Praying for Terri with Mark Windsor

And an article from Fr. Rob Johansen.

Mark Windsor, sometime blogger of Vociferous Yawpings, has sent this prayer.

St. Jude, the Church honors you universally as the patron of things despaired of. Today we ask for your help at a moment of great need. The hour is late; the night deepens. We beseech you, glorious apostle; use your special place in heaven to pray that the life of Terri Schiavo be spared.

St. Faustina, Apostle of the Divine Mercy, in life you taught us that Jesus is limitless love and unfathomable mercy. Pray with us, that Christ's tender mercy be upon Terri Schiavo. Jesus, we trust in you.

Archangel Michael, we seek your aid. The forces of darkness come ever near another victory. We have reached the last bastion and our forces are nearly spent. We ask that you come to the defense of Terri Schiavo. Shield her from the forces of evil that seduce the hearts of men.

Mary, ever Virgin, we pray for your help. By the words of your Son we know you to be our mother and the mother of Terri Schiavo. Hold our dear sister and her family close to your heart. Pray with us, Holy Mother of God, that her life be spared and health restored.

All the angels and saints in Heaven, please, pray with us.

Almighty and eternal God, healer of those who trust in you, hear our prayers for Terri Schiavo. If it be your will, spare her life. Restore her to health, that she may give you thanks and praise with her own voice, and thus be a symbol to all the world of the sacred nature of life. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Also, Fr. Rob Johansen has an article at NRO today (emphasis in original):

.... Given the difficulty of diagnosing PVS, the high rate of error, the obvious bias of the doctor whose judgment forms the basis of the judge’s ruling that Terri is PVS, and the growing outcry from the neurological community, how is it that Judge Greer’s ruling has been sustained? The answer is that in our legal system, once a judge has ruled on a matter of fact, it is very difficult to revisit such a ruling. The lawyers’ rule of thumb is that trial courts hear and rule on questions of fact, and appellate courts rule on questions of law; it’s unusual for an appellate court to overturn a lower court’s ruling because of an issue of fact.

That’s why, at every turn in this case, the Schindlers have had to try to undo the faulty rulings of fact previously issued by Judge Greer. They’ve had to go back before Judge Greer himself and try to convince him that he was wrong, and should undo his own rulings. Judge Greer has proven unwilling to do so. The higher courts, unwilling to overturn a trial judge’s rulings of fact, have no interest in granting new hearings. Michael Schiavo and George Felos have no interest in revisiting Terri’s diagnosis, as that ruling provides the whole legal basis of their ability to end her life. Dr. Cranford has no interest in seeing his own diagnosis called into question. Dr. Bell lamented that at this point, "medical realities are no longer governing this case." He added that it seemed to him that medical issues concerning the care of the patient had been subsumed by legal issues. In our courts, he added, "once a decision is made they don't want additional information."

The whole history of Terri’s case over the past few years can be summed up as the efforts of the Schindlers, and those who value Terri’s life, to try to introduce additional information before the courts and other authorities. Some of this information consists of facts and arguments that were ignored or dismissed without adequate consideration; some has been the result of advances in the diagnosis and treatment of brain injuries over the last five years. On the side of Michael Schiavo, George Felos, and Judge Greer, their efforts have consisted almost entirely in trying to prevent any new information from being presented or considered.

The legal system’s willful blindness to facts cannot succeed forever. The truth has a way of coming out. But will it do so in time to save Terri Schiavo? Dr. Morin said to me, towards the end of our conversation, that “the law can find a way to do the right thing if it wants to.” The problem so far is that those who have the power to do the right thing seem to have no desire or inclination to do so.

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Wed. 03/16/05 07:44:06 PM
Categorized as Terri Schindler Schiavo.