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| Charlie Gard, and his parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates |
No, the controversies currently swirling in the Church of Francis are not just about abstract doctrine. They're also directly about life and death for real people.
Like baby Charlie Gard.
The Pontifical Academy for Life is led by a pervert. We also now know he has murder in his heart.
If writing "Dear Charlie" on what is tantamount to a death note, isn't enough to condemn Archbishop Paglia to hell, nothing is.
From Vatican Radio:
The Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life has issued a statement regarding the case of the terminally-ill English baby, Charlie Gard.
On Tuesday the European Court of Human Rights rejected a plea from the baby’s parents to be allowed to move him to the United States for experimental medical treatment.
10-month old Charlie was born with a rare genetic condition called mitochondrial depletion syndrome, which causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage.
He is being kept alive on a life support system, but Britain’s Supreme Court also ruled earlier in June that it was not in the baby’s interest to move him or continue treatment. Specialists at London’s Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital believe Charlie has no chance of survival.
Limits of medicine
In a statement, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life says the interests of the patient must be paramount, but adds “we must also accept the limits of medicine and […..] avoid aggressive medical procedures that are disproportionate to any expected results or excessively burdensome to the patient or the family.
Pain of the parents
Quoting comments from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, the Vatican statement speaks of the “complexity of the situation, the heartrending pain of the parents, and the efforts of so many to determine what is best for Charlie”.
It reaffirms that “we should never act with the deliberate intention to end a human life, including the removal of nutrition and hydration” but adds that “we do, sometimes, however, have to recognize the limitations of what can be done, while always acting humanely in the service of the sick person until the time of natural death occurs.”
Risks of ideological manipulation
Warning of the risks of ideological or political manipulation, as well as media sensationalism, the statement stresses that “the wishes of parents must be heard and respected, but they too must be helped to understand the unique difficulty of their situation and not be left to face their painful decisions alone”.
Please see below the full statement from the Pontifical Academy for Life
The matter of the English baby Charlie Gard and his parents has meant both pain and hope for all of us. We feel close to him, to his mother, his father, and all those who have cared for him and struggled together with him until now. For them, and for those who are called to decide their future, we raise to the Lord of Life our prayers, knowing that “in the Lord our labor will not be in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:58)
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales issued a statement today that recognizes above all the complexity of the situation, the heartrending pain of the parents, and the efforts of so many to determine what is best for Charlie. The Bishops’ statement also reaffirms that “we should never act with the deliberate intention to end a human life, including the removal of nutrition and hydration, so that death might be achieved” but that “we do, sometimes, however, have to recognize the limitations of what can be done, while always acting humanely in the service of the sick person until the time of natural death occurs.”
The proper question to be raised in this and in any other unfortunately similar case is this: what are the best interests of the patient? We must do what advances the health of the patient, but we must also accept the limits of medicine and, as stated in paragraph 65 of the Encyclical Evangelium Vitae, avoid aggressive medical procedures that are disproportionate to any expected results or excessively burdensome to the patient or the family. Likewise, the wishes of parents must heard and respected, but they too must be helped to understand the unique difficulty of their situation and not be left to face their painful decisions alone. If the relationship between doctor and patient (or parents as in Charlie’s case) is interfered with, everything becomes more difficult and legal action becomes a last resort, with the accompanying risk of ideological or political manipulation, which is always to be avoided, or of media sensationalism, which can be sadly superficial.
Dear Charlie, dear parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates, we are praying for you and with you.
✠ Vincenzo Paglia President
Ah the hypocrisy of it all. Biblical teaching -- a.k.a. God's law -- is clear: Charlie's parents decide what is best for Charlie and no one else.
ReplyDeleteSorry Oakes, but the hypocrisy of all your Bishops is clear to see.
"Whether it is righteous in the sight of God to listen to you, rather than to God, judge for yourselves." Acts 4:19.
"In answer Peter and the other apostles said: "We must obey God as ruler rather than men."" Acts 5:29
Parents have authority over the welfare of their children, no one else. The fact that Satan and Caesar wish it otherwise should never influence men of God. But, apparently . . . it does.
Since when did Catholics take the Bible seriously, especially since Vatican II?
DeleteMystic Scholar : Amen.
DeleteIt's all in the toilet thanks to Vatican II and Pope Francis.
ReplyDeleteEvery time you hear an American bishop say "single payer," shout "Charlie Gard."
ReplyDeleteI don't actually understand why this child is not free to go to the US with his parents. Does this mean that these parents do not have jurisdiction over their own child, but the state does?? How terrible, the people should be up in arms. If people allow government tyranny and over-reach, that is what they shall have. Ultimately it is up to the people what powers government has. Too many want or accept a nanny state. The streets should be filled.
ReplyDeleteThese are hard decisions, and it gets murky really fast. How much is "too much", and so on. It is easy to say oh anything, anything, but the reality is different. But parents should have the right to seek treatment wherever their means allow it. Perhaps I am not understanding this situation.
And why is the "Pontifical Academy" making this statement at all? Were they asked? It would have been better for them to put this in the hands of the parents, strongly, rather than sounding as if a tough call had to be made and they made it, thumbs down.
God bless this precious child and his parents.
Re: "Does this mean that these parents do not have jurisdiction over their own child, but the state does?"
DeleteYes, that's exactly what it means. And our Church just endorsed it.
It's the end of days, surely. God have mercy on us. (and I don't mean the fake Francis-mercy, either).
DeleteThe Pontifical Academy's stance reflects what I've thought all along: The Catholic Church doesn't give a damn about innocent life unless the Church can manipulate the innocent (the unborn, the poor, the immigrant) to push its own political agenda and reinforce its lust for power and influence.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes Charlie Gard any different than any unborn child? Does he not have a "right to life"? Of course he does! But what makes him different is that his parents are challenging Britain's biggest sacred cow: the National Health Service, and Europe's biggest sacred cow: The European Parliament. The Vatican, as a geopolitical entity, is very invested in both single-payer health insurance and authoritarian regional governance (just read Benedict's "Caritas et Veritae" concerning the latter).
What's really funny is this statement: "(W)e must also accept the limits of medicine and, as stated in paragraph 65 of the Encyclical Evangelium Vitae, avoid aggressive medical procedures that are disproportionate to any expected results or excessively burdensome to the patient or the family."
I wonder what these latter-day Pharisees would have thought it they saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, let alone perform any of His other healing miracles?
You need to shut up and stop your anti-Catholic bigotry. Why is this site allowing this bigot to spout his anti-Catholic garbage?
DeleteThe Catholic Church does more than any other church to help the unborn and poor. I went to see Mother Teresa, a solid Catholic, and I've yet to meet anyone so concerned about the poor and so helpful to them. Also, I've been a pro-life sidewalk counselor for years and the regulars who come out to try to save lives and help the parents choose life are mostly Catholics. They are the ones who spend their money and give of their time the most out there.
Don't bother spouting your trash at me, because I will not argue with fools!
First, what is "anti-Catholic" about saying that Church leadership has a political agenda that it wants to impose? Second, I'm not saying that Catholics do nothing or should do nothing about the poor or the unborn. I am saying that, all too often, Church hierarchs would rather talk about how "compassionate" they are rather than actually do something compassionate. The case of the Gard family is an excellent example.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Praypraypray, are you the same party who bills himself as "As I was saying...." and "Professor Q" on other blogs? If so, then why do you have to hide behind various aliases? Also, don't you feel like a fool for trying to start flame wars with people you don't know?
BTW, Praypraypray, I'm not the only one who thinks the Pontifical Council behaved in a despicable manner:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lifenews.com/2017/06/30/vatican-criticized-for-cowardly-statement-after-court-says-hospital-can-kill-charlie-gard/
Hey, guys, can we tone it down a bit? I'm not going to be a jerk Administrator and censor anyone, but still. Anyway, I'm going running, so comments won't be approved for a few hours. I value the comments of everyone here.
ReplyDeleteWe wee Catholic are continually surprised at the depths we have sunk and one gets the bends reading about the latest proposal or response of this or that Curial Office, Academy, or Prelate.
ReplyDeleteIt is getting so bad that ABS has ordered an iron lung on Amazon.