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Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Cardinal Martini and Euthanasia

The debate in Italy over euthanasia proceeds apace. Cardinal Martini has entered the lists.

Sandro Magister in Chiesa Espresso reports on the latest comments and rebuttals from Cardinal Martini on the one side, and Cardinal Ruini and Bishop Sgreccia, titular bishop of Zama and President of the Pontifical Academy for Life on the other.

Magister comments:

"For the former archbishop of Milan, the seriously ill person has at every moment the right to interrupt the care that keeps him alive. No, objects the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life. But the real clash is between Martini and the Pope."

He goes on to say:

"Just nine months after the bombshell manifesto of opposition to the reigning pope published in the Italian weekly “L’espresso” – on artificial insemination, embryos, abortion, euthanasia – cardinal Carlo Maria Martini has returned to the last of these topics, euthanasia, with an article that appeared on January 21 on the front page of the Sunday edition of “Il Sole 24 Ore,” the leading economics and finance newspaper in Italy, and one of the most important in all of Europe.

This time as well his statements have been interpreted as a criticism of the papal line of absolute opposition to intentionally caused “gentle death.”

And again this time – like nine months ago – the official Catholic media have shrouded cardinal Martini’s statements in silence, while the secular media have amplified them. ..."

Full story is at http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/dettaglio.jsp?id=115421&eng=y.

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