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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=humanlife.int@iafrica.com href="mailto:humanlife.int@iafrica.com">Human
Life International</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=sallyh@hli.co.za href="mailto:sallyh@hli.co.za">Sally
Hall</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, March 28, 2005 1:24 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Emailing: The Passion of Terri Schiavo</DIV></DIV>
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<TD><SPAN class=article_text>From Washington Dispatch.com<BR>
<P><SPAN class=header_category_name>Commentary</SPAN><BR><SPAN
class=article_title>The Passion of Terri
Schiavo</SPAN><BR>Commentary by Joseph Starrs<BR>March 25,
2005<BR><BR>
<P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Reading through the
countless news stories and e-mails surrounding the tragic saga of
Terri Schiavo, I found this quote from the Most Reverend Thomas
Wenski, Bishop of Orlando, Fla., most compelling:<SPAN
style="COLOR: #cc3333"></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">“And so, Holy Week,
the annual remembrance of Jesus’ passion and death, begins with the
Passion of Terri Schiavo. Terri’s agony has already begun and
barring some miracle the denouement of Terri’s drama will be her
death. This week in recalling Jesus’ Passover from death to life we
celebrate the fact that the <EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">misterium iniquitatis [mystery of
evil], </SPAN></EM><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">is
</SPAN></EM>overcome through the <EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">misterium cruces – [mystery of the
Cross]</SPAN></EM>. From the cross Jesus cried out and his cry is
echoed today by all those held captive to a world of pain and sin.
As Terri shares in his passion, she will share in his Resurrection.
Like Jesus did, Terri Schiavo cries out, though with muted voice: ‘I
thirst!’ ”</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Indeed.<SPAN>
</SPAN>If it is true that we are witnessing Terri’s “denouement”
during these holy days, then the poignancy is all the more painful
and gut wrenching. So many of us are numb. We are on a first name
basis with Terri.<SPAN> </SPAN>We know her parents, Bob and
Mary, like they are old friends.<SPAN> </SPAN>We see the pain
and fatigue in their eyes. Those of us who are parents want to
scream at the television, “All they want to do is take care of their
little girl! Let them care for and love her!”</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Much of the world sees
Terri’s suffering and is repulsed and offended.<SPAN>
</SPAN>Many misguided people believe that quietly letting Terri
“slip away” is the compassionate and honorable thing to
do.<SPAN> </SPAN>The chorus of the compassionate cry out,
“<I>What kind of Neanderthals will insert themselves in this family
matter? Let Terri’s husband do what any loving husband would
do?”</I> But my question is, how is killing ever
compassionate?<SPAN> </SPAN>What is “loving” about starving a
human being? Are we as a people that far gone that we can no longer
see beyond ourselves?<SPAN> </SPAN>Since when does starvation
offer a painless passing to the next world?<SPAN>
</SPAN>Returning Terri to the ones that truly care for her -- her
parents -- would be the “loving” thing to do.<SPAN> </SPAN>Why
is this so complicated?<SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I am the father of
five daughters.<SPAN> </SPAN>They speak of Terri in the same
way they speak of their good friends, Katy or Gabby. They have been
praying for Terri for weeks and I dread the moment when I will have
to tell them that she is gone.<SPAN> </SPAN>Explaining that
she will be in the arms of a loving God is the easy
part.<SPAN> </SPAN>Explaining how and why she got there… I
don’t know what I am going to say.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">For Terri and her
family, countless believers offer the sustenance of prayer on their
behalf.<SPAN> </SPAN>We can worry about the courts, the laws,
the lies and everything else later. We can hope and pray for a
miracle -- we <I>should</I> pray for a miracle.<SPAN>
</SPAN>Regardless of what happens we know this: He who clutched the
wood of the cross, now clutches the hands of Terri. He who suffered
the painful road to Calvary, now eases the suffering of a painful
death from dehydration and starvation. </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">While, at this point,
Terri’s cruel death seems imminent, we must ask ourselves what we,
as a people, will gain from this tragedy. What good can come from
such a deplorable situation? Most importantly it should serve as a
wake up call to all those individuals who are ‘personally’ pro-life
but choose not to ‘push their beliefs on other people.’ That, my
friend, is an excuse to stay in the garden of apathetic wallflowers.
If we don’t express our beliefs and stand up for them, things like
this happen. If we don’t stand up for the rights of all human
persons -- no matter their condition, no matter their mental state,
no matter if they are born or preborn – those rights will be equally
trampled upon until death. We see this happen by the thousands on a
daily basis to those children lost under an abortionist’s knife, and
now we are seeing it happen to Terri Schiavo. I guess the question
is, who is next?</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Christ’s suffering and
ultimate sacrifice were cruel and unthinkable, but they obviously
produced wonderful fruit – eternal salvation. As that example
teaches us, we must seek to find a silver lining in all tragic
events. We must not let Terri Schiavo’s imminent death be in vain.
This situation should serve as an impetus <SPAN
style="COLOR: black">for an awakening of all people. These events
should help to open people’s eyes to the undeniable right to life of
every human person, regardless of their perceived condition. We
should channel the pain and outrage we feel into constructive
actions. If you never have before, let these events lead you to get
involved to help build a true Culture of Life. Let Terri’s tragedy
guide you to make a real difference for life. </SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">And so, this week, we
mark the final excruciating steps on Christ’s road to
Calvary.<SPAN> </SPAN>As water offered to sooth a parched
palate and cracked lips is tossed to the ground by the guards, the
onlookers shrink back amidst the frenzied crowd. The sense of
helplessness grows by the moment. As water is offered to similar
cracked lips to a suffering woman in Florida, armed guards haul
people off in handcuffs – even children. Don’t shrink back into the
crowd. Helplessness will only grow if we allow it to.</SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Joe Starrs is the
director of American Life League’s <SPAN>Crusade for the Defense of
Our Catholic Church</SPAN>.<SPAN> </SPAN>Mr. Starrs studied at
and received his degree in Catholic theology from Franciscan
University in Steubenville, Ohio; he did further studies at the John
Paul II Institute on Marriage and Family Studies in Washington,
D.C.<SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></I><I><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></SPAN></I></P><BR
clear=all><BR>© Copyright 2004 The Washington
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