Can’t let ole’ Benedict XVI off the hook this Christmas season; he and the Vatican need a slap on the head.
An Italian named Pier Giorgio Welby (60) lay dying of muscular dystrophy. He asked his doctor to unplug his respirator because he has had enough. His doctor did and the Pope immediately denied him a religious burial ceremony.
When the Pope delivered his annual Christmas message “Urbi et Orbi” some in the audience held up signs saying “Church, shame on you” and I second that sentiment.
My mother who is a loyal and devout Catholic said what is wrong with them. She expressly put in her will a proviso that I would have the power to pull the plug on her if I felt it necessary. She does not want to vegetate – she said that is not living.
Mr. Welby’s case maybe a little different; yes, he was dying and muscular dystrophy made his body useless but his mind was sound and he made a decision of sound mind to no longer live his life in his body. The Pope has always said that only God can end life and obviously the Pope speaks for God and so Mr. Welby committed a sin by going against Church teaching and he needs to be denied a Church burial so he can go straight to Hell – lovely.
The Pope said “What are we to think of those who choose death in the belief that they are celebrating life”. He is a smart man, a theologian and philosopher and he can’t see why a person would want to give up their life of suffering and go out as a real person and not a vegetable? I guess the Pope, of sound body and mind, cannot stoop to empathize with a suffering, dying human being.
The Catholic Church is painting itself into a corner. Most practicing U.S. Catholics do not follow Church doctrine; they consider it devoid of common sense. The Pope and his Church are in danger of becoming irrelevant.
An Italian named Pier Giorgio Welby (60) lay dying of muscular dystrophy. He asked his doctor to unplug his respirator because he has had enough. His doctor did and the Pope immediately denied him a religious burial ceremony.
When the Pope delivered his annual Christmas message “Urbi et Orbi” some in the audience held up signs saying “Church, shame on you” and I second that sentiment.
My mother who is a loyal and devout Catholic said what is wrong with them. She expressly put in her will a proviso that I would have the power to pull the plug on her if I felt it necessary. She does not want to vegetate – she said that is not living.
Mr. Welby’s case maybe a little different; yes, he was dying and muscular dystrophy made his body useless but his mind was sound and he made a decision of sound mind to no longer live his life in his body. The Pope has always said that only God can end life and obviously the Pope speaks for God and so Mr. Welby committed a sin by going against Church teaching and he needs to be denied a Church burial so he can go straight to Hell – lovely.
The Pope said “What are we to think of those who choose death in the belief that they are celebrating life”. He is a smart man, a theologian and philosopher and he can’t see why a person would want to give up their life of suffering and go out as a real person and not a vegetable? I guess the Pope, of sound body and mind, cannot stoop to empathize with a suffering, dying human being.
The Catholic Church is painting itself into a corner. Most practicing U.S. Catholics do not follow Church doctrine; they consider it devoid of common sense. The Pope and his Church are in danger of becoming irrelevant.
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