Charismatic Episcopal Church Affirms Terri Schiavo's Right to Life
To: National Desk
Contact: The Rev. Canon Terry Gensemer, 205-798-4871, CECforLife@aol.com ; Archbishop Randolph Sly, 703-404-0754, abpsly@iccec.org
News Advisory, March 24 /Christian Wire Service/ -- A Statement Concerning Mrs. Terri Schiavo from the Patriarch of The International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church:
The Nation, and even the world, has been gripped for the past six days with an unfolding drama in the state of Florida involving the starvation and dehydration of Terri Schiavo. All court appeals initiated by her family in an attempt to restore her feeding tube have, at this point, been turned down. Other means of rescue, including a federal legislative initiative, have been virtually ignored. Society has done a better job in protecting the rights of animals and criminals than those of a helpless disabled woman. A cruel and inhuman means of ending Terri's life has now been mandated through a flawed and inconsistent series of legal and legislative events that bring the ethics and actions of those involved into serious question. While we affirm a person's right to refuse exceptional measures of medical intervention through a living will, we do not accept that the provision of food and water should be considered as exceptional means. We call upon leaders at both the state and federal to intervene and restore Terri's source of nourishment. We affirm Terri's right to life, a right that that is guaranteed her by the Constitution as well as historic and Biblical witness of the Church. The International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church joins with Christian leaders from around the world in condemning this barbaric act. We call upon faithful Christians everywhere to pray for her protection and reprieve from what is certain death.
The Most Reverend Austin Randolph Adler
Patriarch, The International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church
# # #
______________________________________________
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In fact, Greer refused to hear DCF's lawyer or consider her motion, saying it was not properly placed on his court calendar. Rather, he said, he needed more time to decide whether Bob and Mary Schindler should be allowed to pursue more legal and medical options to prove their daughter is not in a vegetative state and could recover.
But DCF's sudden entry in the case emboldened the Schindlers, who have been embroiled in a seven-year legal battle against their son-in-law over their daughter's care and end-of-life wishes.
"We are really elated. Forty-eight hours to us right now seems like six years," said Bob Schindler. "We've been complaining and complaining and complaining that Terri has been abused, but it's fallen on deaf ears."
But George Felos, an attorney for Michael Schiavo, said DCF's sudden interest in the case "reeked of political arm-twisting" by politicians in Tallahassee who ran out of options after Terri's Law was struck down as unconstitutional. Enacted in October 2003, the law empowered the governor to order Terri Schiavo's feeding tube re-inserted six days after it was removed by court order.
Over the past six years, Felos said the department has investigated "scores" of anonymous calls to its abuse hot line alleging abuse against Terri Schiavo, but not one of them has ever been substantiated.
"Lo and behold, all of a sudden, after six years DCF radically changes its position and decides that there is a need to intervene," Felos said. "Anyone can see what clearly is happening. The governor and the Legislature - the politicians - have tried to do an end around the court system. They did it in October 2003, and that's what they're trying to do now."
For days now, anti-abortion activist Randall Terry, who is coordinating protest efforts for the Schindlers, has been urging Bush to declare Schiavo a ward of the state and have DCF take over her guardianship.
On Wednesday, Jacob DiPietre, a spokesman for Gov. Jeb Bush, would not say what the governor knew about DCF's investigation, or whether he asked the agency to intervene.
But he said the governor remains committed to "doing whatever he can within the law to help Terri." He also said DCF has an obligation to "protect children and vulnerable adults and to respond to allegations of abuse or neglect."
"If there is an investigation, the only way it can be started is by a call to the (DCF) hotline," DiPietre said.
Earlier Wednesday, Bush told reporters he was exploring options to block the removal of the tube but added that there was only so much he could do. "I will do whatever I can within the laws of our state to protect this woman's life," he said.
Exactly what DCF is investigating was unclear Wednesday. Kelly McKibben, general counsel for the agency's District 7 headquartered in Orlando, asked the judge to seal DCF's motion, which calls for the agency to intervene and requests an indefinite delay on the tube's removal. A clerk in the probate division said the judge said he would review the motion to see if it was required by law to be filed confidentially.
For years, the Schindlers have repeatedly suggested that their son-in-law strangled their daughter the night she collapsed. That's why, they've asserted, she lost consciousness, and suffered the irreversible brain damage that has left her in what doctors say is a persistent vegetative state.
That's also why, they've said, Michael Schiavo won't provide the treatment that would allow her to recover. He doesn't want her as a witness against him.
More recently, the Schindlers have blasted their daughter's care at the hospice where she has lived for five years. On Tuesday, one of their spiritual advisers, Brother Paul O'Donnell, listed a litany of their complaints: At the hospice, he said, Terri Schiavo is kept in isolation and is denied music, visitors, cards, flowers, fresh air, and even lotions and dental care.
With the exception of the limits on visitors, Felos called the charges "lies and deceptions" aimed at `demonizing and slandering" his client. He also noted they've been reviewed and rejected by the courts who have labeled his client a devoted and loving husband.
And at least one allegation of abuse came from Michael Schiavo. In 2004, he banned all visitors from the Clearwater nursing home where she lives after an aide found what appeared to be needle marks on his wife's arms after the Schindlers visited March 29. Police investigated and found no evidence of foul play.
Meanwhile, Bush and Florida lawmakers were flooded with thousands of e-mails and phone calls from individuals and groups urging they take some action to keep Schiavo alive.
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/Terri_stay.htm
Theresa Marie Schiavo's Bone Scan
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/Terri_bonescan
State-Funded Agency to Probe Claim of Spousal Abuse in Terri Schiavo Case
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/Terri_abuse.htm
To: National Desk
Contact: The Rev. Canon Terry Gensemer, 205-798-4871, CECforLife@aol.com ; Archbishop Randolph Sly, 703-404-0754, abpsly@iccec.org
News Advisory, March 24 /Christian Wire Service/ -- A Statement Concerning Mrs. Terri Schiavo from the Patriarch of The International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church:
The Nation, and even the world, has been gripped for the past six days with an unfolding drama in the state of Florida involving the starvation and dehydration of Terri Schiavo. All court appeals initiated by her family in an attempt to restore her feeding tube have, at this point, been turned down. Other means of rescue, including a federal legislative initiative, have been virtually ignored. Society has done a better job in protecting the rights of animals and criminals than those of a helpless disabled woman. A cruel and inhuman means of ending Terri's life has now been mandated through a flawed and inconsistent series of legal and legislative events that bring the ethics and actions of those involved into serious question. While we affirm a person's right to refuse exceptional measures of medical intervention through a living will, we do not accept that the provision of food and water should be considered as exceptional means. We call upon leaders at both the state and federal to intervene and restore Terri's source of nourishment. We affirm Terri's right to life, a right that that is guaranteed her by the Constitution as well as historic and Biblical witness of the Church. The International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church joins with Christian leaders from around the world in condemning this barbaric act. We call upon faithful Christians everywhere to pray for her protection and reprieve from what is certain death.
The Most Reverend Austin Randolph Adler
Patriarch, The International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church
# # #
______________________________________________
The preceding was forwarded to you by the Christian Communication Network.
You can always find the latest press releases at www.ChristianWireService.com
To no longer receive CCN's postings of press releases, email info@earnedmedia.org with the message "REMOVE PRESS."
Christian Communication Network
2020 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20006
202.546.0054
HTTP://www.ChristianWireService.com
==========================================
In fact, Greer refused to hear DCF's lawyer or consider her motion, saying it was not properly placed on his court calendar. Rather, he said, he needed more time to decide whether Bob and Mary Schindler should be allowed to pursue more legal and medical options to prove their daughter is not in a vegetative state and could recover.
But DCF's sudden entry in the case emboldened the Schindlers, who have been embroiled in a seven-year legal battle against their son-in-law over their daughter's care and end-of-life wishes.
"We are really elated. Forty-eight hours to us right now seems like six years," said Bob Schindler. "We've been complaining and complaining and complaining that Terri has been abused, but it's fallen on deaf ears."
But George Felos, an attorney for Michael Schiavo, said DCF's sudden interest in the case "reeked of political arm-twisting" by politicians in Tallahassee who ran out of options after Terri's Law was struck down as unconstitutional. Enacted in October 2003, the law empowered the governor to order Terri Schiavo's feeding tube re-inserted six days after it was removed by court order.
Over the past six years, Felos said the department has investigated "scores" of anonymous calls to its abuse hot line alleging abuse against Terri Schiavo, but not one of them has ever been substantiated.
"Lo and behold, all of a sudden, after six years DCF radically changes its position and decides that there is a need to intervene," Felos said. "Anyone can see what clearly is happening. The governor and the Legislature - the politicians - have tried to do an end around the court system. They did it in October 2003, and that's what they're trying to do now."
For days now, anti-abortion activist Randall Terry, who is coordinating protest efforts for the Schindlers, has been urging Bush to declare Schiavo a ward of the state and have DCF take over her guardianship.
On Wednesday, Jacob DiPietre, a spokesman for Gov. Jeb Bush, would not say what the governor knew about DCF's investigation, or whether he asked the agency to intervene.
But he said the governor remains committed to "doing whatever he can within the law to help Terri." He also said DCF has an obligation to "protect children and vulnerable adults and to respond to allegations of abuse or neglect."
"If there is an investigation, the only way it can be started is by a call to the (DCF) hotline," DiPietre said.
Earlier Wednesday, Bush told reporters he was exploring options to block the removal of the tube but added that there was only so much he could do. "I will do whatever I can within the laws of our state to protect this woman's life," he said.
Exactly what DCF is investigating was unclear Wednesday. Kelly McKibben, general counsel for the agency's District 7 headquartered in Orlando, asked the judge to seal DCF's motion, which calls for the agency to intervene and requests an indefinite delay on the tube's removal. A clerk in the probate division said the judge said he would review the motion to see if it was required by law to be filed confidentially.
For years, the Schindlers have repeatedly suggested that their son-in-law strangled their daughter the night she collapsed. That's why, they've asserted, she lost consciousness, and suffered the irreversible brain damage that has left her in what doctors say is a persistent vegetative state.
That's also why, they've said, Michael Schiavo won't provide the treatment that would allow her to recover. He doesn't want her as a witness against him.
More recently, the Schindlers have blasted their daughter's care at the hospice where she has lived for five years. On Tuesday, one of their spiritual advisers, Brother Paul O'Donnell, listed a litany of their complaints: At the hospice, he said, Terri Schiavo is kept in isolation and is denied music, visitors, cards, flowers, fresh air, and even lotions and dental care.
With the exception of the limits on visitors, Felos called the charges "lies and deceptions" aimed at `demonizing and slandering" his client. He also noted they've been reviewed and rejected by the courts who have labeled his client a devoted and loving husband.
And at least one allegation of abuse came from Michael Schiavo. In 2004, he banned all visitors from the Clearwater nursing home where she lives after an aide found what appeared to be needle marks on his wife's arms after the Schindlers visited March 29. Police investigated and found no evidence of foul play.
Meanwhile, Bush and Florida lawmakers were flooded with thousands of e-mails and phone calls from individuals and groups urging they take some action to keep Schiavo alive.
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/Terri_stay.htm
Theresa Marie Schiavo's Bone Scan
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/Terri_bonescan
State-Funded Agency to Probe Claim of Spousal Abuse in Terri Schiavo Case
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/Terri_abuse.htm
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