Straight Up with Sherri

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life Statement on Terri Schiavo's Death

Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life Statement on Terri Schiavo's Death

NEW YORK, April 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- In response to the criticism some have voiced to his statements that Terri Schiavo's death was a murder, Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, issued the following statement this morning:

"Yes, Murder.

"Terri Schiavo was in fact murdered by being deprived of food and water for 13 days. The reason Michael Schiavo's attorney George Felos was so upset that I said this is because he is a euthanasia advocate, and the only way to advance euthanasia is to sugar-coat it, and never call it murder. But it is. Moreover, it is inaccurate to describe Terri Schiavo's death as peaceful and gentle. I was with her for several hours the night before she died and again the next morning up until ten minutes before she died. She was in an agony unlike anything I have ever seen, and to describe it in any other way is irresponsible and dishonest.

"As for Mr. Felos' plea that I speak words of compassion and reconciliation, I have indeed done so publicly over recent months. But compassion does not mean compromising the truth, and reconciliation is possible only when one repents of doing evil acts like killing. The role of a priest, moreover, is not simply to make people feel good, but to denounce injustice and proclaim truth, no matter how discomforting it may be."

http://www.usnewswire.com/

I met Pavone while I was in Florida. I am so thrilled that he made this statement. There are two points he made that I would like to comment on.

(1) Yes, the Bible talks about forgiveness. I have never been to seminary, but I will share MY understanding of forgiveness. Keep in mind- I get my understanding from years of LEARNING from OTHERS who know MUCH more than I. Forgiveness has truly two different facets. First, we need to forgive others because if we do not, it hurts US, not them. I can sit around refusing to forgive someone, but the anger I hold affects MY life, not theirs. There is also the notion of "church" forgiveness. Let's say a member of the church commits a terrible act that hurts other members. If this person actively pursues forgiveness, and bears FRUIT of true repentance, forgiveness should be freely and without ANY strings attached. HOWEVER, if this person sits back blaming others for their actions, and /or starts the whole- "If you are a Christian, you need to forgive me," this is not repentance.

(2) Felos came out on the Saturday before Terri died, and told us how BEAUTIFUL and PEACEFUL she looked. In fact, he shared that she was the MOST BEAUTIFUL and PEACEFUL that he had EVER SEEN HER! I mean, do you really BELIEVE THIS? DO YOU? THINK about it. When do you think YOU would look your best? In ANY condition...take ANY scenario, ANY situation, and imagine how you look. NOW, imagine yourself EXACTLY like that, only factor in that you have had NO food or water in EIGHT DAYS! What a BEAUTIFUL AND PEACEFUL PICTURE! Aren't ya just GLOWING?

The word euthanasia has a Greek origin meaning "good death," with a history of being considered merciful. But it is a CAUSED death, not a NATURAL death. We can argue all day about weather it is right or wrong, but the bottom line is that it is CAUSED, not NATURAL.

7 Comments:

  • I believe that He will pay for what he did. bad always come back on you.

    D00558989
    pw

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:13 PM  

  • Euthanasia got bantered around as a topic yesterday on codeblueblog. I agree with Father Pavone that what Terri endured was murder. Anytime that someone hasn't written a directive or stated verbally *while in the condition* that they want to die, then someone else deciding for them that they don't want to live that way is murder.

    I would also contend that with a living will/directive or with a verbal statement during the condition (like kevorkian's patients) the act is really more appropiately called suicide.

    We've come up with so many names to hide what's really going on. Euthanasia, letting someone die, passive euthanasia...etc. What it really is is...murder if you have no written consent or active statement during the condition or suicide if you do have those criteria met.

    Now....this being said, I hope I don't stir up a hornet's nest when I say that I'm ok with active euthanasia/suicide *with a patient's written directive or verbal statement while they are living in the medical or terminal condition*. I also feel that the guardianship loopholes that are allowing senior citizens and the incapacitated to be exploited, are *imperitive* to be closed.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:42 PM  

  • Murder is murder, is murder. The libs are very good at re-naming things (I learned really quick that when Clinton said he wanted to 'invest' in America that he really meant he was raising taxes!!)
    Felos and scumbag Michael may think they got away with murder, but they didn't. God saw it all and knew what was in their hearts. Justice will come for Terri and her family.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:03 PM  

  • "Felos and scumbag Michael may think they got away with murder, but they didn't. God saw it all and knew what was in their hearts. Justice will come for Terri and her family."

    IMHO, that's a big reason why people need to believe in religion...to comfort them when they perceive injustice in the world.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:16 AM  

  • I think that it is utterly ridiculous for Mr. Schiavo to still want to have control of everything even after Terri is gone. Terri's parents arranged a mass for Terri and also wanted Terri to be cremated. However, her husband disrespected those wishes and had her body cremated and planned seperate service. It is so sad to see that even after death the man still has the family so divided.CBT2025

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:32 AM  

  • ahhhh. why people need to believe in religion...

    I have been spring cleaning today, eye burning with bleach, but I just have to comment on this.

    I grew up thinking I was a Christian. I was a Christian by default. My parents were Christians. Family members thought they were Christian because they bought someone groceries when they were in tough times. Others thought they were Christian because they were baptized, or attended church a handful of times per year.
    I thought I was a Christian because I went to church and I believed that Jesus died on the cross for me.

    Oh, how mistaken I was. The bedrock of Christianity rests not in the death of Jesus, but in his arising from the tomb. The ACT of being a Christian is your relationship with God, through Christ.

    I struggle day to day, just like the next guy. I want to be better today, than I was yesterday. Sometimes I fail miserably, sometimes I find victory greater than I had ever imagined.

    Christianity was many times presented to me as an insurance policy. NO one wants to go to hell. Gotta DO the right thing. HA! NO ONE CAN GET THEMSELVES TO HEAVEN! NO ONE! The only way to heaven is Christ. That's in. Nothing you DO will ever GET you to heaven. It is only because of what Christ has done, that ANY of us will reach heaven.

    Even IF- it were all a lie. There was no heaven- or hell. I would still be thrilled that I came to Christ and knew Him as my savior. I love being a Christian, not because of going to heaven, but because of my life TODAY! Because of what Christ has done in my life HERE AND NOW! I NEVER WANT TO GO BACK TO MY OLD LIFE! NEVER!

    I love the change in me. I love knowing that I am finally LOVED UNCONDITIONALLY! I am finally at PEACE in my heart with WHO I AM, because of Chirst.

    The injustices are hard to take, but knowing that HE is in control, and HE will use all evil for good- NOTHING gives me peace like knowing this. Terri's life has changed MANY! MANY! MANY!

    By Blogger Straight Up with Sherri, at 12:42 AM  

  • I will always believe that terri schiavo was murdered and I am behind Fr Pavone in standing for her. What I did not understand at all was that we have a young lady in Hutchinson,KS who was also in persistent vegitative state for 20 years and spoke one day in a group setting. Why couldn't they have compared x-rays at that time? what was the difference in the vegitative state that allowed Sarah to live and condemned Terri?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:34 PM  

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