In a devastating announcement for pro-life advocates and the family of brain-damaged Terri Schiavo, Florida Judge George Greer gave Michael Schiavo permission to remove his wife’s feeding tube and let her die.

March 18th has been set as the date for the feeding tube to be removed. Schiavo’s parents, Bob and Mary Schindler had been fighting for nearly seven years to keep their daughter alive.

Judge Greer reportedly stated that, “The court is no longer comfortable granting stays simply upon the filings of new motions…There will always be 'new' issues."

Cardinal Renato Martino, the head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace told Vatican radio yesterday that “If Mr. Schiavo legally succeeded in provoking the death of his wife, this would not only be tragic in itself, but it would be a serious step toward legally approving euthanasia in the United States."

Fr. Thomas Euteneuer, president of Human Life International, recently repudiated what he called “the cowardly exercise of raw power and hatred that is incarnate in the campaign of husband Michael Schiavo and his legal team to kill a precious child of God.”

The Schindlers have indicated that they will appeal Judge Greer’s decision to another court.