Thursday, October 16, 2003
Pray? Fast? Do Something!
In case you haven't heard about it, a Florida judge declared that a crippled woman's feeding tube was to be removed at 2PM yesterday. She will die of starvation and dehydration within two weeks unless the tube is re-inserted. The woman's name is Terri Schiavo-Schindler, and she suffered a heart attack resulting in brain damage several years ago. Her husband, sole heir to the malpractice settlement against her former doctors, is engaged to another woman, with whom he has already had one child (with another on the way). He has sued to have her "die with dignity," while her family has tried desperately to keep her alive.
Ben Domenech and especially Mark Shea have been covering this. Governor Bush appears to be powerless to intervene, and the Episcopal and Roman Catholic bishops in the dioceses including St. Petersburg have not used their influence effectively, either.
Please pray. Please fast. God works miracles. All it takes is for her to speak or stand up, for some key hearts to be softened, or a good old-fashioned miracle where she lives despite not having food or water. I, she, and we the faithful should take anything we can get.
This is worse than abortion, as impossible at it sounds. This is public and drawn-out. The clergy is doing very little (with a few key exceptions). It's up to the laity. What's facing Mrs. Schiavo-Schindler is the same thing that's facing the Anglican church and will be facing others very soon. Believers see things happening but feel powerless to stop them, and even rationalize away things that we know are sinful. Finally, a line is drawn, and the question must be whether we'll cross it or not. ECUSA has, and the system that is allowing this woman to die has. We ourselves may have. However, our God is the God of miracles and salvation, and hears our prayers. Please pray for Terri Schindler and that we will not take our spiritual corruption to a new low.
In case you haven't heard about it, a Florida judge declared that a crippled woman's feeding tube was to be removed at 2PM yesterday. She will die of starvation and dehydration within two weeks unless the tube is re-inserted. The woman's name is Terri Schiavo-Schindler, and she suffered a heart attack resulting in brain damage several years ago. Her husband, sole heir to the malpractice settlement against her former doctors, is engaged to another woman, with whom he has already had one child (with another on the way). He has sued to have her "die with dignity," while her family has tried desperately to keep her alive.
Ben Domenech and especially Mark Shea have been covering this. Governor Bush appears to be powerless to intervene, and the Episcopal and Roman Catholic bishops in the dioceses including St. Petersburg have not used their influence effectively, either.
Please pray. Please fast. God works miracles. All it takes is for her to speak or stand up, for some key hearts to be softened, or a good old-fashioned miracle where she lives despite not having food or water. I, she, and we the faithful should take anything we can get.
This is worse than abortion, as impossible at it sounds. This is public and drawn-out. The clergy is doing very little (with a few key exceptions). It's up to the laity. What's facing Mrs. Schiavo-Schindler is the same thing that's facing the Anglican church and will be facing others very soon. Believers see things happening but feel powerless to stop them, and even rationalize away things that we know are sinful. Finally, a line is drawn, and the question must be whether we'll cross it or not. ECUSA has, and the system that is allowing this woman to die has. We ourselves may have. However, our God is the God of miracles and salvation, and hears our prayers. Please pray for Terri Schindler and that we will not take our spiritual corruption to a new low.
