Posted on 10/19/2003 8:02:16 AM PDT by NYer
Dear Governor Bush:
As members of the Catholic media, we beg you, in the name of our Lord Jesus, to intervene in the case of Terry Schiavo, and, by extension, in the lives of the millions of persons with special needs in Florida and throughout our country whose lives will be greatly endangered if Ms. Schiavo is left to die, or, more accurately, murdered through the present withdrawal of food and water.
The judge in this case is acting on a remarkable doctrine: That food and water are medicines which may be granted or withheld based on a judicial order. What legal or moral authority gives anyone the right to withhold food and water from an innocent person? Starvation is a most painful and difficult death. If one were to propose it as a method of execution for death row prisoners, it would be instantly opposed by society under the Constitution's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. If starvation is cruel and unusual punishment, it should not have the imprimatur of the State of Florida for any innocent citizen.
We admire your seeking the assistance of the St. Thomas More Society concerning what is legally just. And we are strengthened in our hearts by their response that, at the very least, you have the authority and the duty to protect her life and to conduct a proper and thorough investigation. We appreciate the difficulty of this matter and that the right course of action before God may not be the popular one in today's culture.
The moral and just path, however, is clear to us who believe that human life is God's to give and His alone to take. History has shown the truth of the statement, The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. We would go a step further in saying that those who have the power to do good, and yet do nothing, participate in the triumph of evil, whether or not their withholding of the good seeks or intends such evil.
It may be that our Lord has put you into office, like Queen Esther of old, for such a time as this . The God who saved Esther, and through her, the people of God, will not abandon you, dear Governor. He is faithful. May our Lord Jesus Christ be your comfort and guide in this urgent hour, and may you be His instrument to save the life of one of His little ones , and through her, the dignity of every soul made in His image.
With gratitude and prayer,
Rosalind Moss,
Catholic Author and Speaker
Father Richard John Neuhaus
Editor in Chief, FIRST THINGS
The Institute on Religion and Public Life
Pete Vere, Editor
The Alhambran Magazine
Mark Shea
Catholic Author and Speaker
Philip F. Lawler
Editor, Catholic World Report and Catholic World News
Carl Olson
Editor, Envoy Magazine
John Pacheco
Catholic Author and Speaker
Domenico Bettinelli, Jr
Managing Editor, Catholic World Report magazine
Amy Welborn
Columnist, Our Sunday Visitor
Martin K. Barrack
Catholic Author and Speaker
David Pearson
Features Editor, National Catholic Register
Mike Mohr
Chairman, St. Bernadette Soubirous Chapter of Catholics United for Faith
Dave Armstrong
Catholic Author and Speaker
Gerald Korson
Editor, Our Sunday Visitor
Steve Ray
Catholic Author and Television Host
Rod Bennett
Editor, WONDER Magazine
Matt C. Abbott
Columnist, the Wanderer
Tim Drake
Staff Writer, National Catholic Register
Dr. Paul Thigpen
Executive Director, The Stella Maris Center for Faith and Culture
Mary Kochan,
Contributing Editor, Catholic Exchange
Sandra Miesel
Catholic Journalist
David Moss
President, Association of Hebrew Catholics
Maureen and Robert Wittmann
Catholic authors and speakers
Steve Kellmeyer
Bridegroom Press
Mike Aquilina
Vice President, St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
Mark Brumley
Catholic Author
Greg Popcak
Catholic Author and Radio Host
Patty Bonds
Catholic Author and Speaker
Jeff Cavins
Catholic Radio and Television Host
Fr. Joseph F. Wilson
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
I hope that Terri's bill, being introduced today is successful and that it is quick enough to save Terri. Sounds like there is room for loopholes in it though and apparently there are some legislators in Florida who are against it. We'll see. I would be surprised if there is much coverage of it. I hope someone will keep us posted here to the progress of this special session today. Terri needs a miracle!
Would you object if I, and perhaps other Christians, adopt it?
Thank you. I welcome anyone to use any or all of it to anyone involved in this.
You know what they say - a picture is worth a thousand words. Pull that plastic tube out of Christopher Reeves gullet and he wouldn't last 5 minutes. He is supposedly such an advocate for the rights of the disabled, why isn't he speaking up for Terri??
Well, considering that I and millions of other Christians throughout the centuries adopted it from the 1st Century Christians (it was a secret symbol used to identify each other), please use it here and anywhere else!
Spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world!
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Two minds with the same thought, I have been trying to look up info about this.
If Judge Greer had followed the law and either not allowed Felos to fire her guardian ad litem, or else had gotten her another, she would have divorced Michael a long time ago.
In all cases, as I and others have educated people about the facts of Terri's situation, they come to understand that this is MURDER.
I held a sign up at the intersection of 66th and 102nd for several hours Sunday morning 10/19:
Interesting how the moms driving by w/their little ones in their minivans 'got it' when it was put like that. (and how strange that older folks and those w/disabled hangtags did not. . .)
May the truth of Terri's situation spread beyond evil's ability to control it any longer...this is, yes, 'bigger than us', to paraphrase michael.
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