Posted on 03/12/2005 1:06:34 AM PST by Lauren BaRecall
YONKERS, NY, USA, March 11 (CNA) - While pro-life supporters nationwide fight for the life of brain-damaged Terri Schiavo, whose feeding tube is scheduled to be removed March 18th, New York's Franciscan Friars of the Renewal are staging a different kind of campaign.
The Yonkers chapter of the New York City-based order has started a prayer campaign asking for the intercession of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.
With Archbishop Sheen's help, the Friars are hoping for a miracle.
Father Andrew Apostoli C.F.R., one of the friars, said that "the late Archbishop's TV show was called Life is Worth Living, and believed very strongly in the value of every life, but the opponents to Terri Shiavo do not think that her life is worth living."
A Florida judge recently ruled in favor of Terri's husband, Michael Shiavo who plans to remove the feeding tube, which gives food and hydration to his wife.
Terri's family and other pro-life leaders are racing the clock to find a way to appeal the decision and save 41-year old Schiavo from starvation.
The Friars are asking that anyone who wishes to join them pray the following prayer:
Eternal Father, You alone grant us every blessing in Heaven and on earth, through the redemptive mission of Your Divine Son, Jesus Christ, and by the working of the Holy Spirit. If it be according to Your Will, glorify Your servant, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, by granting the favor I now request through his powerful intercession. Lord, grant that Terri Shiavo's life be spared and grant her a healing that the world may know the value of every life.
Exactly
Is it the Roman church's position that executing a Living Will is the moral equivalent of suicide?
Great post.
Prayers bump for Terri.
I did read the prayer and I still don't understand why it is addressed to a human. This is not "spouting off," it's a legitimate question. We are brothers in Christ and I want to understand your faith. Don't be so defensive--can't you just explain calmly?
Praying to the dead is an abomination to God
Lev 19:31
Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
Familiar Spirit - Hebrew word 'owb {obe} - meaning
necromancer one who evokes the dead
ghost, spirit of a dead one
practice of necromancy
one that has a familiar spirit
You should repent of this sin
Uh, no. His first miracle was livening up the marriage party at Cana by turning water into somewhat stronger beverage. And, if memory serves, he did it at his mom's request.
Because the Catholic Church apparently opposes the withdrawal of food and water, that answer may be, technically, yes -- if the living will says that its author should be denied food and water at any point. With the Schiavo situation, of course, there isn't credible evidence that this was her desire or intent. The judge based his determination of her "intent" on incredibly flimsy evidence.
Sheesh! Do you people go out and actually search for Catholic threads just for the sake of bashing the Church?
That's "addressed to a human?"
Are you having reading comprehension problems?
That's exactly what it is. :-)
Perhaps they should be praying to God.
Why are you so hostile? I am your sister in Christ. I am trying to understand the Catholic faith in part because I don't think the Lord wants us to be estranged and in part because I love the Pope and feel attracted to the Catholic Church. You may have been raised in the Catholic Church and may understand, but I don't get how Fulton Sheen, a man who, however noble, is dead, is glorified in this situation. Maybe I'm stupid or maybe I'm just a Protestant, but in either case explanations would be more useful (not to mention a better manifestation of Christ's patience) than hostility. Particularly during Lent.
there isn't credible evidence that this was her desire or intent.
No, it's not credible, because all he recounts is a casual comment she made while hearing some news, or watching TV or something - -. While others report casual comments that go the other way. So, not only are there conflicting reports about what her opinions were, ALL the reports concern casual comments, not the kind of considered, formal statement that should form the basis of a deliberative "end of life" intent. Moreover, the husband only brought Terri's comments to light after he'd received a whopping malpractice judgement - - raising questsions about motives and accuracy. As a Florida International University law professor wrote in the Miami Herald last week, the "evidence" on which the judge based his decision was "shockingly" short of the "clear and convincing" standard that he should have employed. The prof noted that, where there isn't clear and convincing evidence -- for instance, where there is testimony about comments that go in both directions, as is the case with Terri -- then Florida law does not allow withholding of food and water. In short, the judge blew it. The lesson, as the law prof wrote, is that the legislature has to go back and make the law even more explicit by telling judges that they can't let feeding be withheld in the absense of clear specific instructions by the individual
What evidence is there that Teri wanted her parants to make this decision for her and not her husband?
I guess it just isn't what I've been taught. Not saying it's wrong. Who knows. I've just been taught that I can go to God through Jesus. We should follow Jesus's teachings and He didn't pray to Moses or Elijah. I'm not trying to start anything. Hate to argue religion. That was a great prayer though.Intercessory prayer is when someone prays on someone else's benefit. When my mom died someone told me to be very careful asking her things. She can't do anything for me now. We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses yes, but why would God do something for them when we are the ones here who need our faith lifted through answered prayer.We'll know when we get there I guess.I have a lot of questions to ask God. Hope he is speaking to me then.
"And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four [and] twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints." -Revelations 5:8
"The witnesses who have preceded us into the kingdom, [Cf. Heb 12:1 .] especially those whom the Church recognizes as saints, share in the living tradition of prayer by the example of their lives, the transmission of their writings, and their prayer today. They contemplate God, praise him and constantly care for those whom they have left on earth. When they entered into the joy of their Master, they were 'put in charge of many things.' [Cf. Mt 25:21.] Their intercession is their most exalted service to God's plan. We can and should ask them to intercede for us and for the whole world." CCC 2683
It's really quite simple. Those who have died and gone before us, hear our pleas and intercede on our behalf. Why not go directly to the Father? We do! But it is always good to have some allies in Heaven. In order for someone to be declared a saint, two miracles must be attributed to them. The Friars of the Atonement are praying to God and also asking Archbishop Sheen to 'intercede' on behalf of Terri Schiavo. Such a miracle would be credited towards his canonization. Got it?
"Those who have died and gone before us, hear our pleas and intercede on our behalf"
There is no scriptural basis for this statement. Hebrews 12:1 states that we are surrounded by a great company of witnesses but it does not say that they hear our pleas or intercede on our behalf. By making this statement you are adding to the word of God.
Heb 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
He - Christ ever liveth to make intercessession for us.
"But it is always good to have some allies in Heaven."
We need only one "ally" - Jesus himself
1Tim 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
One mediator - not many. If you think you need "some allies" other than Christ you minimize his great sacrifice.
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