Category: Culture War

As promised, here are some pictures from the Vigil for Terri…….

Terri’s friends and family gather in front of the hospice to protest.

Monsignor at the press conference after he unsuccessfully tries to give Terri viaticum. The lady sitting next to him in the blue dress is Pat Anderson. She is the attorney for Terri’s family. Chris Ferrara credits her with being the heart, soul and backbone of the Terri’s legal team. Please keep her in prayer as well.

A young protester calls it as it is.

Terri’s father comforts Terri’s sister with hug after a tough day.

Open Letter to Governor Jeb Bush
Concerning Terri Schiavo
Dear Governor Bush:
As members of the Catholic media, we beg you, in the name of our Lord Jesus, to intervene in the case of Terry Schiavo, and, by extension, in the lives of the millions of persons with special needs in Florida and throughout our country whose lives will be greatly endangered if Ms. Schiavo is left to die, or, more accurately, murdered through the present withdrawal of food and water.
The judge in this case is acting on a remarkable doctrine: That food and water are medicines which may be granted or withheld based on a judicial order. What legal or moral authority gives anyone the right to withhold food and water from an innocent person? Starvation is a most painful and difficult death. If one were to propose it as a method of execution for death row prisoners, it would be instantly opposed by society under the Constitution’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. If starvation is cruel and unusual punishment, it should not have the imprimatur of the State of Florida for any innocent citizen.
We admire your seeking the assistance of the St. Thomas More Society concerning what is legally just. And we are strengthened in our hearts by their response that, at the very least, you have the authority and the duty to protect her life and to conduct a proper and thorough investigation. We appreciate the difficulty of this matter and that the right course of action before God may not be the popular one in today’s culture.
The moral and just path, however, is clear to us who believe that human life is God’s to give and His alone to take. History has shown the truth of the statement, The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. We would go a step further in saying that those who have the power to do good, and yet do nothing, participate in the triumph of evil, whether or not their withholding of the good seeks or intends such evil.
It may be that our Lord has put you into office, like Queen Esther of old, for such a time as this . The God who saved Esther, and through her, the people of God, will not abandon you, dear Governor. He is faithful. May our Lord Jesus Christ be your comfort and guide in this urgent hour, and may you be His instrument to save the life of one of His little ones , and through her, the dignity of every soul made in His image.
With gratitude and prayer,
Rosalind Moss,
Catholic Author and Speaker
Father Richard John Neuhaus
Editor in Chief, FIRST THINGS
The Institute on Religion and Public Life
Pete Vere, Editor
The Alhambran Magazine
Mark Shea
Catholic Author and Speaker
Philip F. Lawler
Editor, Catholic World Report and Catholic World News
Carl Olson
Editor, Envoy Magazine
John Pacheco
Catholic Author and Speaker
Domenico Bettinelli, Jr
Managing Editor, Catholic World Report magazine
Amy Welborn
Columnist, Our Sunday Visitor
Martin K. Barrack
Catholic Author and Speaker
David Pearson
Features Editor, National Catholic Register
Mike Mohr
Chairman, St. Bernadette Soubirous Chapter of Catholics United for Faith
Dave Armstrong
Catholic Author and Speaker
Gerald Korson
Editor, Our Sunday Visitor
Steve Ray
Catholic Author and Television Host
Rod Bennett
Editor, WONDER Magazine
Matt C. Abbott
Columnist, the Wanderer
Tim Drake
Staff Writer, National Catholic Register
Dr. Paul Thigpen
Executive Director, The Stella Maris Center for Faith and Culture
Mary Kochan,
Contributing Editor, Catholic Exchange
Sandra Miesel
Catholic Journalist
David Moss
President, Association of Hebrew Catholics
Maureen and Robert Wittmann
Catholic authors and speakers
Steve Kellmeyer
Bridegroom Press
Mike Aquilina
Vice President, St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
Mark Brumley
Catholic Author
Greg Popcak
Catholic Author and Radio Host
Patty Bonds
Catholic Author and Speaker
Jeff Cavins
Catholic Radio and Television Host
Fr. Joseph F. Wilson
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn

I hope to be posting some pictures later on, but there’s been some serious happenings go on today at the prayer vigil for Terri.
1) The most serious is that Monsignor attempted to give Terri Holy Communion today, but was stopped by the police and the nursing staff. Although Monsignor was willing to be arrested, he was stopped by all present. This is a serious violation of Terri’s First Ammendment rights. The civil attorney for Terri’s parents was on the phone with Chris Ferrara almost as soon as it happened, and I can now confirm that Chris is working away on this as hard as he can. Chris and I shared a few candid words about the situation, and we’re pretty much in agreement about a lot of things here, although he obviously is better versed in the civil legalities of what’s going on. It goes without saying that he’s very concerned for Terri. He refuses to give up the fight, however, but he needs everyone’s prayers right now.
2) I spent about half an hour with Terri’s parents. They are good people who are being held together by our prayers and the strength of their son Bobby. Sonya and I presented Terri’s father with a St. Benedict Rosary that a St. Blog parishoner and Alhambran had asked us to give the family on behalf of everyone at St. Blog’s and the Alhambra. It just happened that Terri’s father had misplaced his rosary and so he was very happy to receive it, as well as our prayers, because he has been borrowing rosaries for the past month. The rosary he misplaced had been blessed by the Holy Father. I told him that there is someone at St. Blog who has a rosary blessed by the Holy Father that they would be willing to share with Terri’s parents. If that individual is you, please email me at petevere@msn.com . I will be more than happy to reimburse the overnight shipping costs. It would mean a lot to Terri’s family right now.
3) Both Monsignor and Terri’s parents would be extremely grateful if Fr. Johansen could join us. Monsignor is visibly tired, as he maintains a full Mass schedule in addition to being present at the vigil whenever he’s not saying Mass. Not only would Fr. Rob not be a burden, but they were very specific they could really could use his assistance in the coming days.
4) There was a special on double-cheeseburgers at the McDonalds nearby. So once again the evangelicals insured that we were well-fed. They also had some bananas and muffins. Apparently, the evangelicals have really settled into their ministry of providing food to those who come and pray. It is appreciated by everyone there. Tomorrow, a number of local evangelical churches will be holding their service just outside of the hospice where Terri is being starved.
5) Terri’s father and mother are extremely grateful for all the prayers they are receiving from St. Blog and the Alhambra. He is getting over a thousand messages a day from people praying and supporting Terri. Since he cannot physically answer them all, he and Terri’s mom asked me to express their gratitude to St. Blog parishoners and the Alhambra.

The following was sent to the Children of God for Life email list today:

This afternoon at the Hospice Center Terri Schiavo, whose feeding tube was removed on Wednesday, was denied Viaticum. Monsignor Malanowski was told by police and the attorney for her husband that she could not receive the 1/4 Host he had brought her. (Mrs. Schiavo is fully capable of swallowing.)
She has been visited by Msgr. Malanowski for over three years and today, as always, she reacted with joy at his presence as she sat in her chair and turned to greet him.

This is no longer about removing artifical life support (if one considers a feeding tube life support); it is about a cruel and vicious murder of an innocent woman.
Please, spread the word of this outrage to as many people as you can. Call your own dioceses, pastors, civil rights leaders and let them know what has happened to Terri. The local press picked this up at 5:00PM, and this news should be distributed nationally and worldwide. Thank you for anything you can do to help restore this woman’s rights. Terri’s case will set far-reaching precedents for all disabled people nationwide. Consider this: the attorney for Michael Schiavo believes that anyone who cannot lift a spoon to his mouth should die. He is the director for Florida’s Right to Die.
Children of God for Life
For more information on Terri visit www.terrisfight.org

Sonya and I are planning to head up to the vigil for Terri Schiavo this afternoon. We hope to arrive around 3:30 and stay until about 5:30. We would like to stay longer, but Sonya’s nine months pregnant so we can only manage a couple hours at a time. (Unfortunately, I cannot go alone either since I need to stay within twenty minutes of Sonya at this point.)
For any other Catholic Light readers in the area who are going to be there, please come over and introduce yourselves. We’re kinda hard to miss. I’m wearing a red Alhambra golf shirt and of course Sonya is nine months pregnant. We’ve also got a spunky red-headed toddler in tow. I’m hoping to blog some pictures once we get back.