The Hindu : International : Schiavo receives last sacrament

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005

International

International

Schiavo receives last sacrament

PINELLAS PARK (FLORIDA), MARCH 28. The brain-damaged Florida woman, Terri Schiavo, was given last rites and Easter Communion — a drop of wine, but no bread — as relatives asked protesters gathered outside her hospice to tone down their behaviour.

Neither Ms. 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 woman's ``death is imminent'' — a devastating proclamation for those who spent Easter Sunday praying for a woman they never knew.

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

But the woman's parents claimed one Easter victory: Ms. Schiavo 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 Ms. Schiavo's right hand as he and hospice priest Rev. Joseph Braun placed the droplet on her tongue.

Fr. Malanowski also anointed her with holy oil, offered a blessing and absolved her of sin. The Schindler family pleaded with supporters to tone down their behaviour. They had little success; five people were arrested and chants of ``Give Terri water!'' — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International