The following letters to the editor appear in the edition of Dec. 25, 2003. Letters appearing in this space do not necessarily reflect the views of the Arlington Catholic Herald or the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. The editor reserves the right to edit letters as necessary. There is no guarantee of publication. Send letters to: letters@catholicherald.com.

Better Served

On page 7 of the Dec 18 issue of the Herald, Bishop Paul S. Loverde reminds us in his homily "Learn From Mary: Saying 'Yes' to God's Will" that "We are chosen and called to holiness." The U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' could help the laity to achieve this holiness with better guidance from their Office for Film & Broadcasting.

On page 24 in the same issue, "What's New at the Movies?" we find a picture from the recent movie "Something's Gotta Give" and a corresponding capsule review. The review states, "Benign treatment of promiscuity, a sexual encounter, fleeting full nudity and an instance of rough language." The movie received an A-III (adults) rating from the USCCB. Why does the USCCB have such low standards? Our quest for holiness would be better served if the USCCB found movies with promiscuity, sexual encounters and nudity unacceptable to be seen by anyone, including adults.

Marilyn Wavering
Winchester

Many of us who are Catholic and disabled were pleased with Mary Beth Bonacci's informative column on the Terri Schiavo case (ACH 12/18/03). However, even she failed to note the "Roe vs. Wade" ramification of this legal case. Our battle may well be lost in the weeks ahead, placing those of us with significant disabilities in jeopardy.

Hundreds of us are facing negative evaluations of the value of our lives every day. But in the case of Terri Schindler-Schiavo, the legal "right to kill" is being expanded by court decisions in a way never anticipated a few short years ago. In October the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, cited by the USCCB as the source of "consultation and assistance" in creating welcome and justice for 14 million Catholics with disabilities in the United States, joined a number of other national organizations to bring a disability perspective into the discussions of Terri's fight.

"We come together for those who will be touched by disability in their lifetime and who will need our help to make their voices heard. . . . Can she think? Hear? Communicate? These questions apply to thousands of people with disabilities who, like Ms. Schindler-Schiavo, cannot currently articulate their views and so much rely on others as substitute decision-makers. . . . People with severe cognitive disabilities are devalued as lives not worth living. In truth, the lives of all of us with severe disabilities are often considered expendable."

After citing a media report on how terrible it is to be kept alive artificially, we noted, "Meant to signal horror, the concept has no real meaning to us who live by 'artificial' means. Is a person on dialysis being kept alive artificially? Is a person taking insulin being kept alive artificially? Is a person who undergoes open-heart surgery, or cancer treatment, or intensive care in a hospital being kept alive artificially? It is a well-know fact among those of us who live with disabilities that a feeding tube is a low-tech support, and people who use them can and do live full and meaningful lives. It was invented in the 19th century and relies on nothing more than gravity to make it work."

Each morning I get into my "artificial" mobility device: a wheelchair. I depend upon the "artificial" voice of my clock to tell me the time as I grab my "artificial" voice enhancement tool which I'll use to hear the noisy discussions of the day. After fixing breakfast and feeding my cat, I'll rush to get my ride to work, where I'll spend hours endeavoring to raise awareness of our Catholic bishops' call for accessible parishes and communities.

If those who think God must be out of His mind to place the precious gift of life into fragile bodies aren't educated to the gifts which accompany human vulnerability, I fear for our society and for our souls.

To read the full text of this document, click "Disability and Society," on our web-site: www.ncpd.org

Mary Jane Owen, TOP, MSW
Executive Director
National Catholic Partnership on Disability
Washington, DC

Terri’s Battle

Thank you so much [Mary Beth Bonacci] for your truthful and compassionate reporting of Terri Schiavo’s plight (ACH 12/18/03). Hundreds of us have been working through the internet, in person and in letters trying to urgently re-educate the public about her condition. Thank you for contributing to the spreading of the truth!

The Hemlock Society, now calling themselves "End of Life Choices" www.hemlock.org has now come out in the open and launched a state-wide publicity campaign recently in Florida insisting that Terri’s condition calls for her "right to die" — giving her NO choice. They are paying for ads in the major Florida newspapers and twisting the facts of Terri’s condition for their own purpose, unfortunately making her a sacrificial lamb for the "Right to Die" cause. Terri actually lurched forward last year and became teary-eyed when told what was going to happen to her. She obviously does not want to die! Since her six and half days’ starvation, she appears groggy and sedated, but we are not allowed to know what drugs she is being administered.

So many laws are blatantly being broken by those who wish to kill her. The judiciary system in Pinellas County Florida appears to be very corrupt; they all run in the same social circles. Every time, they side with Michael Schiavo’s wish to kill her, and are even challenging our Gov. Jeb Bush’s "Terri’s Law" which had her re-hydrated in the eleventh hour. The State’s Attorney Bernie McCabe has been ignoring our pleas for a thorough criminal investigation into the obvious conflicts of interests involved.

We are fighting a long uphill battle, which only God’s intervention, through the actions of good people, will bring us success.

Dee Rohe
Florida

Right to Live

I just read the article of Mary Beth Bonacci on Terri Schiavo (ACH 12/18/03) and I certainly agree with all she says. But one important point which no one seems to ever say regarding this case is that no one has a right to die. (The Church does teach that extraordinary means — not food and water — can be foregone.) We are not masters of our own lives. This should be evident not only to Catholics and those of various other religions, but to everyone according to natural law. Even if Terri had written on a signed and notarized paper that she wished to die if she ended up in a situation like the one she is in, she has no more right to commit suicide by starvation then I (whom am quite healthy) or anyone else. In this case, proving that Terri doesn’t wish to die may well be useful in saving her life. However, regarding issue in general, it is of little concern. I am fearful that all the controversy that is being stirred up over this issue will conclude with self-determination getting the trump over natural law just as it has on the issue of abortion. Unfortunately the Church has never succeeded in making the USA a Catholic country as she has in the past for so many other nations. But this country must at least return to following the natural law if it wants to avoid destruction. Read history. When civilizations have turned away from the natural law they were quickly destroyed. With the legalizing of abortion, sodomy, euthanasia and assisted-suicide, we are quickly taking the path of self-destruction.

Francis of the Heart of Mary — Mendicant

Jacksonville, Fla.

Copyright ©2003 Arlington Catholic Herald.  All rights reserved.