Despite the very public acrimony between the two us when it comes to the traditionalist movement (and which will likely continue once this is all over), I ask that everyone pray for Chris Ferrara over the weekend (as well as the coming week). A mutual friend of ours sent me his legal intervention in the Terri Schiavo case today, which I read with great interest.
As is typical for Ferrara, he pulled no punches. His petition on behalf of the Schiavo family was meticulously researched and well argued. While I am not a civil lawyer, I cannot understand how any impartial judge could so easily dismiss it. There are definitely some dark spiritual forces at work here.
That being said, so those who know Chris know that he's like a pitbull when he commits to a cause. He refuses to give up until there is a decisive victory either one way or the other. While there has been no direct contact between us over this case, I would imagine that Terri's situation is no different than any other cause to which Chris devotes himself. Having come this far, I would be really surprised if Chris wasn't going through legal texts and precedents this weekend trying to find some means of saving Terri.
Chris, if there is a legal argument to be made, I know you will find it. In both my private capacity as a Catholic and my public capacity as a canonical advocate for the mentally and cognitively challenged, I very much appreciate what you have already done for Terri and her family. I will be keeping you in prayer as well at the vigil for Terri. And I would ask all our readers at Envoy Encore to join me as well.