Terri Schiavo

Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the beginning of Terri Schiavo's agonizingly slow death by starvation and dehydration.In memory of her, and in honor of her parents, siblings, and loved ones, I'm going to repost some entries detailing Terri's saga.

I think it's important to remember what took place a year ago. A disabled woman was put to death.

Terri was not ill. She was not dying. She was disabled, and a court decided that she could be killed.

First, I want to republish a March 4, 2005 post I put together about the Catholic Church's stance on "minimal care" and individuals like Terri.
________________________________

ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II

TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON "LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENTS AND VEGETATIVE STATE: SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES AND ETHICAL DILEMMAS"

Saturday, 20 March 2004

"I should like particularly to underline how the administration of water and food, even when provided by artificial means, always represents a natural means of preserving life, not a medical act. Its use, furthermore, should be considered, in principle, ordinary and proportionate, and as such morally obligatory, insofar as and until it is seen to have attained its proper finality, which in the present case consists in providing nourishment to the patient and alleviation of his suffering.

The obligation to provide the "normal care due to the sick in such cases" (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Iura et Bona, p. IV) includes, in fact, the use of nutrition and hydration (cf. Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", Dans le Cadre, 2, 4, 4; Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers, Charter of Health Care Workers, n. 120). The evaluation of probabilities, founded on waning hopes for recovery when the vegetative state is prolonged beyond a year, cannot ethically justify the cessation or interruption of minimal care for the patient, including nutrition and hydration. Death by starvation or dehydration is, in fact, the only possible outcome as a result of their withdrawal. In this sense it ends up becoming, if done knowingly and willingly, true and proper euthanasia by omission."

"The temptation toward euthanasia appears as one of the most alarming symptoms of the culture of death," the Holy Father said. He decried "the secular mentality which has no respect of life, especially when it is weak."
Why are Michael Schiavo and Judge Greer stripping Terri and her family of their right to practice their faith and abide by the teachings of the Church?

Why aren't more Americans horrified by this?
___________________________________

And this post from March 17, 2005:
President's Statement on Terri Schiavo

"The case of Terri Schiavo raises complex issues. Yet in instances like this one, where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws, and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life. Those who live at the mercy of others deserve our special care and concern. It should be our goal as a nation to build a culture of life, where all Americans are valued, welcomed, and protected - and that culture of life must extend to individuals with disabilities."

--George W. Bush