Lima, Peru, Mar 24, 2005 / 22:00 pm
During an emotional reflection on the last seven words of Christ this Good Friday, Auxiliary Bishop Jose Antonio Eguren of Lima, Peru, offered prayers before the image of Our Lord of the Miracles—the most popular devotion in Peru—for Terri Schiavo, who has been without food or water for seven days.
“In these last few days as reported by the media, we have observed with great concern the abuse of power which has led to the condemning of a sick human being to die of starvation. This is the dramatic case of Ms. Terri Schiavo in the United States,” the bishop said.
“If I mention this case it is because unfortunately everything that happens in the developed world could one day happen in our country,” he added.
Commenting on Christ’s words, “Forgive them for they know not what they do,” Bishop Eguren pointed out that, “Because of the arbitrary decision of a judge who believes the husband, she has been withheld nourishment. In the conditions in which she finds herself, this is ‘direct euthanasia,’ that is, homicide. We condemn this homicidal decision in the strongest possible terms.”
“Lord of Miracles,” the bishop prayed, “You gave your life on the Cross so that we could have life in abundance. We pray for the life of this woman. Soften the hearts of those who are incapable of appreciating and defending the gift of life from conception to natural death. Grant us the miracle of saving the life of Terri Schiavo. Grant us the grace of having her food and water restored, those means that are not medical but rather natural for preserving life.”