Editorial

Stand up for life at April 11 concert to benefit Terri’s Foundation

Five years after her death, Terri Schindler Schiavo’s memory lives on.

And here in Indiana, we are being given a special opportunity to celebrate her life and support a worthwhile cause.

The first Terri Schiavo Life and Hope Concert at 7 p.m. on April 11 at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis features country music stars Randy Travis and Collin Raye (see related story). This concert offers Catholics and other people who value life from conception to natural death a chance to remember Schiavo and her family’s brave fight to keep their brain-damaged daughter alive. It also gives us the chance to support Terri’s Foundation, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization established to educate people and help families to better protect the rights and lives of their cognitively disabled loved ones.

“Euthanasia happens every day, every single day,” Terri’s brother, Bobby Schindler, said during a recent visit to the St. Augustine Home for the Aged in Indianapolis as he discussed the trials and tribulations his family faced in trying to keep his sister alive.

“It’s quite frightening. There are a lot of tragic situations like Terri’s.”

It is indeed scary to think that, though polls show more than half of the people in the United States identify themselves as pro-life, some people still have a throwaway mentality where the sick, elderly and disabled are concerned.

Add the fact that a recent study shows new evidence of brain activity in patients diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state, and you can see why we, as pro-life advocates, need to step up our efforts to correct misconceptions when it comes to life issues.

Through our prayers and actions, we Catholics and all people of faith can take steps to rid the world of these tragic situations.

—Mike Krokos

Take time to build community at your parish fish fry during Lent

With apologies to the hosts of the Masters golf tournament, the Catholic Church has its own Lenten “tradition like no other.”

Of course, we are talking about the fish fries which take place in our parish halls throughout the Archdiocese of Indianapolis during Lent.

From Batesville to Terre Haute, from Indianapolis to Tell City, parishes throughout our 39-county area serve cod, catfish, salmon and other types of fish on their Lenten menus. Macaroni and cheese, pizza, side dishes and desserts are also part of the fare at many parishes.

But the fish fries serve an even more important purpose: They are a prime place for building community on Fridays during Lent. Adults and children are always welcome, and the fellowship that is a part of these gatherings is an integral component of our Catholic faith.

We have heard more than one pastor use the fish fry concept to talk about how we are emulating Jesus, who used fish to feed the hungry and build community.

This Lent, let us take advantage of this unique opportunity on at least one Friday to grow in faith and fellowship together.

—Mike Krokos