Thursday, April 19, 2018

Remember Charlie Gard?

He was the young infant with a horrible set of health problems that all but guaranteed he was going to die, no matter what the treatment.  The parents, however, were willing to try almost anything, including appealing to experimental procedures that might help him.  The British hospital said no.  It decided the child would simply suffer for no go reason if they kept trying to save him, and refused to allow the boy to be taken.  Therefore, the parents lost their rights and were forced to watch their baby die.  The government and European Union, IIRC, also sided with the hospital.

New Prolife Catholics were split, not necessarily endorsing the hospital's decision, but also giving tremendous amounts of understanding and love for the hospital and the State in such a difficult situation.  Much scorn was heaped upon pro-lifers merely taking a stand for the baby.  Much debate ensued across the spectrum on just when parents have and don't have rights when it comes to the life of their kids.

Well, it didn't take long, but the new name to ponder is Alfie Evans.  A similar case where the baby is suffering from a horrible neurological disorder that is likely terminal.  Same situation, different players. This time it looks like Pope Francis has stepped in and stated his support for the parents.  With Charlie Gard, much was made about Pope Francis's initial response which some felt almost sided with the hospital, until it was later clarified.

We'll see.  I don't begrudge anyone in a situation like this, neither the parents nor the caretakers and those forced to wrestle with such decisions.  Nonetheless, knowing the tendency of human history to follow along trajectories, this one does not bode well if it keeps going where it seems heading.

It will be interesting to see if the New Prolife Christians bother to mention this, and if so, where they stand, since it's been so little time since the last unfortunate and unique case of parents being told they must watch their child die.

2 comments:

  1. I think the "new pro-life" folks are being slowly exposed for frauds: one of the founders of the "movement" at patheos, rebecca bratten weiss, was recently caught bashing church teaching relative to homosexuality and homosexual "marriage," calling it "homophobic" and also labelling Franciscan university of steubenville the same, and recommended Fr. James Martin as a more accurate source of the Church's teaching on the matter! When she was found out she removed her comments, but not before other people saved them. I don't suppose other folks involved, like mark shea, will say anything...

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    1. I fear there is something to that. Initially, some years back, it seemed like a credible thing, making sure we weren't forgetting other important parts of living, like tending to the poor and widow and all. But in recent years, it suggests more a tactic for compromising with the modern Left, and using the emphasis on other issues to downplay or ignore the sins that are near and dear to the heart of the modern Left.

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