Canonist Pete Vere asks whether Terri Schiavo will again be denied Communion before her death. Actually, it’s not a question anymore. Judge Greer has specifically ordered that Terri may only be given the Eucharist as Viaticum through her feeding tube, not by mouth. Of course, by that time, the feeding tube will have been removed and thus obeying the order while granting Terri the solace of the sacraments of the Church will be impossible.
Want to know the really sick part of this denial of Terri’s civil and religious rights? The reason she is being denied is not medical or legal. It is simply so that Michael Schiavo and his lawyer George Felos can continue to claim that Terri is not able to receive any nutrition orally and thus she should be starved to death.
Not only is Terri being deprived of her life, but she is also being denied the comfort of her faith and of receiving her Eucharistic Lord at the end of her life. Satan and his minions are working overtime against her.
So while plenty of Catholics, including some bishops, whine and moan about denying Communion for pro-abortion CINO politicians or the Rainbow Sash Movement, there’s nary a peep from those same people on Terri’s behalf. Where’s the idignant talk about denying someone’s basic rights as a Catholic now?
The whole Terri Schiavo incident continues to remind us that, even today, our modern day apostles (bishops and priests by extension) run from our persecuted Lord and flee the scenes of his suffering, trial, and eventual death. There is no more fitting time than for this whole ordeal to come to a climax than during the upcoming Holy Week in which we begin to reflect upon the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. May God’s will be done.
If I were the Terri’s priest, I would tell the judge to go rot and I would give her viaticum and annoiting of the sick anyway.
Their spiritual advisor, Msgr. Malanowski tried to last time, but a big state cop threatened to arrest him. He would have tried anyway and let that get in the news, but he’s 80 years old and Terri’s parents didn’t want him to get hurt.
I won’t suggest it, but if Fr. Johansen wanted to do it, I’d back him up and give him all the free press he wanted.
It would be no different than an Operation Rescue arrest. A group of about 50 – 100 priests should call the press, line up outside the hopsice where she is, pray the Rosary out loud, and then try to get into the building. If one gets arrested, let the next one try. That should get the media’s attention. Where are the Legionaries of Christ when you need them?!
Somebody define civil rights to me.
If this isn’t a civil rights issue, I have no idea what is.