The Schindlers

I want to put aside all the ups and downs of the court and legislative battles in the Terri Schiavo case for a moment.

I've had heated discussions over the life/death issues this case has raised--

When does life begin?

When does life end?

What constitutes "quality of life"?

Who should determine when life is and is not worth living?

However, I don't want to deal in those abstractions right now.

I want to focus on the Schindler family, not as characters, but as real people, as individuals actually struggling through this very public personal drama.

I want to point out the grace with which the Schindlers have lived out their faith.

Mary and Bob Schindler are the embodiment of devoted, loving parents. Their love for Terri is evident in all they have done for her the past fifteen difficult years.

Not only did they have to deal with the tragedy of their young, vibrant daughter's sudden catastrophic collapse; they had to fight people and institutions along the way using all possible means to bring an end to their beloved Terri's life.

In spite of the enormous toll all the legal maneuvering has taken over the years, they never faltered in their commitment to their daughter. As painful as the entire experience has undoubtedly been for them, they never abandoned Terri.

Right now, they are pursuing all the avenues possible to keep their child from being starved to death.

Like the Schindlers, I am Catholic. According to our faith, providing nutrition and hydration is morally obligatory. Even when administered via artificial means, such as a tube, feeding is always considered a natural act, never a medical act.

Providing food and water is not life support, nor is it to be deemed an extraordinary means to prolong life. This minimal care is the right of all human beings. Of course, the Schindlers are insisting that their daughter be given the right to live.

It is irrelevant what public opinion polls say.

WHAT MATTERS IS THAT TERRI IS THEIR DAUGHTER.

Parenthood is a lifelong promise. They have been at her side since the day she was born and they have never relinquished their role as parents.

When all is said and done, this is about a mom and dad who believe their child should be fed.

It is about a mom and dad who are committed to the well-being of their daughter.

More than anything else, it is about love, pure and simple, powerful and eternal.

"I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.

This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35