Statement of Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ, on the death of Terri Schiavo

March 31, 2005 

I know that I speak on behalf of the Catholic faithful as I express my heartfelt sympathy to the family of Terri Schiavo as the news of her death reaches us. May she find peace and rest in the arms of a loving and merciful God. In every tragic situation, we look for some good. Perhaps her death and the tragic circumstances leading to it present an opportunity for all of us to appreciate the fragility and limitations of human life on this earth.

In this Easter season we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord from the dead. Terri’s death and the Easter celebration move us to focus greater attention toward our own ultimate destiny, which is eternal life in God. We pray for Terri and for her family, that God may be with them at this time and enable them to bear the burden of her loss with courage and faith.

The tragic drama played out for the past several weeks has prompted many discussions about end-of-life issues. In light of this, I am asking the priests of our diocese to continue to engage our Catholic lay faithful in a discussion of these issues in their respective parishes. Catholics and others of good will seek the guidance and counsel of the rich theological and biblical interpretation which the church can provide. An excellent guide to these discussions can be found in the Catholic Declaration on Life and Death Advance Directive. This document, prepared for the Catholic bishops of Florida by the Florida Catholic Conference, is a well-developed living will. It is an uncomplicated and straightforward document which leaves clear and unambiguous instructions to one’s family and doctors concerning one’s wishes relative to end-of-life issues.

As we mourn the death of Terri Schiavo and pray for the repose of her soul, I urge our priests and our Catholic faithful to begin this dialogue and reflect on these issues, so that those difficult circumstances which surrounded her death may be avoided by others.

May she rest in peace!

NOTE: The Catholic Declaration on Life and Death Advance Directive is available from the Florida Catholic Conference, at www.flacathconf.org.

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