Pope declares feeding tubes a 'moral obligation'

USA TODAY ^ | 4/01/04 | Cathy Lynn Grossman

[kattracks]

Pope John Paul II has stunned Catholic health care providers, ethicists and theologians by announcing emphatically that it is "morally obligatory" to continue artificial feeding and hydration for people in a persistent vegetative state, even if they remain so for years. His comments could require revision in directives on end-of-life care at one in 10 U.S. hospitals. And they may prompt confusion over the validity of advance directives people have drawn up that say they do not want "extraordinary" treatments to prolong their life under specified circumstances.

[secret garden]

There is nothing here to stun anyone but CINOs.

[Support Free Republic]

Rank	Location	Receipts	Donors/Avg		Freepers/Avg		Monthlies
39	Maine	20.00	1	20.00			10.00	1

Thanks for donating to Free Republic!

Move your locale up the leaderboard!

[tkathy]

Good grief! Morally wrong, IMHO.

[Esther Ruth]

International Anti-Euthanasia Task Force, PO Box 760, Steubenville, Ohio 43952, is a good place to go for information and legal forms that can be used for lawyers if you are this pro life regarding feeding tubes (which I am). With out these directives, it is often left in the hands of others.

[ahayes]

The pope's stance is "a stunner, to say the least."

To the contrary--I find it completely obvious.

[pgyanke]

YES! Finally some sanity! After how many pleedings with the local bishops to stand up for the basic tenets of the faith on the inviolability of life?!

For those that need a translation (and I already saw one who did...) the Pope just said that a living human being, regardless of their current mental condition, deserves to be fed.

Simple yet profound!

[SB00]

I'm not stunned. The Pope's message has always been of respecting life no matter what condition.

[Republic]

HURRAH!

[TaxRelief]

Can you all send out a "ping for life"? We have something to celebrate today!

[TaxRelief]

I hate to say it, but it's time for the Schindlers to get another lawyer. This is new and compelling evidence that should immediately be brought before the court.

[Republic]

I pray that Pat Andersone, their attn., has the help she needs. MS is a walking demon.

[Aquinasfan]

There is nothing here to stun anyone but CINOs.

You beat me to it. Since Catholic hospital operators, "ethicists," and "theologians" are "stunned," what should we conclude?

The day is coming when the dying are going to beg for treatment in Catholic hospitals (if they're not outlawed in the meantime).

[tkathy]

At the very least, this should be a matter of personal choice.

[madprof98]

There is nothing here to stun anyone but CINOs.

Exactly right. But there are plenty of them around. Even our very conservative Atlanta Catholic paper printed an article criticizing the pro-lifers who have been trying so hard to protect Terri Shiavo, and I had to explain to our pastor why it is our responsibility as Catholics to protect her life.

[sweetliberty]

Pinged!

[Republic]

GOOD!!! Bout time!

[Esther Ruth]

"The day is coming when" - I dread the thought but think it also like everyone else. I often wonder if it would not be a good plan as Christian Prolifers to encourage our children/grandchildren to have some medical skills/knowledge - maybe double majors if they have the gifts, so we are not left stranded at the (un)mercy of doctors of death, prolife OBGS, prolife Geriatrics, prolife cancer specialist etc., someone you can go to and know without a shadow of a doubt, there are no unspoken agendas. I hope Christians are not avoiding the medical field because of how messed up it is, but I fear for the future.

[cyn]

Thanks for the ping -- it's good to see you here! Let's see if this translates into any tangible support for Terri & her family from local Catholic hierarchy. As if they've been waiting on pins & needles for just this moment to do the decent thing for Terri, when it's truly a matter of where the heart and soul are.

[Theodore R.]

Pat Anderson has the entire ultraliberal FL "justice" system arrayed against her. Who else could hold up to such evil? I suspect that the people of FL do not even know how ultraliberal their "justice" system actually is.