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Inside Archbishop Buechlein . 5 Editorial . 4 The Question Corner . 13 Serving the CChurchCriterion in Centralr andi Southert n Indianae Since 1960rion Sunday and Daily Readings . 13 www.archindy.org March 26, 2004 Vol. XXXXIII, No. 24 75¢ Pope says patients must TheThe MysteryMystery ofof CreationCreation CNS from NASA via Reuters get nutrition, hydration as long as possible VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Patients who are in a persistent vegetative state, even for years, must be given nutrition and hydration as long as their bodies can absorb the nourishment, Pope John Paul II said. “The administration of water and food, even when delivered using artificial means, always represents a natural method of preserving life and not a medical act,” the pope told an international group of physicians and ethicists. The pope met the group on March 20 at the end of a four-day meeting on the ethi- cal decisions surrounding life-sustaining treatments for patients in a persistent veg- etative state. The conference, sponsored by the Pontifical Academy for Life and the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, brought together dozens of speakers with differing points of view, especially regarding the moment when providing artificial nutrition and hydration goes beyond an act of protecting human life and becomes a burdensome fight The debate between evolution and Scripture evolves against death and the hope for eternal life. The debate between evolution and Scripture evolves Pope John Paul told the group that, By Brandon A. Evans while “vegetative state” has been accepted Christian groups. The idea was rejected. as a medical description of the clinical First in a series The State School Board in Ohio earlier this condition of patients who give no sign of month gave approval for “intelligent design”—the consciousness or awareness of their envi- he theory of evolution has often sparked idea that creation reveals an order that is indica- ronment, too many people think “vegeta- T intense debate, particularly in a religious con- tive of a higher power who created it—to be dis- tive” also describes the patients them- text, but a greater understanding of Scripture has cussed in science classes during evolution studies. selves, as if they were no longer human. dampened those flames—to a degree. The decision has sparked debate among scien- “I feel an obligation to reaffirm vigor- ously that the intrinsic value and the per- Recent events have highlighted the tensions that tists and others, who see it as a veiled attempt to still exist. sonal dignity of every human being does bring God and creationism back into the curricu- not change no matter what the concrete The State Superintendent of Georgia recently lum. considered banning the word “evolution” from all situation of his life,” the pope said. Missouri is considering House Bill 911, which A human being “never becomes a ‘veg- textbooks because of pressure from conservative See EVOLUTION, page 20 etable’ or an ‘animal,’ ” he said. “Even our brothers and sisters who are in the clinical condition of the ‘vegetative state’ maintain their human dignity in its entirety,” he said. “The loving gaze of Saint Meinrad celebrates 150th anniversary God the Father continues to watch over them, recognizing them as his children Left, members, co-workers and friends of Saint who are particularly in need of assis- Meinrad Archabbey in St. Meinrad take part in a tance.” Submitted photos horse and wagon procession from Ferdinand, See CARE, page 2 Ind., on March 22 to recreate the journey the original monks made to their new home in 1854. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of Saint Meinrad. Below, Benedictine Abbot Martin Werlen of Maria Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland preaches at Mass for the monastic community of Saint Meinrad Archabbey and those in the School of Theology on March 22. Page 2 The Criterion Friday, March 26, 2004 even are instances when the artificial pro- Mary and Bob CARE vision of nutrition and hydration is so bur- Schindler, right, pray continued from page 1 densome to the patient and his or her fam- with friends of their ily that it is not obligatory. daughter, Terri Pope John Paul said that as long as the Dr. Gianluigi Gigli, president of the Schindler Schiavo, dur- patient is not dying, artificial nutrition and federation of medical associations, said the ing a special Mass on hydration must be considered “ordinary different positions presented at the confer- Feb. 10 at the and proportionate and, as such, morally ence reflected the complexity of the issues Schindlers’ former obligatory to the degree that—and as long involved and the continuing search by parish, Our Lady of as—they reach their aim, which consists Catholic ethicists and physicians to make Times Catholic Standard and CNS photo by Sarah Webb, Good Counsel in in providing nourishment to the patient decisions informed by the best medical Southhampton, Pa. and easing suffering.” opinions and the highest moral standards. Schiavo, who is cared The pope said an evaluation of the Ann Verlinde, president of the for at a Clearwater, Fla., monetary costs of continuing care cannot International Committee of Catholic nursing home, has outweigh the value of protecting human Nurses, said that because nurses spend so been in a persistent life. much time with patients and their fami- vegetative state since Pope John Paul also urged doctors and lies, their opinions should be given greater 1990. Her husband, parishes to do more to help the families of weight on hospital ethics boards and in Michael Schiavo, has patients in a persistent vegetative state. discussions with individual families about been battling her par- “They cannot be left alone with their continuing or withdrawing certain types of ents in court for years heavy human, psychological and eco- care. to remove his wife’s nomic burden,” he said. In many situations, she said, “nurses feeding tube, which Dr. Salvino Leone, a moral theology find it easier than doctors to say, ‘It is fin- would end her life. professor who works with the Hospitaller ished; let them go. We will be with them, Order of St. John of God in Rome, said caring for them as they die.’ ” Msgr. Kevin “No one is arguing to use all means, at decisions regarding her care, particularly there is “a profound ethical and concep- T. McMahon of St. Charles Borromeo all costs, for all persons in all circum- because of aspiration pneumonia and lung tual” distinction between causing death Seminary in Philadelphia said that with stances, particularly those who are immi- damage caused by regurgitation. and letting someone die. patients in a persistent vegetative state, nently dying and unable to benefit from “They questioned whether continued One must never hasten a patient’s artificially delivered nutrition and hydra- the treatment,” he said. biological life was the highest good for death, he told the conference on March 20, tion are simply “the medically assisted But with patients who are not dying, the human person and whether maintain- and one always must provide pain relief, supply of food and drink.” Diamond said, “our choice is really ing biological life was always morally nutrition and hydration and take precau- He said people should keep in mind between caring for such persons or aban- obligatory,” he said. tions so that bedsores and infections do that, while a return to consciousness is doning them.” Human life is sacred, he said, but the not develop. “highly improbable” after one year in a In a presentation written with Ronald P. duty to prolong life “is not absolutely But a Christian, Leone said, also must vegetative state, withholding nutrition and Hamel of the Catholic Health Association binding under all circumstances, because recognize that “letting die is a service to hydration always results in death. of the United States, Dr. John Collins we know that our ultimate end lies in eter- the gift of God, the humble consciousness Dr. Eugene F. Diamond, director of The Harvey of the Georgetown University nal life with God.” of being a creature in the face of divine Linacre Institute of the Catholic Medical Center for Clinical Bioethics in Msgr. Marco Frisina, director of the will and the acknowledgment of his Association, based in Boston, said that Washington offered concrete examples of Diocese of Rome’s liturgy office, told the absolute lordship over human destiny. In a while polls show most people would not cases in which artificial nutrition and doctors on March 17 that when medical single word: It is a true act of faith.” want “life-sustaining” treatment if they hydration were necessary and useful and treatment is useless the focus must turn Determining the exact moment when it had no chance of recovering conscious- when they became overly burdensome. toward helping the patient die a “good becomes ethical to let someone die is dif- ness, he thought the responses would be He told of a woman in a persistent veg- death”—not in the way proponents of ficult to determine, speakers at the confer- different “if people were asked if they etative state for four years whose Catholic euthanasia mean, but in the sense of dying ence said, and some argued that there wanted to starve to death.” husband and six children struggled with with the sure hope of eternal life. † In wake of scandal, Vatican enhancing monitoring role of archbishops VATICAN CITY (CNS)—In the wake including Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, province. Only a few archdioceses are not more regular and preventive fashion. of the clergy sex abuse crisis, the Vatican head of the Congregation for Bishops, and metropolitan sees. The Directory for the Pastoral Ministry is enhancing and emphasizing the role of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the In the United States, there are 33 met- of Bishops, which is currently being trans- the metropolitan archbishop as a vigilant Congregation for the Doctrine of the ropolitan sees and about 150 suffragan lated into English, said the metropolitan monitor of “suffragan”—or dependent— Faith.

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