Fr. Rob Johanson headed to Terri's Vigil in St. Petersburg

Bettnet Blog ^ | October 21, 2003 | Domenico Bettinelli

[NYer]

Monday, October 20, 2003

I'm Going to Florida: Here Are the Details

As Mark Shea and others have reported, I am going to Florida to be of assistance to Terri and the Schindler family in whatever way I can.

I am still working out some of the logistical details, but at this point I can say that I have spoken to my bishop, James A. Murray of Kalamazoo, about this matter, and have explained my intentions to him. He has graciously given me leave to go. I have consulted with Msgr. Malanowski, who has been the priest closest to the Schindlers, and he and the Schindler family have asked me to come. I'm also grateful to Mr. T. Edward Carey, Chancellor of my diocese, for assisting me in finding a priest to cover at my parish, and to my brother priest, Fr. Massimiliano Camporese, for agreeing to help out in my parish.

I am going down first thing in the morning on Wednesday. I'm not sure how long I'll stay.

Many of you have emailed me or left comments on my blog offering your financial support for my trip . I am very grateful and humbled by this outpouring of support. I will be very grateful for that assistance, and I promise that any funds given to me over and above what is needed for my expenses will be donated to the Schindlers and/or the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation.

Many of you have asked where to send donations. Make payments with PayPal - it's fast, free and secure!">

You can use either a credit card or an "instant transfer" from your checking account. It's better to use the instant transfer, because I get charged a fee for credit card transactions. But I'll accept the money any way it comes!

If you wish to send a donation via US Mail, send it to:

Fr. Rob Johansen
St. Joseph Catholic Church
211 Church Street
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085

Thank you for your generosity!

One other thing I would add: If you're feeling in a giving mood, I might suggest that you offer some financial support to Canonist Extraordinaire Pete Vere. Pete has been doing yeoman work in helping the Schindlers and getting the word out about Terri's plight. He's been of invaluable help to me in making my arrangements. His wife is due to have a baby any day, and he's given up his vacation in order to devote the time to Terri's cause. He's done all of this at some financial cost to himself as well. He's too humble to ask for himself, but you might e-mail him yourself and ask him if he'd be willing to accept your help.

Pray for Terri, and pray that I can be of help down there!


posted by Fr. Rob 6:26 PM

[NYer]

From Domenico Bettinelli

Fr. Rob Johansen is leaving for St. Petersburg on Wednesday to assist the Schindlers and Msgr. Malanowski in the fight for Terri Schiavo's life. I know some of you have generously offered to provide financial assistance for Fr. Rob to make the trip and he has given details of how you can help at that link.

Above all, please pray for him and all those fighting for Terri, especially as Fr. Rob attempts to bring the sacraments that Terri has been denied.

[NYer]

Okay .. so you're probably wondering who is Fr. Rob? There are a large number of catholic blogs on the net. All three of these individuals maintain a catholic blog. Here are the links:

DOMENICO BETTINELLI

THROWN BACK (Fr. Rob's blog)

ENVOY MAG BLOG (where Pete Vere posts)

MARK SHEA'S BLOG

You can follow events as they unfold at each blog. If you can spare a dime to help Fr. Rob get the sacraments to Terri before it's too late, please click on the link to THROWN BACK, scroll down and donate via PayPal. Thank you all and God Bless!

[Budge]

God Bless you, Fr. Rob. I wish I could join you!

[NYer]

Budge ... can you bump some folks over to this thread. I have lost track of who is actively involved with the vigil. Thanks!

[NYer]

Bumping ... can you also bump anyone you know who wants to stay on top of this situation. Thanks

[Gerish]

With all the prayers being said for this poor woman, let's hope God sends her a miracle!

[OpusatFR]

My kids set up paypal account for me, but if there isn't a doohicky that you click on in the body of whatever is there, I don't know how to do it.

If I want to send money, how do I do this with paypal?

And yes, I am a technoignoramous.

[NYer]

My kids set up paypal account for me, but if there isn't a doohicky that you click on in the body of whatever is there, I don't know how to do it.

Here is the link to Fr. blog. Click here, scroll down and you will see the little "PayPal" icon to click on. Otherwise, you can mail him a check. You will find his address there. God bless you for your generosity!!

[OpusatFR]

" Rather, they are in pursuit to feed some unfounded need or just to mindlessly do the bidding of someone else."

You are absolutely right. I do the bidding of The One who demands that ALL LIFE is sacred. I also spent the day spending my own funds to supply shoes and clothes for the indigent elderly who subsist on $30 a month after their nursing homes deduct the Medicare and Medicaid allowances. Now, I have to find some way to buy hearing aides, dental attention, and eye glasses because the funding is not there.

Tomorrow, I will speak to an at risk group of minority teens and deal with them for the next months.

Then, I will see more indigent elderly this week.

Next week, I have more of the same only handicapped.

And how was YOUR day?

Now I have to go to confession again because I just may have offended against charity. In charities name I ask you to forgive my rant and not to judge your motives.

The little I can squeak out to give to this priest tells him that I do not believe that anyone has the right to end another's life simply because they have become an inconvenience and we certainly in this humanist society do not want to look at suffering do we?