An activist pressing to save Terri Schiavo's life believes Jeb Bush canceled a public appearance at the last minute today in order to avoid confrontation from citizens who contend the governor can use his executive powers to intervene in the case.
Bush was expected to attend an outdoor Good Friday service at 12:30 p.m. at Florida State University in Tallahassee, the state capital.
Rev. Patrick Mahoney, who attended the event with demonstrators, noted with irony that part of the liturgy Bush would have read with the participants included the following text, entitled "The Fifth Station of the Cross":
"Lord Jesus, sometimes I don't want to do what is right or to help someone in need, but you want me to respond positively to the needs of others in my life. Help me to say 'yes' and be willing to give heroic assistance to all who are in need."
Mahoney, head of the Christian Defense Coalition, is an organizer of the ongoing protests at the Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park, Fla., where Terri resides.
He told WorldNetDaily he spoke with priests involved in the university event who said they expected Bush to attended, but they discovered about five minutes into the program that he had cancelled.
Bush's calender on the state government website shows 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. set aside for "personal time."
"It is clear that Governor Bush canceled his scheduled participation in this Stations of the Cross service out of fear and guilt of seeing supporters of Terri Schiavo pleading for her life," Mahoney said.
"Our prayer for Governor Bush is the same prayer he would have prayed publicly on this Good Friday, had he kept his scheduled appointment."
Bush spokesman Jacob DiPietre did not immediately return WND's request to a staffer for comment.
Mahoney said he appreciates the political efforts Bush has put into saving Schiavo, including passage of a 2003 Florida law and recent efforts to move legislation in the state legislature and U.S. Congress.
"We love the governor, we respect him, but we are asking him to give heroic assistance to Terri," Mahoney told WorldNetDaily.
Earlier in the week, there were hints from the Bush administration that the Department of Children and Families might use force, if necessary, to stabilize Terri Schiavo and remove her from the hospice, where she has lived the past five years.
But the governor told reporters yesterday that despite new evidence Terri Schiavo is not in a persistent vegetative state, "it isn't possible to remove her" from the hospice.
The comments came after Circuit Court Judge George W. Greer denied Bush's request to take custody.
For background on the 15-year saga, read "The whole Terri
Schiavo story."
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Court documents and other information are posted on the Schindler
family website.
Links to all "Terri briefs" regarding the governor's defense of
Terri's Law are on the Florida Supreme Court website, public information.