Cardinal says enough of euphemisms—Terry Schiavo was killed

[The Straight Story]

Cardinal says enough of euphemisms—Terry Schiavo was killed

Lima, Jul. 26, 2005 (CNA) - The President of the Pontifical Council for Heath Care, Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, recalled the Terry Schiavo case this week and said “they killed her” by denying her food and hydration.

According to the cardinal, “Food and hydration are never considered medicine.” “To remove them means euthanasia, it means killing, and so this woman was killed by hunger and starvation. Let’s stop with the euphemisms—they killed her,” he stated.

“Law consists of a rational ordering that seeks the common good and not the common evil,” Cardinal Lozano noted, “but many times there are laws that are called laws but are nothing more than arbitrary norms. In fact, the President of the United States was against this court decision because he had enough sense to realize it was incorrect.”

In today’s world, he stated, there is an abundance of euphemisms to disguise euthanasia. “The dignity of death means that this person has the capacity to reach the fullness of maturity so that upon crossing the threshold he or she does so in full consciousness, blossoming forth completely in the Lord,” the cardinal added.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=4482

[Dogmudgeon]

1. Dear Cardinal Barragan,

Would you please come to the USA and persuade our President to provide universal health care, so those of us of meager means don't get sick and die from easily-cured diseases?

I know you are a fan of his, and that you are extremely concerned with Life-with-a-capital-L.

I know that the Holy Father teaches that suffering is a virtue, but would it be okay if I traded in a little of my virtue for effective antibiotics, painkillers without going through hassles, and the occasional surgery when needed?

Love and (ring) kisses,

--p!

[The Straight Story]

4. Excellent post

And I liked the ring touch :)

[Missy M]

2. The President of the US invaded a country and has killed thousands..

those killed didn't have "The dignity of death means that this person has the capacity to reach the fullness of maturity so that upon crossing the threshold he or she does so in full consciousness, blossoming forth completely in the Lord". Or doesn't their deaths apply to this because they were fully conscious when they were killed. Same with the innocent man killed in England by the police. The President of the US isn't against any of this, he caused it.

[The Straight Story]

5. Indeed

Sadly it seems the church at times is as caught up in news stories as the rest of America and they ignore the deeper things and larger things.

One must wonder - why?

[TlalocW]

3. The cardinal is right... enough euphemisms

Relocating pedophile priests to other parishes isn't handling the problem, it's covering up a crime and protecting scumbags that need to be rotting in jail.

TlalocW

[stray cat]

6. Africans who die of starvation are also murdered right?

We need to be consistent.

[cosmik debris]

7. Are food and water a "right"

If so why do we have so many hungry children in this country and on this planet?

“Food and hydration are never considered medicine.” “To remove them means euthanasia, it means killing,

So whom do we hold accountable for the Millions (yes millions) of children who are being killed every year by withholding food from them?

ooooo! I'm just almost angry!

[Deja Q]

8. Cardinal thinks the earth is flat and that evolution is bad sci-fi.

Well, God may have allowed his Creation to evolve. But who am I to know? At least I have a brain.

[shrike]

9. Actually, he's wrong

According to a Catholic theologian I once talked to.

A family in the northeast wanted to pull the feeding tube from their brain-dead loved one. The local diocese supported their decision, as did one of the most prominent rabbis in the community. A theologian and a Jesuit priest both said publicly that a feeding tube is not food and water, it is treatment. Also, it is extraordinary, not ordinary treatment, they said, and no one is morally obligated to provide extraordinary treatment when there is no hope of either recovery or even a modicum of sentient existence.

The theologian also talked about the benefit/burden principle. Keeping the woman alive in this condition, he said, was more of a burden than a benefit to both her and to her family.

How times have changed.

[ladjf]

10. What does he have to say about the 1700+ Americans and

the 100,000 + Iraqis that have been killed for no good reason?

Why is the bastard focusing on one person who was in a vegetative state? Why do people listen to assholes like this one?

[GOPFighter]

11. No, your god couldn't save her .

Uh, Cardinal Barragon, a couple million Christians prayed to your god to heal and save Terry. Your god had the power to intervene (according to your teachings), but didn't. It would appear to me that your god decided to let her be "killed". Unless of course, "they" are more powerful than your god.

Maybe it's time to look for a real job, Cardinal.