released by the Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI meets with Terri Schiavo's parents, Roy Schindler, right, and Mary Schindler presenting him with pictures of their daughter at the weekly general audience in St. Peter's square at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 18, 2005. Schiavo died March 31 in a hospice in Florida following an unsuccessful battle against a court order to have her feeding tube removed(AP Photo/Osservatore Romano)
whatever happened with the schiavo autopsy?
Terri Solidarity Fellow NYer Ping!
NYer, you have done it yet again. May we continue to pray and watch this scourge. For those who have no voices...I thank you.
My argument that human cloning began long ago: The people who were in favor of Terri's demise.
We have to get people out of this stupor they walk around in... they can't see what's going on. As a mother of a disabled daughter who just had her eleventh operation days ago...I have seen and reported unthinkable things I have witnessed in hospitals over the years.
We have to go the extra mile. We have to be there for those who are often so stressed within the situation and let the death movement sneak in (believe me I was told my daughter was brain-dead, trust me...she just makes me lose my mind. She's great now).
Have Hope and never give up. Sometimes it seems as if death will or has taken over the country...but now they know we see and we will not stand for it...not without a fight. Truth is on our side.
For all the FReepers, I pray for you constantly, even if no one else does. No one else is like you and I thank God for you being here, (yes...even liberals...especially).
All of you who haven't joined the fight...feel free to stop by Blogs for Terri where we watch the death movement intently. http://www.blogsforterri.com/
Again NYer, excellent work...my Centrum is now improved with B16.
Prayers for you and your daughter! We live in evil times. Consider that in CA, laws are being passed to protect domestic animals while the outright slaughter of pre-born infants continues unabated.
No doubt.
* All of you who haven't joined the fight...feel free to stop by Blogs for Terri where we watch the death movement intently. http://blogsforterri.com
God bless you and all those who are involved with Blogs for Terri. Knowledge is extremely important. I'm sure people appreciate the information you have shared, during the time you've been at the hospitals where your daughter was being treated.
I was so happy to hear the Schindlers were able to speak to the Pope and give him a photo of Terri. The Schindlers are an example of a loving Christian family, for all the world to see. Their strong faith is so obvious.
Thanks for the jpeg.
There's a protest this Saturday afternoon outside of Hospice Woodside to emphasize that we have not forgotten. It starts at 4:00 pm until whenever. I've got to make yet another sign. It will be Saturday so we can park in the bank parking lot. A lady named Lisa has been protesting every single day outside Hospice since Terri died and we are going to join here on Saturday.
That is great news!
I am looking for some up to date literature on End of Life Issues. Anyone have any ideas.
Boy, I didn't think there would ever be a pope I (a non-Catholic) could love after JPII, but I'm really starting to love this guy!
Wow! Go, Pope!!
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