A Good Death
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Inside Archbishop Buechlein . 5 Editorial . 4 Question Corner . 11 Sunday and Daily Readings . 11 Serving the ChurchCriterion in Central and Souther n Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com April 21, 2006 Vol. XLVI, No. 27 75¢ Pope celebrates A good death Easter, urges End-of-life issues complicated by faith, people to turn technology, family concerns away from sin VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Celebrating By John Shaughnessy the first Holy Week and Easter of his pon- tificate, Pope Benedict XVI called on indi- Before his father’s death, Dr. Gregory Submitted photo viduals and nations to turn away from Gramelspacher fed him his last meal, their sins and accept the love, truth and spooning him tastes of orange sherbert. peace offered by the crucified and risen Later, the 52-year-old physician Christ. climbed into the bed of his 81-year-old After presiding on April 16 over Easter father, holding him and cupping his jaw morning Mass amid thousands of flowers to help quiet his labored breathing. and blossoming trees in St. Peter’s Square, And when he knew his father was Pope Benedict solemnly offered his bless- about to die, just before 3 a.m., the son ing “urbi et orbi” (to the city of Rome and woke his three siblings so they could say the world), and prayed for peace and jus- their goodbyes to their father, too. tice in the most troubled areas of the “There is something sacred about life, world. coming into the world and leaving the While a couple of people at the morn- world,” said Gramelspacher, a member ing Mass held signs wishing the pope a of St. Luke Parish in Indianapolis. “I felt happy 79th birthday, there was no repeat that way when my Dad died.” of the sung wishes that had filled Even before his father’s passing this St. Peter’s Basilica at 1 a.m. when the year, Gramelspacher has long been an Easter Vigil ended. advocate for what he considers “a good During his midday Easter blessing, the death,” the kind where a person gets to pope called for “serious and honest nego- die peacefully and relatively pain-free, tiations” to find an “honorable solution” to preferably surrounded by friends and the standoff between Iran and the interna- family at home. tional community over Iran’s nuclear pro- Like many Catholics and other gram. He also prayed that “in Iraq may Americans, Gramelspacher also knows Dr. Gregory Gramelspacher, left, shares a time to smile with his father, Robert Gramelspacher. When peace finally prevail over the tragic vio- the subject of death-with-dignity is an his father was dying, the younger Gramelspacher and his three siblings surrounded him with their lence that continues mercilessly to claim ever-growing concern in the United love. victims.” States, especially in an era when faith, The pope called on the international family dynamics and modern technology • A person has a moral obligation to technology, the use of respirators and community to come to the rescue of the often collide, creating challenging ethi- use ordinary or proportionate means of family dynamics—family being all over people of Sudan’s Darfur region, who cal questions about the right course of preserving his or her life. Proportionate the country instead of being centered continue to be under the threat of geno- action for patients, families and doctors. means are those that in the judgment of around mother and father.” cide and face terror and hunger. The Church offers its own guidance the patient offer a reasonable hope of ben- He mentioned the case of a mother of He prayed for peace in the Holy Land concerning end-of-life ethical issues. efit and do not entail an excessive burden nine children who was in the hospital’s and for “patient and persevering dialogue” “Life is a basic good but not an or impose excessive expense on the family intensive care unit. between Israel and the Palestinian govern- absolute good,” said Father Joseph or the community. “None of the nine children could or ment. Rautenberg, the consultant on ethics and • A person may forgo extraordinary or would agree on what was appropriate “May the international community, bioethics for the Archdiocese of disproportionate means of preserving life. care for the mother,” he said. “It’s hard which reaffirms Israel’s right to exist in Indianapolis. “Two principles come out “The bishops want you to look at the when you sit down nine children with peace, assist the Palestinian people to of that: You can never intentionally kill, burdens and the benefits to the patient, all the physicians involved, and they’re overcome the precarious conditions in but you don’t have to preserve life at all especially in light of the patient’s wishes,” not speaking to each other but they all which they live,” he said. costs.” Father Rautenberg said. want to do what’s best for Mom. Those With more than 80,000 people gathered Father Rautenberg offered that insight End–of-life issues are a constant—and become difficult, hard cases.” in St. Peter’s Square for the blessing, Pope when he and Gramelspacher spoke often complex—concern for everyone It’s even more emotional when a case Benedict said Christ’s resurrection from recently at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in involved, according to Father John involves your own mother, a situation the dead fulfilled God’s promise to save Indianapolis on the topic “Bioethical Mannion, the head of the institutional faced by Father Mannion and his his creatures from the power of sin and Dilemmas at the End of Life.” ethics committee at St. Francis Hospital siblings. death. The priest stressed two key points and Health Care Centers in Beech Grove. “I took care of my Mom for two “From the risen Christ, all those who among the directives that the “We’ll go through five or six ethical years,” the priest said. “She had conges- are still oppressed by chains of suffering U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops cases a week,” Father Mannion said. “It’s tive heart failure. She was on a and death look for hope, sometimes even issued concerning care for the dying: become complex because of modern See DEATH, page 15 See POPE, page 12 Oils blessed, priests renew promises at chrism Mass By Sean Gallagher cathedral, the archbishop spoke about Jesus’ message that is proclaimed most People from all facets of the life of the fully in his suffering, death and archdiocese gathered on the evening of resurrection. Sean Gallagher Photo by April 11 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral “The message of Jesus for you is this: in Indianapolis around their spiritual ‘More than anything, you are precious to leader, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, me. Yes, you who perhaps consider your- for the celebration of the annual chrism selves unworthy of my love, you who per- Mass. haps have difficulty believing you are He led in common worship members loved with my very specific love. You are of the laity, religious communities, dea- my friends. You see, I lay down my life con candidates, seminarians and priests. for you,’ ” Archbishop Buechlein said. Priests renewed the promises they Lynn Hansen heard the archbishop’s made on their ordination day, and oils that words. A member of St. John the Apostle were to be used in the Easter Vigil just a Parish in Bloomington, Hansen was asked few days later—as well as in sacramental by her pastor, Father Michael Fritsch, to During the archdiocesan chrism Mass cele- celebrations throughout the year—were receive and bring back the parish’s holy brated on April 11 at SS. Peter and Paul blessed by Archbishop Buechlein. oils. Cathedral in Indianapolis, members of the Speaking during his homily to the “It makes me feel like I’m the link assembly affirm priests who had just renewed more than 900 people gathered in the See CHRISM MASS, page 8 the promises they made at their ordination. Page 2 The Criterion Friday, April 21, 2006 Archdiocesan parishes to observe Divine Mercy Sunday The Criterion staff report St. Faustina, in the years between World is a remission of the temporal punishment Information: 812-378-2941. War I and World War II, is of great signif- deserved for sins. • Our Lady of the Greenwood Church, Catholics in central and southern icance, the late Pope John Paul II said In order to receive the indulgence, 335 S. Meridian St., Greenwood—Divine Indiana will join people around the world when he canonized the Polish Mercy Catholics must fulfill the basic require- Mercy Sunday prayer service, eucharistic as they celebrate sister in April 2000. ments of going to confession (during the adoration, homily, Divine Mercy chaplet, Divine Mercy Sunday “Those who remember, who were wit- Lenten season), receiving the Eucharist eucharistic procession, Benediction, ven- on April 23. nesses and participants in the events of and offering prayers for the intentions of eration of the Divine Mercy image and The message and those years and the horrible suffering of the pope. relic of St. Faustina, concert and testimo- devotion to Jesus as millions of people, know how necessary The special indulgence is earned when nial by musician Annie Karto, 2 p.m., the Divine Mercy is the message of mercy was,” the pope said. they meet the basic requirements and reception following prayer service. based on the writings The late Holy Father also instituted the then, “with a soul totally detached from Information: 317-888-2861. of St. Faustina annual celebration of Divine Mercy any affection to sin, even venial, partici- • St.