Vatican pleads for Terri Schiavo's life

VATICAN CITY, FEB. 24, 2005 (Zenit.org).- A Vatican official launched an appeal to save Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman whose husband wants her off life-support care.

On Wednesday a Florida judge ordered the tube delivering food and water to Schiavo kept in place another 48 hours.

Pinellas County Circuit Judge George Greer said he needed time to consider legal challenges raised by the woman's parents, including the possibility that her husband, Michael Schiavo, was unfit to act as her guardian.

In statements on Vatican Radio, Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said: "If Mr. Schiavo succeeds legally in causing the death of his wife, this not only would be tragic in itself, but would be a grave step toward the legal approval of euthanasia in the United States."

He added: "I would like to remind everyone in this connection, about all that the Holy Father has said in past days to the Pontifical Academy for Life, confirming that the quality of life is not interpreted as economic success, beauty and physical pleasure, but consists in the supreme dignity of the creature made in the image and likeness of God.

I am simply apllauding these words that have been spoken about Terri's case. I am not catholic, but am grateful something positive and direct has been said regarding Terri.

I have no ax to grind, am not looking into alterior motives by the Vatican or conspiracies...simply stating the obvious. These words by the vastican are positive and good for Terris' current circumstance.

Catholic Church Says Killing Terri Schiavo Would Advance Euthanasia

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 25, 2005

The Vatican (LifeNews.com) -- A leading Catholic official at the Vatican launched an appeal Thursday to save the life of Terri Schiavo, the disabled woman at the center of an international euthanasia controversy. He said starving Terri to death would be a mistake that would advance euthanasia in the United States.

Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, made the statement on Vatican radio.

"If Mr. Schiavo succeeds legally in causing the death of his wife, this not only would be tragic in itself, but would be a grave step toward the legal approval of euthanasia in the United States," Martino said.

"I would like to remind everyone in this connection, about all that the Holy Father has said in past days to the Pontifical Academy for Life," Martino explained, "confirming that the quality of life is not interpreted as economic success, beauty and physical pleasure, but consists in the supreme dignity of the creature made in the image and likeness of God.

"No one can be the arbiter of life except God himself," Martino concluded.

The comments come at a time when Terri's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler are appealing a court ruling overturning their request for the starvation to be stopped because it would violate Terri's Catholic beliefs.

Bob Schindler says their Catholic beliefs and long-standing and that he and his wife sent Terri and her siblings to Catholic schools and that the Schiavo's wedding was performed by a priest.

Father Frank Pavone, the director of Priests for Life, told LifeNews.com that "Catholic faith in this case requires understanding that this case is about more than Catholic faith."

"It's about the dominion of God over our lives, our laws, our courts, our attorneys, and our judges. If Michael Schiavo is worried that some people are trying to impose God's authority on the situation, I have news for him: It's already imposed."

http://www.lifenews.com/bio728.html

Hm......that goes along with my current suspicions that there is more here than Michael supporting death for the dear lady.

I too believe Florida is endeavoring to fleece the infirm for assets and to prevent use of medical services. Shame on them.

So, we might as well put out the word - "Elderly - think twice before you retire to Florida."

They will have to answer to the real God someday for trying to play god on earth. I would not want to be in their shoes - as I would expect a wee bit of wrath.

I understand what you're saying. My point is that the sum total is still only words - as the vatican always is.

With its resources (even those just in the US), did the vatican/rcc offer legal help? No. Did it say anything to local parishes about local actions or prayer meetings or visible presence? No.

All it did was compose something as tangible as a fax or an email rather than offer anything more substantial (such as mentioned above).

"Don't do this. That's bad. You should be doing [such]." That's all there ever is from Rome. If the courts and the animal schiavo have consistently tried to do everything within their power to get Terri dead, then WHY would they all-of-a-sudden listen to european words when they've disregarded everything people have been doing here so far?

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