Posted on 03/22/2005 7:22:25 PM PST by xzins
Vatican fights to keep Schiavo alive 07:46 AEDT Wed Mar 23 2005
AP - The Vatican pressed its campaign to keep Terri Schiavo alive, saying removing the brain-damaged American woman's feeding tube amounted to capital punishment for someone who has committed no crimes.
In a front-page editorial, the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano criticised a United States federal judge's refusal to order the reinsertion of Schiavo's feeding tube.
"She has no possibility of being 'restored' to a 'normal' life. Therefore Terri Schiavo must die," the editorial began. "This is ... the absurd and terrifying reason" for the judge's decision, it added.
The decision by US District Judge James Whittemore came after feverish action by US President George W Bush and Congress on legislation allowing the brain-damaged woman's contentious case to be reviewed by federal courts.
The tube was disconnected Friday on the orders of a state judge, prompting an extraordinary weekend effort by congressional Republicans to push through unprecedented emergency legislation aimed at keeping her alive.
A top Vatican official, Monsignor Elio Sgreccia, also criticised the ruling, saying it legitimised a "cruel" death by hunger and thirst for Schiavo. Sgreccia, who heads the Pontifical Academy for Life, told Vatican Radio he hoped the ruling wouldn't be repeated in other cases.
"It's not euthanasia in the literal sense of the word," Sgreccia said. "It's not a good death, it's a death provoked by a cruel act. It's not a medical act," Sgreccia said.
"I confirm the moral judgment doesn't change, because it remains an illicit and serious act - even more serious since it appears the decision over who lives and who dies has become a question for a court," Sgreccia said.
In its editorial, L'Osservatore Romano said Whittemore had condemned Schiavo to an "atrocious death: death from hunger and thirst."
"After all, Terri's destiny appears not unlike that of many men and women who in the United States get capital punishment for their crimes," said the paper.
"But Terri has committed no crimes, if not that of being 'useless' to the eyes of a society incapable of appreciating and defending the gift of life. Of any life," said the paper.
The Holy See is opposed to the death penalty.
Schiavo suffered severe brain damage 15 years ago. Her husband says Schiavo told him she wouldn't want to be kept alive in a vegetative state. Her parents say she needs treatment and another opportunity for life.
The Vatican paper's remarks reflected earlier comments from several Vatican prelates over the case. For the Catholic Church, euthanasia can never be allowed as only God has the power to decide over the life and death of a human being.
Pope John Paul II has strongly condemned euthanasia throughout his 26-year pontificate.
©AAP 2005
Maybe call it the Schiavo-Greer. Tag team murderers.
The only remote possibility for him to become Catholic would require him to permanently separate from his adulteress (who is Catholic but apparently CINO) and then repent, confess and be forgiven for assisting in taking the life of his wife Terri.
I am pretty confident that HINO and his adulteress' planned 'marriage' will never be recognized by the Catholic Church -as ONLY the Pope could do such and I don't see a Pope ever doing it.
Code of Canon Law - Title VII. Marriage
Chapter II. Diriment Impediments in GeneralCan. 1078
§1. The local ordinary can dispense his own subjects residing anywhere and all actually present in his own territory from all impediments of ecclesiastical law except those whose dispensation is reserved to the Apostolic See.§2. Impediments whose dispensation is reserved to the Apostolic See are:
1/ the impediment arising from sacred orders or from a public perpetual vow of chastity in a religious institute of pontifical right;2/ the impediment of crime mentioned in can. 1090.
Code of Canon Law - Title VII. Marriage
Chapter III. Specific Diriment ImpedimentsCan. 1090
§1. One who, with a view to entering marriage with a particular person, has killed that person's spouse, or his or her own spouse, invalidly attempts this marriage.§2. They also invalidly attempt marriage with each other who, by mutual physical or moral action, brought about the death of either's spouse.
Michael's a Lutheran.
Killing your spouse to marry another is a very serious impediment to marriage in Catholic canon law. Anything's possible with our nitwit bishops, but I'll be surprised if Michael Schiavo marries anyone in the Catholic church, ever.
You might want to check on that.
"Anyone know where the OTHER religions are on this? The silence is deafening."
There are tons of Evangelical Christian organizations on this also.
That one's not gonna happen.
Bumping!
Is that why Michael had Greer become ad lietim (sp). Earlier I heard that even if the Shindler's got custody that it would be too late because Greer is the ad lietim and he has said the court rules and the court says Terri must die. Thus when Terri dies it will be by the courts hands and not Michael's, technically anyway. Is it possible that this is why Michael did it this way, so he can say he didn't do it, the courts did?
I really hope he doesn't. I pray they don't let Terri's body go without autopsy. Anyone who is defenseless with 13 bone fractures deserves a day in court, even if she's dead.
Thank you.
Here are the medical facts on what happens to a person who is "medically" starved to death:
"Removal of the G-tube would likely create various effects from the lack of hydration and nutrition, leading ultimately to death. Brophy's mouth would dry out and become caked or coated with thick material. His lips would become parched and cracked. His tongue would swell, and might crack. His eyes would recede back into their orbits and his cheeks would become hollow. The lining of his nose might crack and cause his nose to bleed. His skin would hang loose on his body and become dry and scaly. His urine would become highly concentrated, leading to burning of the bladder. The lining of his stomach would dry out and he would experience dry heaves and vomiting. His body temperature would become very high. His brain cells would dry out, causing convulsions. His respiratory tract would dry out, and the thick secretions that would result could plug his lungs and cause death. At some point within five days to three weeks his major organs, including his lungs, heart, and brain, would give out and he would die. The judge found that death by dehydration is extremely painful and uncomfortable for a human being. The judge could not rule out the possibility that Paul Brophy could experience pain in such a scenario. Paul Brophy's attending physician described death by dehydration as cruel and violent."
http://academic.udayton.edu/LawrenceUlrich/brophy.htm
I pray he ends up in prison - death row.
excellent find, gj. Thanks.
I heard earlier tonight that Schiavo's lawyer said that in the event that any ruling would allow for the reinsertion of the tube, that they wanted 8 hours before the tube was reinserted to get their appeal ready. What nerve. They didn't allow her the extra time while waiting for the Barney finks, or the slow as morasses judge.
Bless them!!!! I am so grateful for the continued support of the Vatican.
Sadly, there are rouge priests out there. My sister found one that married her and her after she shacked up with her....whatever he was...not a man IMHO... for 3 months. And it was the 3rd marriage for each of them!
Doesn't matter whether she can or can't, as long as they allow her to try.
Then again, Judge Greer denied the Schiavo's appeal to let her take oral nutrition if the gastrostomy tube was removed.
Unbelievable.
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