Mother sacrifices self for unborn baby (another saint enters heaven...)

The Washington Times ^ | 12/11/2005

[Rutles4Ever]

A mother who found out she had cancer after becoming pregnant sacrificed her life for her unborn baby by refusing an abortion and chemotherapy, a British newspaper reported.

Devout Catholic Bernadette Mimura, known as Milai, shunned the potentially life-saving treatment because doctors told her it would kill the child, the Northern Echo regional daily reported Friday.

The 37-year-old, a native of the Philippines who lived near Stockton-on-Tees in northeast England with her British partner, Adam Taylor, survived long enough to see the birth of their son, Nathan.

But soon after seeing him baptized, she was transferred to a hospice and died about a week later.

"Being a Catholic, for her abortion was out of the question," Mr. Taylor told the newspaper. "It was a tough decision, but the decision was we could not give up on Nathan."

The boy, now 4 months old, was premature but was born fit and healthy.

Father Alan Sheridan, who performed the baptism, told Britain's domestic Press Association news agency: "Bernadette said the most important thing was the birth of her baby and she would not do anything to harm him.

"Having an abortion was never a consideration. I know she talked it over with Adam and because she was a Catholic, there was no way she would have done it.

"She had to judge which life was more important and she just prayed there would be a cure for cancer." Father Sheridan is spearheading an appeal to raise $6,490 to repatriate Mrs. Mimura's body to the Philippines for burial. Money left over will help her other three children from a first marriage.

The priest said he hoped the Manila government would help with a grant to fly the three youngsters from Britain for the ceremony.

[Gay State Conservative]

Now that was a very generous thing to do for her child ... but if she was such a "devout Catholic," why was she living with a "partner"?

In the UK,Australia and NZ the word "partner" has become the default term to describe one with whom you live as a couple.It's all very new-age and PC.The words "husband" and "wife" are rarely,if ever,used in these countries.

So,IMO,it's by no means certain that she wasn't married to her "partner".

[MineralMan]

Seems like it's beside the point to me. I cannot see any reason why you would bring it up.

[chuckles]

Why add murder to the fornication. Fornication isn't nitpicking.

[Tax-chick]

Simply to point out that there's more to being a faithful Catholic than just being anti-abortion. I think descriptions should be used accurately, or not at all.

[Tax-chick]

That's a good point which had not occurred to me. I appreciate your pointing it out.

[Tax-chick]

See my #24 ... unless, as suggested in 21, the term "partner" doesn't mean "unmarried."

Nothing further to add.

[Tax-chick]

Absolutely, no argument on that.

[Just mythoughts]

Please I am not interested in flaming anybody.

I did not know the answer, and personally speaking, I could not demand of my child were she in this position that she much die to save her child. Life is life and yes I believe the individual must make the decision with love and confidence that I am not going to "judge" their decision.

Now would be a different picture were it just about an unwanted pregnancy, cause appears to me unless it were a case of rape the choice had already been made.

[TheRobb7]

This story contrasts with this other thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1539539/posts

[Tax-chick]

Unspeakable.

[Mr. Brightside]

Greater love has no "man" than he should give up his life for another.

A pretty selfless thing she did regardless.

[bubman]

Come on man. Which is the lesser evil here?

The woman sacrificed her life to save her child. What would you do????

[AnAmericanMother]

No, this is not required.

This is heroic virtue, laying down ones life for another. It is very praiseworthy but no-one is required to choose this course.

St. Gianna Beretta Molla made the same choice.

[cyborg]

I can't say I'd make the same decision.

[HairOfTheDog]

Money left over will help her other three children from a first marriage.

Though there are no guarantees treatment would have saved her, it is certainly sad that she leaves three other children motherless, in addition to the new baby, if she might have saved herself with treatment.

These and other tough choices in life, and all roads may go ill.... I'm not one to judge harshly from my easy chair.

[MineralMan]

"No, this is not required.
This is heroic virtue, laying down ones life for another. It is very praiseworthy but no-one is required to choose this course."

---

So...you would not judge someone in the same situation who made the decision to end a pregnancy to save her own life? I know some who would.

[HOTTIEBOY]

Man there are allot of zealots here.


This woman did a completely unselfish and compassionate thing and the only thing that some of you saw was the fact that she had a "partner" instead of a husband.

Some people need to reexamine the reasons they go to church.

[MineralMan]

"These and other tough choices in life, and all roads may go ill.... I'm not one to judge harshly from my easy chair."

---

My thoughts exactly. In fact, I try very hard not to judge anyone who makes a decision about a pregnancy, for I cannot know the reasons for their decisions. Nobody close to me has ever made a decision to end a pregnancy, so the dilemma has not presented itself.

I cannot be anything other than pro-choice, for I cannot make such a decision for anyone, and will never face it myself.

[AnAmericanMother]

Well, that's their look-out.

The Catholic church has always recognized the concept of "secondary effects" - IOW, if an operation or treatment is necessary to save the woman's life, and the child dies as a result, that is not a sin because the intent was not to kill the child but to save a life.

Sort of like a lifeguard who sees two people drowning and can only rescue one. Difficult choice to be sure, but not sinful.

[FourtySeven]

The more I've thought of this situation, it's entirely possible that:

1. The "previous marriage" spoken of could refer to a deceased husband.

2. The "partner" term used to describe her (then) current relationship could be just the PC term run amok. After all, even though she's married, why offend the homo crowd by using the term "husband"? < /sarc >

We just don't know really. Given how devout many Philipinos are though, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that these 2 conditions are the case.

At any rate, even if one or both of these aren't true, as I said before, she left on a good note. And since she had ample time to confess her sins (if she had any) then it's quite possible she left in a state of grace.