'Death is imminent' for Terri Schiavo
Schiavo Receives Last Rites, Communion

Associated Press | March 28, 2005
By MARK LONG

Neither Schiavo's parents nor her husband offered new, specific details on her condition, but one of the two priests who visited her hospital room said her ``death is imminent'' - a devastating proclamation for those who spent Easter Sunday praying for a woman they never knew.

``We are Terri's voice. Right now, Terri is fighting for her life,'' the Rev. Patrick Mahoney angrily shouted Sunday, his face reddening. He pledged to protest outside the White House on Monday.

Fewer than 10 protesters stayed overnight Monday in rain and wind. One man was arrested before dawn trying to take a jug of water to Schiavo.

Schiavo's mother, Mary Schindler, did not visit her daughter on Easter, emotions keeping her from the hospice for the first time since Terri's feeding tube was removed 10 days ago, said Paul O'Donnell, a Roman Catholic Franciscan monk and a family spokesman.

``If she goes in there again, we might have to take her to the hospital,'' O'Donnell said.

But the woman's parents claimed one Easter victory: Schiavo's husband, Michael, allowed her to receive communion wine.

As her brother, sister and brother-in-law watched, the Rev. Thaddeus Malanowski held Terri's right hand as he and the hospice priest, the Rev. Joseph Braun, placed the droplet on her tongue. Malanowski also anointed her with holy oil, offered a blessing and absolved her of sin.

``She received the blood of Christ,'' said Malanowski, adding he could not give her a fleck of communion bread because her tongue was too dry.

Tensions were noticeably heightened both among the protesters and, apparently, among the closest confidants to the woman's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler. David Gibbs III, their lead lawyer, told CBS' ``Face the Nation'' that Schiavo has ``passed where physically she would be able to recover.''

``In the family's opinion, that is absolutely not true,'' spokesman Randall Terry said outside the hospice.

The Schindler family, also bothered by repeated arrests and heightened anger outside the hospice, pleaded with supporters to spend Easter with their families. They had little success; five people were arrested and chants of ``Give Terri water!'' echoed for much of the day.

Extra police officers blocked the road in front of Schiavo's hospice and Pinellas County school officials said an elementary school next to the hospice would be closed Monday.

At least two more state-filed appeals are pending, but those challenges are before the state 2nd District Court of Appeal, which has rebuffed Gov. Jeb Bush's previous efforts in the case.

Doctors have said Terri Schiavo, 41, would probably die within a week or two once the feeding tube - which kept her alive for 15 years - was disconnected. She relied on the tube since suffering catastrophic brain damage when her heart stopped beating and oxygen was cut off to her brain.

At Michael Schiavo's Clearwater home, protesters dropped roses and Easter lilies on his lawn - a peaceful protest interrupted when sprinklers came on.

His fiancee's brother picked up the flowers and handed them to a bystander to take away. John Centonze declined to answer questions, only saying that Michael Schiavo was ``very upset.''

During Easter services at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Clearwater, the Rev. Ted Costello avoided mentioning the Schiavo case. Yet at Faith Lutheran Church in Dunedin, the Rev. Peter Kolb thought Schiavo's story was appropriate for his sermon. ``One day, we're all going to go through the valley,'' Kolb told churchgoers.

And some protesters continued demanding that the governor, but Bush told CNN he cannot ignore numerous state and federal court rulings against intervention. ``I don't have powers ... that would allow me to intervene after a decision has been made,'' he said.

Gibbs told CBS he believed Bush has done all he could. ``Gov. Bush has been a real friend,'' he said.

Schiavo's parents dispute that their daughter is in a persistent vegetative state as court-ordered doctors have determined. Michael Schiavo contends his wife told him she would not want to be kept alive artificially.

Priest sees demise after she is given last rites, Easter communion

MSNBC | March 28, 2005

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. - Terri Schiavo was given last rites and Easter communion — a drop of wine, but no bread — as relatives of the brain-damaged woman asked protesters gathered outside her hospice to tone down their behavior.

Neither Schiavo’s parents nor her husband offered new, specific details on her condition, but one of the two priests who visited her hospital room said the brain-damaged woman’s “death is imminent” — a devastating proclamation for those who spent Easter Sunday praying for a woman they never knew.

“We are Terri’s voice. Right now, Terri is fighting for her life,” the Rev. Patrick Mahoney angrily shouted Sunday, his face reddening.

He pledged to protest Monday outside the White House and Congress. He also hopes to meet with House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who was instrumental in getting a law passed allowing Schiavo's case to be heard in federal court.

Schiavo’s mother, Mary Schindler, did not visit her daughter on Easter, emotions keeping her from the hospice for the first time since Terri’s feeding tube was pulled 10 days ago, said Paul O’Donnell, a Roman Catholic Franciscan monk and a family spokesman.

“If she goes in there again, we might have to take her to the hospital,” O’Donnell said.

Sacrament given
But the woman’s parents claimed one Easter victory: Terri received communion wine after her husband allowed her to receive the sacrament.

As her brother, sister and brother-in-law looked on, the Rev. Thaddeus Malanowski held Terri’s right hand as he and hospice priest Rev. Joseph Braun placed the droplet on her tongue. Malanowski also anointed her with holy oil, offered a blessing and absolved her of sin.

“She received the blood of Christ,” said Malanowski, adding he could not give her a fleck of communion bread because her tongue was too dry.

By previous court order, Terri Schiavo was allowed to receive communion once more with the consent of her husband and guardian, Michael Schiavo, who has fought her parents for years about whether the woman would want to live or die. Terri received both sacraments on March 18, just before the tube was pulled.

Tensions were noticeably heightened both among the protesters and, apparently, among the closest confidants to the woman’s parents, Bob and Mary Schindler. David Gibbs III, their lead lawyer, told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that Schiavo has “passed where physically she would be able to recover.”

“They’ve begun to give her morphine drip for the pain. And at this point, we would say Terri has passed the point of no return,” he added.

“In the family’s opinion, that is absolutely not true,” spokesman Randall Terry said outside the hospice.

First violent arrests
The Schindler family, also bothered by repeated arrests and heightened angst outside the hospice, pleaded with supporters to tone down their behavior. They had little success; five people were arrested Sunday and chants of “Give Terri water!” echoed for much of the day.

Passions boiled over among the crowd of protesters holding vigil, with the first two violent arrests.

One of those was Don McBurney, a member of the Denver Bible Church, who grabbed a paper cup of water and rushed the police lines standing guard in the driveway. Three policemen wrestled him to the ground. He struggled, screaming, “Bring her water.”

Fewer than 10 protesters stayed overnight Monday in the rain and wind. One man was arrested before dawn trying to bring a jug of water to Schiavo.

There have been 38 arrests, mostly peaceful, in the past 10 days.

The crowd swelled to several hundred people at one point. Some suggested militias should form to storm the building. Others prayed quietly and sang hymns.

Doctors have said Terri Schiavo, 41, would probably die within a week or two once the feeding tube — which kept her alive for 15 years — was disconnected. She relied on the tube since suffering catastrophic brain damage when her heart stopped beating and oxygen was cut off to her brain.

At Michael Schiavo’s Clearwater home, protesters dropped roses and Easter lilies on his lawn — a peaceful protest interrupted when sprinklers came on suddenly.

His fiancee’s brother picked up the flowers and handed them to a bystander to take away. John Centonze declined to answer questions, only saying that Michael Schiavo was “very upset.”

The saga was on the mind of many churchgoers, but some leaders skipped mention of it in Easter services.

At St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Clearwater, Father Ted Costello avoided mentioning the Schiavo case. Yet at Faith Lutheran Church in Dunedin, the Rev. Peter Kolb thought Schiavo’s story was appropriate for his sermon. “One day, we’re all going to go through the valley,” he told churchgoers.

Extra police officers blocked the road in front of Schiavo’s hospice. Pinellas County school officials said the elementary school next to the hospice would not open Monday. The 600 students were to be sent elsewhere.

Gov. Bush 'a real friend'
Some protesters continued demanding Gov. Jeb Bush intervene, but Bush has said he doesn't have the authority to overrule court orders.

Gibbs told CBS he believed Bush has done all he could. “Gov. Bush has been a real friend,” he said.

Schiavo’s parents dispute that their daughter is in a persistent vegetative state as court-ordered doctors have determined. Michael Schiavo contends his wife told him she would not want to be kept alive artificially.

At least two more appeals are pending by the state and Bush, but those challenges are before the state 2nd District Court of Appeal, which has rebuffed the governor’s previous efforts in the case.

A Time Magazine poll released on Sunday found a majority of Americans surveyed who called themselves born again Christians or evangelicals agreed with the decision to remove Schiavo’s feeding tube. The poll was conducted March 22-24.

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