CATHOLIC MEDIA COALITION

SPREAD THE WORD:  SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30 IS "THERESA SCHINDLER SCHIAVO DAY"

In our continuing support for Terri Schiavo, the Catholic Media Coalition faxed a letter November 9, 2003 to Bishop Wilton Gregory, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), on the eve of the USCCB semi-annual meeting, asking that the bishops publicly defend Terri and all the disabled from euthanasia by clearly articulating Church teaching that "an act or omission which of itself or by intention causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2277)  

For your information, we include a copy of our request to the bishops here. We ask that you notify your many friends and associates about Terri's situation, and as a measure of support for Terri, to designate Sunday, November 30 as Theresa Schindler Schiavo Day.  Please see www.terrisfight.org for further details about Terri.

 

TERRI SCHINDLER SCHIAVO RESCUED FROM STARVATION DEATH

Theresa "Terri" Marie Schindler Schiavo is a 39 year old Florida Catholic.  Terri faced a "no tube feeding" (death by starvation)  order issued by Florida judge George Greer, which began October 15, 2003.  Six days later, on October 21, 2003, Florida Governor Jeb Bush issued an Executive Order to have Terri's feedings resume, saving her life.

TIMELINE OF THE TERRI SCHINDLER SCHIAVO CASE:

Aug. 26, 2003:  Gov. Jeb Bush sends letter to Judge George Greer asking for the appointment a guardian ad litem for Terri.  Greer dismisses Bush’s letter.

Aug. 27:  Florida Bishops issue statement.

Aug. 30:  24 pg. complaint filed with Federal Judge Richard A. Lazzara naming Schiavo, Morton Plant Hospital, FL Sun Coast Hospice and Attorney Felos as a non party co–conspirator in the denial of Terri Schiavo’s Constitutional rights. (5th and 14th.)

Sept: 2:  Lazzara declines to intervene but grants additional time to file an amended case.

Sep. 11:  Judge George Greer refuses Felos’ request that Terri’s starvation death begin at 5:00 p.m. today.

Sep. 17:  Judge Greer faxes Pat Anderson, atty., the date for Terri’s starvation death to begin: Wednesday, October 15th, at 2:00 p.m. (The Feast of Teresa of Jesus).

Sept. 22: Verified amended complaint naming Michael Schiavo and his agents as defendants filed with Federal court questioning the constitutionality of  FL’s Chapter 765.

Sept. 23:  FL Attorney General, Charles Crist, invited into the case by Judge Lazzara. 

Oct.6:    A motion was filed by Governor Jeb Bush to appear and be heard as amicus curiae on behalf of Theresa Schindler Schiavo.  In his statement, the Governor states he has a "strong interest in insuring that Theresa Schiavo's right to life is not deprived without due process of law..." The governor wishes to appear and be heard "on the issue of the critical distinction between removing artificial life support and the deliberate killing of a human by starvation and dehydration, and whether the latter constitutes the deprivation of Plaintiff's life..."  Read the Governor's statement by clicking here.

Oct. 10:  Judge Richard Lazarra of the United States Federal Court in Tampa, Florida, refused to take jurisdiction of Terri's case.  Judge Lazarra denied the motion for injunction and, instead, granted a motion to dismiss in favor of the defendant, Michael Schiavo.

Oct. 13:  Terri's family and friends began a 24-hour-a-day vigil outside the Woodside Hospice where Terri lives. 

Oct 14:   Terri's parents showed a video they had secretly made against the judge's orders.  Terri's father had smuggled a camera into the room to make the video which clearly shows Terri smiling at her mother and vocalizing, undisputable hard evidence that Terri is not in a "vegetative" state.  The video had not been shown previously for fear of reprisals which is exactly what happened the same day.  Attorney Felos obtained an order that Bob and Mary Schindler are not allowed to visit their daughter to say good-bye without Michael or his representative present.  A large number of police (perhaps as many as nine) were on duty in Woodside Hospice to guard against any attempt at a rescue.  

Oct 20-21:  The Florida Legislature passed a bill authorizing Governor Bush to have Terri's feedings resume. 

Oct 21:  Governor Jeb Bush issued an Executive Order to have Terri's feedings resumed.  Terri was moved by ambulance from the Woodside Hospice to the Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, FL for rehydration and feeding.  Michael Schiavo (who works at Morton Plant Hospital) attempted  to interfere with Terri's  feeding, intimidating the doctors into delaying the insertion of her IV.  Legal battles continue, with appeals of  Governor Bush's Executive Order, and reportedly, a lawsuit against the Governor himself.

 

ACTION NEEDED:  Please call, fax, or email to Governor Bush to thank him for saving Terri's life, and ask him to please order the Florida State Police to guard Terri around the clock to prevent anyone from further interfering with her feedings and well-being.

 

Governor Jeb Bush:

jeb@jeb.org or jeb.bush@myflorida.com
Ph: (850) 488-7146 and (850) 488-4441
Fax: (850)487-0801

 

 

October 13, 2003 Statement from the parents of Terri Schindler-Schiavo--Bob & Mary Schindler:   "We love our daughter very much and we want her home.  Over the last 13 years, Terri has laughed with us, cried with us, talked with us, and even tried to get out of her chair. The accusations that Terri is in a coma or is a 'vegetable' are a lie.   "We beg Michael Schiavo, and those working with him to end our daughter's life, to let her come home to her family.  We will sign any agreement you want, giving you all monies related to Terri's collapse and any insurance money that may be forthcoming.   You take the money.  We just want our daughter."

The Catholic Media Coalition respectfully calls upon the Florida bishops to issue an immediate public condemnation of this act of attempted euthanasia by the Florida court system. 

We also call upon all Catholics to immediately offer prayers on behalf of Mrs. Schiavo and her family.

Please keep in mind the following powerful words written by Bishop Vasa of Baker, Oregon:

The Catholic Church teaches that hydration and nutrition are simply water and food.  These must always be provided as long as the food or water itself or the method of delivery is not unduly burdensome to the PATIENT.  There does not appear to be any indication from Terri that the provision or the method of provision of food and water is burdensome to her.   

The one 'burden', which so many seem so determined to lift from her, is that one thing that allows Terri to continue to be a living breathing human person, life itself.  Life itself cannot be the burden from which we in the Catholic Church seek to deliver the faithful. This is the Assisted Suicide attitude.   

Life is a grace and a blessing and yes the living of that life does entail some burdens, sometimes great burdens, but the solution can be neither murder nor suicide - these are offenses against life itself and the Lord who gives it.   

Terri is alive. She is kept alive by the same things that keep me alive - Food, water, air. Her disability deprives her of the ability to ingest these things, it does not deprive her of the ability to digest them.  She may well die in the future from an inability to digest food but it would be murder to cause her death by denying her the food she still has the ability to digest and which continues to provide for her a definite benefit - life itself.