Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
Posted on 07/09/2005 12:58:28 PM PDT by summer
Ave Maria [University in Naples, FL] creates Terri Schiavo Scholarship
By I.M. STACKEL, imstackel@naplesnews.com
July 9, 2005
UPDATE — Likening Terri Schiavo to St. Therese, the Little Flower, the Rev. Michael Beers hinted Schiavo, too, could be canonized.
The dean of Ave Maria University's undergraduate theology program, Beers was shepherding Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, and brother, Bobby Schindler, through a Friday morning announcement that a new scholarship would be set up in Schiavo's name.
Schiavo lost her ability to function physically or mentally on Feb. 25, 1990, after her heart stopped as a result of an eating disorder. In 1993, the Schindlers sued to have Terri's husband, Michael Schiavo, dismissed as Terri's guardian. They did so again, when Michael Schiavo filed a 1998 petition to have Terri's feeding tube removed.
He said Terri would not have wanted to be kept alive artificially.
The Schindlers did not view Terri as being in a progressive, vegetative state and believed their daughter could improve.
The case went to trial in 2000 and remained national news, as the two sides battled it out from court to court. Terri's feeding tube periodically was removed and restored as a result of various — and conflicting — court decisions.
Amid passionate and heated national debate, Schiavo's feeding tube was removed on March 18, and she died on March 31.
Friday, the Rev. Joseph Fessio, AMU provost, said while it should never have been a debate or controversy, the conflict "awakened the conscience of the nation about the tragedy for the Schindlers and Terri Schiavo."
"When people say 'persistent, vegetative state' and you see this smiling young woman, is that what it is?" Fessio asked, rhetorically.
Consequently, AMU faculty members want to work with the Schindlers in their family foundation, and to help promote a respect for life, and help other families in the same situation, Fessio said.
When it opened its doors two years ago, AMU became the nation's first new Catholic university in more than 40 years.
Attaching Schiavo's name to AMU's "pro-life scholarship fund for priests in our pre-theologate program" seemed like one way to help, Fessio said.
"If we can educate young priests to be vibrantly pro-life, we'll help the whole cause, families like the Schindlers and others," Fessio said.
Does that mean some priests are not pro-life? a visitor asked Fessio.
"Most priests are fairly pro-life," Fessio said. But many aren't proactive about the cause.
Fessio said prayers for Terri and the Schindlers on Friday morning by remembering St. Therese, Beers said Friday.
The French saint was born in Normandy in 1873 and entered a Carmelite convent when she was 15. She died of tuberculosis at 24.
Known as the "little flower of Lysciu," St. Therese lived a cloistered and "a very insignificant life" by human or worldly standards, Beers said.
However, because of "the saintliness of her life, and the holiness of her death — very much like (Terri) ... I think you see a very great parallel," Beers said, adding that St. Therese is the patron saint of missions.
"I'd like to suggest that ... Terri (is) the American 'little flower,'" Beers said, "that by her intercession for us from heaven, that she can really become a patron for the priestly vocation here at Ave Maria (and) throughout the U.S., especially by her example of a saintly death, and the saintly example of her family."
Is there actually a chance that Schiavo could be sainted? an observer asked.
Beers wouldn't say "no," and countered with a story about the Schindlers' visit to Rome.
"They were able to meet with an associate of the man we now revere as John Paul the Great," Beers said, speaking of Pope John Paul II, who died on April 2 of complications from Parkinson's disease.
"This bishop told Mr. and Mrs. Schindler that John Paul the Great, from his deathbed, was offering out his suffering for the sake of Terri Schiavo, (so) I think he's really kind of spoken about the holiness he saw in Terri Schiavo ... . It could happen," Beers said.
What Beers didn't say was that AMU has closer than average ties with the Vatican.
When Fessio lived in Germany in the early 1970s to get his doctorate, he studied under — and became friends with — then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who recently was rebaptized Pope Benedict XVI.
On Friday, the Schindlers said they are both grateful for, and humbled by, AMU's attention.
AMU, not they, is starting the scholarship, said Bobby Schindler. They were first approached by AMU officials about a month ago, he said Friday.
Beers said Pleasant Mount, Pa., resident Joe Grady, who has a child studying at AMU, came up with the idea to start the scholarship and is providing the approximately $10,000 in seed money.
"We're kind of blown away," said Bob Schindler.
Mary Schindler remained fairly quiet Friday and responded to questions with one- or two-word answers, but said she is somewhat more at peace than she was two months ago.
Mostly, she just wanted to get back to St. Petersburg before Hurricane Dennis started bearing down on Florida's Southwest Coast, Bob Schindler said. Bobby Schindler said he would resign from his teaching job to run the Schiavo foundation full time.
"We established it about five years ago for her, so now we are reorganizing it," Bobby Schindler said. They were never an official 501c3 not-for-profit organization, and are filing those papers now, he said.
He and his parents want to be a source for families in the same situation they were in, a place where they can find doctors and attorneys willing to take up their pro-life fight.
"We still think it is very important (to) try to change the laws," Bobby Schindler said. No one should be able to walk into a courtroom and "kill someone who is disabled," he said.
The fact that Terri never had a living will raises another issue for the family.
The foundation also will try to promote the following concept: "Instead of a living will, a will to live," Bobby Schindler said.
Fessio agreed, saying "a living will ... makes people think it's their choice as to how they're gonna live or die, but we can't just die because we don't feel well some day and put that into a living will."
"The principles of life and death are the principles of natural law," he said.
Bobby Schindler didn't view the entire dispute as a "right to die versus a right to life" as many did. He said he saw his sister as disabled, and stressed that there's a whole community of disabled folks "who are extremely frightened" as a result of Terri's fight.
"Hopefully, we're going to have their aid, too, with our foundation," Bobby Schindler said.
The first step to sainthood is beatification, recognition that one's ascent to heaven enables him or her to intercede on behalf of others who pray in the name of the beatified. Usually, a miracle has to be attributed to the deceased, although that is not required if someone died a martyr.
FYI.
As a sidenote, Michael Schiavo is an alumnus of Mcdonald's Hamburger University, having worked as a restaurant manager early in their marriage. Oddly enough, HU's curriculum includes CPR certification; however, when EMS asked him over the phone if he had performed CPR and/or if he knew how, he indicated he did not....
That's Lisieux.
Thanks for posting that link.
My best friend just finished his first year at Ave Maria in Ann Arbor, MI. University of MI is a big time law school and yet Ave Maria has percentage of those that pass the bar.
Coolest of all, Robert Bork is on the faculty there.
Bet ole Mikey Schiavo is gnashing his teeth thinking that his murder of Terri was all going to go away as soon as he conveniently and legally murdered and buried her and all the evidence. Hehehehehehe!!!
I didn't read the whole thread, but enough to, I hope, get a sense of the discussion.
I think civil law is not properly equipped to handle life and death decisions. The weaknesses spill over into choice of guardianship in life and death cases.
If one accepts that each of us has a right to early termination of our own life (I don't accept that as a moral right - but for purposes of further discussion, I assign the right the status of a "legal given"), the problem with Terri's case was the ease with which that wish was found, and the difficulty it would have taken to reverse that finding. The legal difficulty is systemic. The burden for reversal of a finding of fact is "clearly erroneous." The standard for prevailing in a restraining order is "likelihood of success on the merits."
Sometimes the spouse is the one of higher principle than the parent, FWIW.
Very nice news indeed.
Personally, I can't remember when I refered to Terry as a Schiavo.
Boy are you going to catch it.
Blasphemy.
That is a great idea. I hope they drop the "Schiavo" though, and just use her "Schindler" name.
John Paul the Great, from his deathbed, was offering out his suffering for the sake of Terri Schiavo
Wow.
Usually, a miracle has to be attributed to the deceased, although that is not required if someone died a martyr.
I would say that she died a martyr. Not a martyr for Christianity, but a martyr as someone who had her life taken away from her, and who endured great suffering, especially near the end.
Ahh, SgtBono again!!!!
Terri Shindler is a Saint and will Live on as a Saint while your buddy, the HINO will be known as a totally Evil Individual. Notice that the word man is not used for good reason.
Hey I am not the one that blasphemed why dont you go pick on soothsayer.
By the way we all know Terri committed no sins after she was incapacitated and probably she led a good life before, but more is needed to be canonised.
Now, in general, beatification requires an unblemished biography—with ample indication of the individual’s devotion to the Church—plus one posthumous miracle. Canonization requires a second miracle. Although the process is not even supposed to begin until at least five years after a person’s death, the pope can waive that requirement at his discretion, as he did with Mother Teresa.
Most “miracles” are miraculous cures, and in such cases, the Church requires that a board of five doctors unanimously agree that no other explanation exists.
Moreover, the cure must be complete and instantaneous; if the illness was cancer, a waiting period of 10 years is required to be sure the disease hasn’t merely gone into remission. Of course, proving that a particular saint was responsible for a miracle (having interceded with God on someone’s behalf) is not such a scientific undertaking.
Now these arent my rules they are the Churches. Now if you and other Freepers wish to call her a Saint , thats fine by me. Every day many people have their Feeding tubes removed for one reason or another, are they any less Saints?
Did You actually try to read the article???????
Yep, didn't think so. Have a day of it and have a time of defending the Horrific HINO, now a Jailhouse "nurse."Is it true that the HINO got fired from Mickey D's?
I am brought to tears at the very thought that the Holy Father, on his deathbed, was mindful of the suffering of Terri Schindler Schiavo. He had to know a battle was raging with the legions of hell, over that frail, tortured body; and yet he himself was hours from death.
Every night as we pray the rosary, we remember Terri. I expect we always will; I hope we always will. But it is heartening to know that the Vicar of Christ on earth had a care for her, even in his final agony.
She was a true martyr, God bless her.
I believe the Lord will bless Catholics greatly for their committed dedication to Life.
Terri's got that one locked up. Remember when she followed the balloon with her eyes, even though it was found later that she was blind?
A miracle, I tell ya!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.