Saint Terri Schaivo?

I'm not being flip here, but all this has me thinking. We all know how this situation will end. The tube will not be reinstated and Terri will pass into life. The self-induced apocalyptic fervor of the pro-lifers has reached unprecedented proportions and as some have proclaimed this "the new Roe v Wade" for them.

Already, we see comparisons between Terri and Holy Week, the cross, the passion of Christ, etc and the pro-lifers call this murder, starvation, etc which then, in their eyes, makes Terri a martyr and victim of the culture of death.

I don't see this impending sense of apocalyptic doom diminishing anytime soon. In fact, her passing will only boost the the fervor. And if so, there is only one action that is commensurate to the point that the pro-lifers are trying to make, canonization.

I honestly don't see how there wouldn't be a push for her canonization. The tricky part would be if the U.S. Bishops would go along. I suspect you'd find a handful on record who'd be willing to push it and if so, it is as good as done.

Raising the money would be a snap. As it is, Right Wing money men have taken up the cause and with the flood of small donations from the pro-lifers, the cause will be golden.

The other question would be the Vatican. I don't see an obstacle there. The Vatican would jump at this opportunity to make a point to Europe and to the world. So there really wouldn't be any bureaucratic obstacles, which means the cause can get started and move promptly to the Venerable or Blessed stage.

However, the real question is that of the sentiment of the faithful in the US. As it is 70-80% of the US population believe that the tube should remain out and that she should be allowed to die with dignity. The question is how that sentiment translates with Catholics. I would be utterly repulsed if this all unfolds, but is there a critical mass of Catholics who would not look kindly on this? I think not because, besides out-and-out liberals, many moderates who are uneasy about this whole thing and more neutral are afraid of the rabid right and of being caught in the cross hairs of a righteous crusade.

When the Pope made his remarks about gay marriage being part of the idealogy of evil, I mused that he was raising the temparature and stimulating a boiling point that would rid the Church of liberals once and for all. A push for Terri Schaivo's canonization, I maintain, would do the trick. It would crush the liberals and leave the Church in the hands of conservatives.

Hey, I love fiction. I love writing fiction: and so speculate like this, I will. Again, all this is unfortunate, but I don't see how things don't unfold they way I'm guessing they will.