The House Of The Father

“To the House of the Father”

Life is an adventure with many possible paths. Some lead to fame, some to glory, others to ordinary lives, but, in spite of our positions in this world, all paths lead to death. Lately, however, certain events have changed the way we, the people, perceive life and death.

The deaths of both Terri Schiavo on March 31, 2005, and Pope John Paul II on April 2, 2005, just two days later, offer two very different views on this greatly controversial topic, with the former representing a view of life to be ended if circumstances become too intense and the latter

Terri Schiavo as she lies in a Permanent Vegetative State (PVS)

representing the view of life as a

(Courtesy of BBC News)

gift from a Creator to be taken

It’s hard to believe that a

away by that Creator at a given

brain damaged woman could

time. There’s so much we can

create such a social and political

learn on how we live and die in

firestorm, yet the death of Terri

America by noting the

Schiavo created an enormous

juxtaposition of these two deaths.

controversy. Since the only thing keeping her alive during her 15year coma was the inserted feeding tube, the judicial system allowed her husband to remove her means

of substance -- an act of mercy to

person has significant brain

many, an act of murder to others

damage, then that person cannot

("Terri Schiavo").

feel pain. However, many critics

Eventually, politicians got

of this barbaric method reply that

involved, and the case went all the

the afflicted person does indeed

way up to President George W.

feel intense hunger pains (This can

Bush and the U.S. Supreme Court.

be seen in the Massachusetts

When Terri’s parents were denied

Supreme Court decision in the

their case by the Supreme Court,

Brophy case of 1986.) ("Terri

they acknowledged that all their

Schiavo"). Personally, I find it

legal options had been used. In the

atrocious that if somebody treated

end, Terri’s family watched her

a dog in this fashion, they would

endure an amazing 13 days

be almost immediately jailed.

without food ("Terri Schiavo").

Even death row convicts are

However, the question is not

afforded a quick and painless

dealing with the late Mrs. Schiavo,

death, yet the law forces brain-

but with the ethics of euthanasia

damaged persons endure the agony

and “dying with dignity.”

of starvation, a death that can take

Supporters of the removal of

up to two weeks to be effective.

feeding tubes argue that if the

Nevertheless, families all across

our great nation every single day

opponent of euthanasia, who was

choose this method to “cure” their

well-known for his belief in the

“loved ones.”

fact that the elderly and the infirm can have meaningful lives, the Pontiff had been suffering for years due to the attempt on his life and Parkinson’s disease. In fact, up until, and even after, his death, he was a shining example of living a meaningful life: After being hospitalized for a period (a

The body of His Holiness, Pope John

hospitalization that ended with a

Paul II being transported to St.

tracheotomy), he still refused to

Peter’s Basilica to lie in repose.

resign from the papacy ("Pope

(Courtesy of the San Diego Union

John Paul II").

Tribune)

The tragic irony of this event lies not in the battle between Terri’s “loving” husband and her caring family, but in the death of Pope John Paul II. A longtime

When fever struck him, the Holy Father had medical equipment and consultants placed in his apartment located in Vatican City, leading many to believe that

the Pope had chosen to die a

her well-being in the hands of her

natural death (a fact confirmed

husband, Michael.

soon after by the Vatican). Two

Despite your opinions on the

days later, the leader of the Roman

difficult topic of “mercy killing,”

Catholic Church cried out, “Let me

we all want to know that our final

go to the house of the Father.” and

wishes are done, whether they are

breathed his last ("Pope John Paul

to live in a permanent vegetative

II").

state or to die before a permanent Some people have

vegetative state is possible. In this

wondered, “What is the difference

land of the free and home of the

between the death of Terri Schiavo

brave, do we have the right to

and John Paul II? They both died

determine who lives and who dies?

due to the rejection of life

Do we have that freedom? What

support.” That’s true, yet John

can we do with people who do not

Paul II’s decision was made by a

have living wills ready? What

person who was in full mental

should we do with the souls crying

capacity and was able to make that

“Let me go to the house of the

choice. When Mrs. Schiavo

Father.”?

became incapacitated, she had no legally valid living will, leaving

Gregory Marc Bentley January 4, 2007

Source Page: BBC News. US Brain-Damage Woman Gets Fluids. “Photo of Terri Schiavo”. 13 Jan 2007

“Pope John Paul II." Wikipedia. 4 Jan 2007

San Diego Union Tribune. The World Mourns Pope John Paul II Photo Gallery “Photo of John Paul II”. 13 Jan 2007

"Terri Schiavo." Wikipedia. 4 Jan 2007 .