Terri Schiavo Receives Easter Communion and Morphine for Pain

Bioethics | Steven Ertelt | Mar 28, 2005 | 9:00AM | WASHINGTON, DC

Terri Schiavo Receives Easter Communion and Morphine for Pain Email this article
Printer friendly page

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 28, 2005

Pinellas Park, FL (LifeNews.com) — Terri Schiavo was able to receive part of communion on Easter Sunday and hospice workers have provided Terri morphine to be able to ease the tremendous pain associated with the dehydration and starvation she’s endured for 10 days.

Barbara Weller, an attorney for Terri’s parents Bob and Mary Schindler, said hospice workers are giving Terri morphine to ease the pain brought on by failure of her internal organs.

Weller said Terri cried when she hugged her mother on Saturday night and tried to tell her something, but couldn’t.

"She knows what’s going on,” Weller told the Associated Press.

Dr. David Stevens, the president of the Christian Medical Association, says "most so-called experts have never seen someone die in this manner."

However, Stevens worked for 13 years in Africa, where the most common cause of death in children is dehydration from gastroenteritis.

"I have seen hundreds if not thousands of patients with dehydration and some of them so far gone, that despite resuscitation attempts, they died," Dr. Stevens said.

"Contrary to those that try to paint a picture of a gentle process, death by dehydration is a cruel, inhumane and often agonizing death," Dr. Stevens explains.

Meanwhile, Monsignor Thaddeus Malanowski had been prohibited by Terri’s estranged husband Michael from administering communion, but he said Sunday that he was able to hold Terri’s hand while the hospice priest, the Rev. Joseph Braun, placed a drop of wine on Terri’s tongue.

However, her mouth was so parched and dry from the dehydration that they unable to place a small morsel of bread in her mouth.

"She received the blood of Christ," he explained outside the hospice afterwards. The announcement drew cheers form the crowd of pro-life advocates and disability rights activists who have been outside the hospice since Terri’s feeding tube was removed.

Malanowski also anointed Terri with holy oil and told her that God has forgiven her of her sins.

Still, Terri’s family was upset that Michael didn’t readily agree to the communion request.

"I think a lot of the reason Michael is doing this is because of vindictiveness and maybe anger toward my family for whatever reason," said Terri Schiavo’s brother, Bobby Schindler. "It doesn’t make any sense to me why he’s doing this."

Malanowski later celebrated a communion Mass with more than 100 supporters outside Woodside Hospice.

"We won’t give up. We will fight to the end," Malanowski said, according to a Reuters report.

"Terri we love you," the crowd sang.