Why Terri Schiavo's death was personal to me

And why the Holy Father's death was an affirmation of the value of human life
 is the subject of my article at Patheos.

It's Terri's Day

from the Terri Shindler Schiavo Foundation

"Four years ago today, by the order of Judge George W. Greer, Terri Schiavo died a slow barbaric death by starvation and dehydration over a period of almost two weeks.We must never forget what happened to Terri and the horrible way she was killed.

However, just as important is to remember that what happened to Terri is occurring every day in our nation. Moreover, in this very moment countless people are suffering slow, agonizing deaths in hospice, nursing homes, and hospitals in America and around the world."

It struck me four years ago, as we were suffering her agony with her, that it was appropriate that she suffered the most during Holy Week, and died just after Easter, only four days ahead of Pope John Paul. The treatment witheld from a healthy though disabled Terri and treatment given to a dying John Paul (stomach feeding tube) was exactly the same. I almost suspect that the Holy Father accepted the feeding tube as a message to the world. Since he was in his dying days, he was NOT obligated to accept a feeding tube since it's use might be more harm than good, but he wanted to become an example of death with dignity that Terri was denied.

40 Days for Life Opening Mass

In the Cathedral of St Patrick this evening we attended a beautiful Mass with a very informed homilist on life issues. We sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" as a recessional hymn, and it struck me that the abolition movement gained this wonderful hymn in Hartford as Julia Ward Howe heard abolitionists sing "John Brown's Body". Now, only an hour away from Hartford, a new generation of "abolitionists" this time for the abolition of abortion, is inspired by her beautiful words.
It was part of the sendoff for Norwich's 40 Days for Life Campaign. It was followed by a reception and rally downstairs where we met some friends from the Pro-life Coffee House at the Academy and made some new friends. People in this diocese are very friendly and when you add the bonding which comes with being on the front lines in the abortion wars, you get instant SOLIDARITY.
Reminds me of a certain Polish Pope, who overcame Communism with prayer and unified protests.

Servant of God, Dr. Jerome Lejeune

On my birthday last year, June 28, 2007, the cause for canonization of this saintly scientist was opened. Read the two posts at Unborn Word of the Day about the amazing career of Dr. Lejeune and his close friendship with Pope John Paul II.

My article includes this prayer for the intercession of Dr. Lejeune:

Prayer to Obtain Graces by God’s Servant’s Intercession
God, who created man in your image and intended him to share your glory,
We thank you for having granted to your Church the gift of professor Jerome Lejeune, a distinguished servant of life. He knew how to place his immense intelligence and deep faith at the service of the defense of human life, especially unborn life, always seeking to treat and to cure.

A passionate witness to truth and charity, he knew how to reconcile faith and reason in the sight of today’s world.
By his intercession, and according to your will, we ask you to grant us the graces we implore, hoping that he will soon become one of your saints.

Amen.

As the cause for canonization of Lejeune moves forward, testimonies of medically inexplicable cures sought by his intercession will be recorded, and holy cards with this prayer are available at this address:

Postulation de la cause de béatification
et de canonisation du Serviteur de Dieu Jérôme Lejeune
Abbaye Saint-Wandrille F-76490
Saint-Wandrille, France.

I am asking the good doctor's intercession to help Christina with potty training, behavior, and speech development.

Reflections on the Death of Pope John Paul II

Here are my reflections on the death of Pope John Paul II, published in the National Catholic Reporter.

Tony Meledez at the Memorial for the PreBorn

I am amazed, looking back, at how God prepared me in many different ways to be a special needs mom, usually without my knowlege. Meeting Tony Melendez in 1993 was an example of how He showed me that no matter how a person appears handicapped, the gifts of God enable him to spread the Gospel with his heartfelt example.

When Gabbi (seen here with Tony) was a baby, I attended a concert by Tony Melendez, in my parish, and was so impressed with his witness to faith and empowerment, that I read his autobiography. Tony was a Thalidomide baby, born without arms in Nicaragua. His parents emigrated to the USA to give him more opportunities. He taught himself to play guitar with his feet, and has been giving testimony ever since with his beautiful voice and inspirational songs to the goodness of God's gift of life. One of the songs he sang at the Prayer Meeting was,
"Hands in Heaven". You may remember September 15, 1987, in Los Angeles, when Tony sang for Pope John Paul II who was so moved, that he jumped down from the platform he was on and climbed up where Tony was to give him a hug.

When I saw Tony yesterday, at the 14th Annual National Memorial for hte Pre-Born and their Mothers and Fathers, I showed him the baby he had met, now 14 and asked if the prayers he requested to have children with his wife had been answered. The couple have been able to adopt two children. I shared that I had a special needs child, and thanked Tony for his witness to the beauty of God's gift of life.

Tony's biography is available on DVD here.

An Urgent Prayer Intention: Stacey P. a pregnant mom with brain cancer

I had heard of Stacey's situation last week from a friend and now from my email:

This is Erin Hopkins with a very urgent and sincere request for prayers. My friend and one-time college roommate is battling brain cancer and has been receiving chemo and radiation for nearly one year. Stacey is a mother to two young children and a wife to Joey, they live in Atlanta. She just found out that she is 18 weeks pregnant. She became pregnant during her chemo and radiation and therefore, the baby has been exposed to these chemicals from day one. She has opted to take a 10 week break from her treatment to allow the baby to reach 28 weeks gestation, when they will deliver the baby via C-section. She has been informed by her baby-related doctors that the chemo is very strong and particularly attacks DNA growth in cells and therefore the baby. They are quite certain that there will be neurologic damage to the baby, although the ultrasounds have thus far showed relatively normal growth.

Additionally, her cancer-related doctors have told her that they do not want her to stop her treatment of cancer (even for 10 wks!) because her cancer is so aggressive. They said that if they allowed her to carry the baby to 40 weeks gestation, she would probably not live to deliver the baby. So, Stacey is choosing to give her child a chance and risk her own life. I still cannot believe the situation that this family has been put in, even as I type this. As a member of Stacey's network of support and prayers, I am asking that you specifically say a prayer to Pope John Paul II. He is in the process of being named a saint and needs a second miracle to "qualify" for sainthood. We have decided to storm heaven with prayers to our former Pope, specifically asking him to stop the growth of Stacey's cancer while she stops her treatment.

Erin, you have the prayers of the Velasquez family.

Many of you may also be calling to mind the story of St. Gianna Molla, whom JPII canonized in the 1994, whose story is very similar to Stacey's. Finally, I just want to thank you for having read this far. I appreciate the time you took to read this and say a prayer for Stacey, her unborn child and her family. Stacey herself asks that we be sure to pray for her husband, Joey who is truly heartbroken.

My Favorite Catholic Singer

I have known and loved the music of Irish singer Dana since she first burst upon the international scene in 1979 as Pope John Paul II visited Ireland and the USA, with her song, "Totus Tuus". She composed and performed the theme song for World Youth Day in Colorado in 1993, "We are Once Body", sang many more times for Pope John Paul II, and has had two musical TV programs on EWTN since then, "Say Yes!" and "We are One Body". My favorite CD of hers is devoted to Marian hymns, and was the first place I heard the "Salve Regina" in Latin.

I was at one of her concerts in a local church, and her sweet voice and deep faith which her music embodies, made for an unforgettable evening. Her current TV program on EWTN, "We are one Body" airs at 5 AM EST. This morning, she had a program dedicated to the Marian devotion of Hispanic singers Anna Maria Padilla and Miguel Angel Guerra, and showed footage of her serenading the tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, with her song, "Lady of Guadalupe".
I'm so glad I caught the program. Dana, along with her hero, Pope John Paul, brought me safely through the tumultous years of the 1980's, when I was growing in my faith, seeking orthodoxy, and struggling with the temptations of being single in a corrupt society. I bought her cassette "No Greater Love" on my 1988 visit to my cousins in Ireland, and drove around the Irish countryside that Easter, singing her songs.
So that's why I couldn't get back to sleep this morning!What a wonderful treat, thank you, guardian angel!