Parents Of Dying Florida Woman Pray To Mother Teresa For Miracle

Washington D.C., Oct 20, 2003 / 22:00 pm

The parents of Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman being starved to death under court order at the request of her husband, together with a local parish priest are praying to Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta for a miracle for their daughter.  

Father Thaddeus Malanowski brought a relic of Mother Teresa to the bedside of Schiavo, who suffered an unexplained heart attack more than ten years ago that left her paralyzed and unable to speak.

Her husband Michael Schiavo convinced a Florida judge to grant his request to withdraw the feeding tube from Terri despite intense opposition from her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler.  While the husband still retains legal custody of Terri, he is now living with another woman with whom he has had one child and is expecting a second.   

Terri's parents were granted permission to visit their daughter, who is starving to death, asking Fr. Malanowski to accompany them.   

The New York Times reports the priest carried with him a piece of Mother Teresa's habit soaked with her blood, blessing Terri with it and praying that she be allowed to live despite the order to die by starvation.   Since last Wednesday, when the feeding tube was removed, nurses have been administering Terri doses of morphine to combat the hunger pains in her body. 

There is concern that the high doses will accelerate her death.  Doctors predict she will die within 8-10 days.    The family's hope rests in Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who has expressed his support for the Schindlers but says he has not found a legal basis for intervening to stop the starvation.   

However, lawyers from the Thomas More Legal Center have written two letters to Governor Bush outlining a legal case for intervention in favor of Terri Schiavo. 

Richard Thompson, president of the Center, has reviewed the case and says Michael Schiavo should be investigated for conflict of interests and because facts point to possible criminal behavior including physical abuse of Terri prior to the heart attack that left her practically comatose.