Schiavo Kin: Parents Not Wanted at Burial

Guardian ^ | 3/31/05 | MICHAEL RUBINKAM

[hipaatwo]

Associated Press Writer

LEVITTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Terri Schiavo's ashes will be buried in an undisclosed location near Philadelphia so that her immediate family doesn't show up and turn the burial into a media spectacle, a member of the Schiavo family said Thursday.

``If Mike knew they would come in peace, he would have no problem with it,'' Scott Schiavo, Michael Schiavo's brother, said during an interview at his home.

After an autopsy, Michael Schiavo plans to have his wife's body cremated and her ashes brought to Pennsylvania, where she grew up. Scott Schiavo said the ashes would be buried in a plot left by an aunt and uncle, but the family does not plan on providing the specficic location for the burial - underscoring the bitterness of the dispute.

Her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, had fought for years to prevent her feeding tube from being removed, and they opposed cremation and wanted her buried in Florida.

Neither Terri Schiavo's parents nor her siblings addressed the issue of her burial in their remarks to reporters in Florida on Thursday. A spiritual adviser to her parents, Paul O'Donnell, said they plan to hold a Roman Catholic Mass without her body sometime next week.

Scott Schiavo said he received a stream of calls Thursday from people denouncing him. On his answering machine was a message from a man from Texas who called the Schiavo family murderers.

Police made visits Thursday to both Scott Schiavo's home and the home of his brother, William, in Philadelphia, as a result of threats to the families.

Scott Schiavo expressed relief that his sister-in-law's ordeal was over, and anger at those who have attacked the Schiavo family.

``This isn't over by a long shot, We're going to get our name right,'' he said. ``The world is going to know who Mike was, they're going to know Mike wasn't a beast.''

At Terri Schiavo's alma mater, Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster, workers changed a sign that read ``Terri Schiavo, Class of 1981, We pray that you may live'' to ``We pray that you rest in peace.''

[Jrabbit]

I apologize! My post came out sounding rude, which I didn't mean it to.

I was surprised to learn that Terri went to mass that day. Because Michael has stated that she wasn't really that devout. His reason for denying Holy communion.

Again, I apologize

[Republic]

Thanks....have to laugh at the typos, tho! I get too lazy to reread....DUH!

[HairOfTheDog]

Everyone has been so touchy lately on these threads, I appreciate the new politeness! I apologize for the sharp sounding questions. :~D

Good night everyone.

[Jrabbit]

Felos said today that the court...Greer....ordered the cremation. Does that make sense?

Michael says her ashes will be buried in his familys private plot. Through Felos, Michael said Terris parents can erect a memorial to Terri anyplace they wish....except where she's buried.

He's a real prince.....of darkness

[Jrabbit]

Good night...

[Brytani]

Seems to me if her wishes really were to die if faced with the situation she was in, her wishes would include her family being present at her funeral.

Wonder if MS will bring the new wife to the funeral. If he does I'm sure his family/friends will argue that was Terri's wishes as well.

[luvs tradition]

A Catholic cemetery is not "required by the Catholic Faith"
_____________

I am on staff at a Roman Catholic Church, so I do have credible answers to your questions.
A Catholic does not have to be buried in a Catholic cemetery, but it is preferred. If a Catholic is buried in a non-Catholic cemetery a priest should conduct a graveside service in which the grave and remains or in Terri's case, cremains, are blessed and prayed over. If not, it is not a Catholic burial.
_________________

He would not allow daily Communion.

She couldn't swallow, it might have killed her early.
________________

Terri's Holy Communion consisted of a drop of Precious Blood placed on her tongue. This would not have been enough to cause any "damage." Spiritually speaking with the voice of Faith, receiving the Blood of Christ would not under any condition, cause harm unless the person were in a state of serious mortal sin. Terri was given Precious Blood on Easter. Many Catholics believe that merely daily Communion would have sustained her for as long as God willed. There are documented cases of saints that lived years on only the daily Eucharist.
_____________________

People sometimes don't realize the funeral mass is not a sacrament, but a celebration. And she can have one, body or not.
__________

The funeral Mass, ie. The Mass of Christian Burial or The Mass of Resurrection is indeed a sacrament. Every Mass is a sacrament because the Eucharist is celebrated. The body MUST be present at the Mass of Christian Burial, if a body is not present then it is a Memorial Mass.

[GretchenM]

I hope the Schindlers will put up a headstone for Terri near where they live so they can visit the site and pour out their hearts.

[flowergirl]

I don't remember their names.. but I've read that MS pulled them both off feeding tubes and someone said Jodi's name was also in the obituary. i think they live in Florida too and died since 1990. Hope that helps:)

[SZonian]

If this is sarcasm, then you forgot your tag, if your mocking my post then think about this, what does he have to lose by allowing HER FAMILY to attend. It would be a great first step in any possible reconciliation that could occur between the families.

Don't you think the whacko protestors will already be in attendance, do you think the family won't be able to attend the funeral with some dignity. I think they would, although I am giving them the benefit of the doubt. I haven't heard them utter one word similar to what you're saying, they've come close, but it's been civil.

So, if it was sarcasm fine, if you were mocking me, don't bother replying, as you have nothing to write or say that I want to read or hear.

[tioga]

Obviously the good citizens of PA don't take kindly to the shiavo family these days. They are complaining of death threats. If they thought they should be treated as celebrities they were mistaken. It seems the notoriety from michael's pursuit of murder has given them a bad name. Boo-hoo.

[Hi Heels]

Thank you. I suppose he looks at that way. I certainly don't think Terri "won" anything.

[angcat]

I did not think he was Italian. Usually there is not the letter H in many Italian names. Who knows.

[Eva]

The Schiavos in Philadelphia were Italian, though. At least according to my husband.

[angcat]

Terri's mom looks Italian and so did Terri.

[dcnd9]

"To be married in the Catholic church, they must be a priest in attendance, along with certain ceremonies, that must be performed. [True]

"But these can be integrated into another ceremony *at another church."

*False: Not sactioned by the CC!
Some errant priest may do it but it is approved by the church.

[the invisib1e hand]

In Honor of Terri Schiavo.

Please let load -- it's 11 mb.

Have headphones or sound on.

[Collier]

I can't get it to play. :(

[the invisib1e hand]

I can't get it to play. :(

We've noticed that AOL browswers won't open it. Other than that, if you have the latest version of Windows Media Player, you should be OK - it does take a while to load. It may say "done" while the play button is still greyed out; I've had to click the play button a couple of times but it does play.

Hopefully you'll find it worth the effort.