Society has duty to help Eluana live, says Archbishop of Udine

Udine, Italy, Feb 5, 2009 / 15:22 pm

Archbishop Pietro Brollo of Udine, where the “Terri Shiavo of Italy” is facing death by starvation, said on Wednesday, “The only duty society has towards this young woman is to help her to live.”

“Udine is ready to embrace Eluana Englaro, a daughter of this land. Upon learning of her arrival, I ask first of all that this woman be guaranteed care, hydration, nutrition and every means that someone who is sick, particularly someone who is very incapacitated, is due by those who have the professional duty in conscience to provide a cure,” the archbishop wrote in a statement published by the SIR news agency.

Upon learning of the case of Eluana Englaro, who is at a local hospital where her father intends to euthanize her, Archbishop Brollo said, “At this time, after court rulings and debates, in order to leave no room for confusion or misunderstanding, I reiterate that the only duty society has towards Eulana is to help her live.”

“All of the natural dynamics of a living organism are at work within her, and we have no way of knowing about what she experiencing interiorly.” Archbishop Brollo also asserted that “whoever says her medically assisted nutrition and hydration should be suspended is saying the death of this defenseless woman should be artificially provoked, in an act of true euthanasia.”

For this reason, the archbishop called on “everyone in conscience who understands that she is a living person to demand she be protected, and on those who still have some doubt to have the wisdom and prudence to abstain from any irreparable decision.”

He urged the faithful of the archdiocese the pray for Eluana, emphasizing that “prayer can change the course of events, enlighten souls and sustain us in our sorrow. Every Christian of this diocese should know that with faith nothing is lost,” he said.