VATICAN PAPER CRITICIZES RULING IN BRAIN-DAMAGED WOMAN'S CASE

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican pressed its campaign to keep Terri Schiavo alive Tuesday, saying that pulling the plug on the brain-damaged Florida woman amounted to capital punishment for someone who has committed no crimes.

In a front-page editorial, the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano criticized a U.S. 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.

U.S. District Judge James Whittemore said the 41-year-old woman's parents had not established a "substantial likelihood of success" at trial on the merits of their arguments that Schiavo's rights had been violated.

The decision came after feverish action by President 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 Monday aimed at keeping her alive.

A top Vatican official, Monsignor Elio Sgreccia, also criticized the ruling, saying it legitimized a "cruel" death by hunger and thirst for Schiavo. Sgreccia, who heads the Pontifical Academy for Life, told Vatican Radio that 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.

Schiavo suffered severe brain damage 15 years ago. Her husband says Schiavo told him that 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.

...Terri's destiny appears not unlike that of many men and women who in the United States get capital punishment for their crimes,"...

They had to link this to something as incongruous as giving killers the death penalty.

Linking the death penalty to euthanizing Terri is totally wrong-headed and should be unacceptable!

"But Terri has committed no crimes,..."

There was once a common belief that suicide was a wrong action and should be prevented. Why? Because the human mind has the ability to change with circumstances. And the person in a deep depression, who might think they want to end it all today will very likely see things differently as circumstances change. So ending a life, be it your own or another's was always viewed as unacceptable.

Today, euthanasia and abortion are common occurrences believed by some to be "RIGHTS" in this country or others. Passing laws making them legal does not make them right!

I once insisted I did not want to be resuscitated or be on life support. But 7 years ago, after being in a supposed coma, close to death and unable to communicate that I did not want to die, I CHANGED MY MIND AND MY BELIEF and fought to live. Obviously I did live and have rescinded previous DNR orders.

Starvation is NOT a natural death. And no court or individual judge should have the ability to order starvation to end life regardless of the quality of that life. The quality of my own life is not what it was but I still choose LIFE.

Starvation is NOT a natural death.

Of course not.

I believe it's very much like being buried alive, but in a coma, then waking up to suffocation.

The comparison by vatican sources of Terri's plight to murderers awaiting execution is patently ridiculous and unworthy of any decent follower of Jesus Christ.

They had to link this to something as incongruous as giving killers the death penalty.

Hey, at least there's a consistency to their statement--a humanistic consistency, but a consistency nevertheless. That's something the ACLU, John Lewis, and their ilk can't claim. Perhaps the latter believe it's only wrong to kill someone when a value judgement is involved?

I understand that the local Catholic diocese is not really getting involved in this issue. Couldn't the Vatican pressure them or something?

And so far as I know, the eastern/oriental churches are nowhere to be seen. Strange, is it not, that only the "lobotomized Bibliolators" are the ones who take a stand on these issues while everyone else is patting himself on the back for his ethnic heritage?

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.