(I'm up early - on the radio this morning). Fregards, FV
Posted on 03/25/2006 11:37:45 PM PST by EternalVigilance
3/25/2006 8:38:00 PM
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To: National Desk
Contact: Jerry Horn of Priests for Life, 540-220-0095
WASHINGTON, March 25 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, and an eyewitness to Terri Schiavo's final hours, released the following open letter to Michael Schiavo tonight. Fr. Pavone will read it to a worldwide audience on an internationally broadcast religious service on Sunday morning, March 26:
A year ago this week, I stood by the bedside of the woman you married and promised to love in good times and bad, in sickness and health. She was enduring a very bad time, because she hadn't been given food or drink in nearly two weeks. And you were the one insisting that she continue to be deprived of food and water, right up to her death. I watched her face for hours on end, right up to moments before her last breath. Her death was not peaceful, nor was it beautiful. If you saw her too, and noticed what her eyes were doing, you know that to describe her last agony as peaceful is a lie.
This week, tens of millions of Americans will remember those agonizing days last year, and will scratch their heads trying to figure out why you didn't simply let Terri's mom, dad, and siblings take care of her, as they were willing to do. They offered you, again and again, the option to simply let them care for Terri, without asking anything of you. But you refused and continued to insist that Terri's feeding be stopped. She had no terminal illness. She was simply a disabled woman who needed extra care that you weren't willing to give.
I speak to you today on behalf of the tens of millions of Americans who still wonder why. I speak to you today to express their anger, their dismay, their outraged astonishment at your behavior in the midst of this tragedy. Most people will wonder about these questions in silence, but as one of only a few people who were eyewitnesses to Terri's dehydration, I have to speak.
I have spoken to you before, not in person, but through mass media. Before Terri's feeding tube was removed for the last time, I appealed to you with respect, asking you not to continue on the road you were pursuing, urging you to reconsider your decisions, in the light of the damage you were doing. I invited you to talk. But you did not respond.
Then, after Terri died, I called her death a killing, and I called you a murderer because you knew -- as we all did -- that ceasing to feed Terri would kill her. We watched, but you had the power to save her. Her life was in your hands, but you threw it away, with the willing cooperation of attorneys and judges who were as heartless as you were. Some have demanded that I apologize to you for calling you a murderer. Not only will I not apologize, I will repeat it again. Your decision to have Terri dehydrated to death was a decision to kill her. It doesn't matter if Judge Greer said it was legal. No judge, no court, no power on earth can legitimize what you did. It makes no difference if what you did was legal in the eyes of men; it was murder in the eyes of God and of millions of your fellow Americans and countless more around the world. You are the one who owes all of us an apology.
Your actions offend us. Not only have you killed Terri and deeply wounded her family, but you have disgraced our nation, betrayed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and undermined the principles that hold us together as a civilized society. You have offended those who struggle on a daily basis to care for loved ones who are dying, and who sometimes have to make the very legitimate decision to discontinue futile treatment. You have offended them by trying to confuse Terri's circumstances with theirs. Terri's case was not one of judging treatment to be worthless -- which is sometimes the case; rather, it was about judging a life to be worthless, which is never the case.
You have made your mark on history, but sadly, it is an ugly stain. In the name of millions around the world, I call on you today to embrace a life of repentance, and to ask forgiveness from the Lord, who holds the lives of each of us in His hands.
-- Fr. Frank Pavone
Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit http://www.priestsforlife.org.
http://www.usnewswire.com/
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Michael was on TV proclaiming to the world before her feeding tube was pulled that starvation/dehydration would be a peaceful way to die. Of the many LIES he told, that was by far the BIGGEST.
My heart aches for Terri's family. To witness such an atrocity upon a loved one would be unbearable. Michael put them through one of the darkest hells imaginable. There are no words to describe the depth and breadth of his cruelty, denying Terri's family even her ashes.
He caused many of us a good deal of suffering as well. It was a nightmare we all endured helplessly along with them, and probably for most was the most miserable two weeks any stranger has ever foisted upon us
It is highly doubtful Michael will ever in this life face the depth of his own evil doing and unlicked still he will EVER apologize.
Without true repentance, Michael Schiavo will receive the justice he so richly deserves from almighty God. I relish that day. : )
unlicked=unlikelier
Who's Terri Schiavo?
Anti-life individuals and their enablers vs. the rest of us.
Great post. Thanks for the ping.
A touching letter. What a tragedy that was.
Pinged from Terri March Dailies
8mm
Terri's Final Hours penned by Father Pavone is on my profile page. All just click on my name to read what Father Pavone wrote last year.
(I'm up early - on the radio this morning). Fregards, FV
Excellent letter!
Fr. Pavone has no cause to apologize to Schiavo or anyone else involved in Terri's murder.
----- Original Message from Terri's Dad -----
Our family will release a book on March 28th titled “A Life That Matters.” The book was written by our family honoring Terri. In the book, we reveal information about Terri when she was a youngster through adulthood. We tried to share with you an inside look at Terri’s personality, how kind she was and how she touched the hearts of everyone that knew her.
We believe the book is an eye opener. It deals with Terri’s tragic collapse, the suffering she incurred at the hands of her husband and explicit details demonstrating how the court manipulated the justice system, solely for the purpose of ending Terri’s life. We also give everyone insight to the events that were transacting behind the scene as we attempted to save Terri from her horrible fate.
I've listed below the media appearances we have scheduled for next week. (NOT POSTED HERE) If you get a chance, tune in.
Regards,
Bob Schindler Sr.
BOOK TITLE: A Life That Matters
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FR Keyword Search: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=terrischiavo
Did he not assert that she was vocally praying with him during the last hours?
Father Pavone just now starting the Mass LIVE (8am ET) on EWTN right now. Just got underway.
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