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This has been reported today regarding Ruth Graham, the wife of Billy Graham. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070613/ap_on_re_us/billy_graham_burialIn IC XC, Father Anthony+
Everyone baptized into Christ should pass progressively through all the stages of Christ's own life, for in baptism he receives the power so to progress, and through the commandments he can discover and learn how to accomplish such progression. - Saint Gregory of Sinai
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Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of your saints, have mercy on your handmaid Ruth Graham and her family.
Joe
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Lord have mercy on Your handmaid, Ruth!
Gordo
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Dear Father Anthony,
Thank you for posting that. I did hear it today on TV, but didn't think of mentioning it.
I read her biography years ago. She was the daughter of a doctor and missionary to China. She spent her youth there, and had to leave when the Japanes began to attack. She went to a bible college in the Midwest, and had dreams of becoming a missionary herself. I'm not sure, but I think she might have been a Presbytarian.
At college she met Billy Graham, and that was the end of her missionary dreams. He became a tent preacher, and during a revival in California, he happened to be mentioned by Hearst in his newspapers. The story goes, that a women that usually prayed for the success of the revivals, had a sudden inspiration to call the Hearst mansion. Surprisingly, (or miraculously), Hearst himself picked up the phone. She spoke to him and he called his editors and told them to 'push', (or whatever the word is), Billy Graham.
I know that Billy Graham was a Baptist, and he was under pressure from his supporters to emphasize the Baptist faith. He refused to, and I can't help but feel that he became what he did, because he didn't want to proslytize. He merely wanted to turn people to God.
May our Lord give him and his children strength in this hour of need.
God Bless,
Zenovia
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Yes, Ruth Graham is a fine Christian woman. Thanks, Zenovia, for sharing about her life.
May God's grace and mercy sustain them both as they enter this stage of "life." And may her 'going home' be with much peace.
I think for her the words apply..."Well done, good and faithful servant."
In Christ,
Porter
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Yes. May the Divine Mercy be with her in these hours, and with her family.
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Ruth Graham reposed in the Lord at 5:05 pm eastern time Thursday. Eternal memory.
Last edited by RomanRedneck; 06/14/07 10:24 PM.
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May our Lord have mercy on His servant, Ruth's soul and bring her to rest with Him in Paradise.
May our Lord have compassion upon her grieving husband and family, granting them strength in His Name at this difficult time.
May her memory be eternal!
In Christ, Alice
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Ruth Graham has been bedridden for months with degenerative osteoarthritis of the back and neck and underwent treatment for pneumonia two weeks ago. At her request, and in consultation with her family, she had stopped receiving nutrients through a feeding tube for the last few days, Ross said. ****************************************************************
I just read this. Without wanting to bring out judgementalism in any one at this time when the world mourns with Billy Graham, a saint among us, I am honestly wondering and asking, would this have been morally and ethically okay if she was Catholic? I am truly clueless, and welcome someone clearing this up for me. Thanks!
Alice
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At her request, and in consultation with her family, she had stopped receiving nutrients through a feeding tube for the last few days, Ross said. Dear Alice, I think the key words are 'at her request'. She didn't want to be kept alive artificially and indefinitely. I know that Billy Graham is ill himself, and that he probably will be joining his wife soon. May her memory be eternal. God Bless, Zenovia
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May her memory be eternal+
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I can see two issues here. The first has to do with cause of death. Was the cause of death her pneumonia or was the cause of death starvation? And, the second issue has to do with defining extraordinary measures. I believe that the Roman Catholic Church defines basic artificial measures such as feeding tubes as not extraordinary, so it is never permissible in Catholic moral theology to discontinue basic nutrition if that will cause the person's death. If someone's death is immanent, then of course it is not wrong to discontinue needless measures (you wouldn't try to spoon feed someone who was within hours of dying). I do not know if the Orthodox Church has any official point of view.
We can't really make a judgment about this case unless we know all of the relevant facts. In any case, I pray for the repose of her soul and for grace and comfort for Reverend Graham and his family.
Joe
Last edited by JSMelkiteOrthodoxy; 06/15/07 02:11 PM.
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When I had the responsibility for an aged uncle, we discussed his living will. He said that he did not want surgery. However, after a stroke, it became necessary to have a feeding tube inserted into his stomach via surgery and a subclavian device inserted to give him all the hydration he received after that event.
I consulted my spiritual father and he told me that neither feeding nor hydration was an extraordinaary measure and, in fact, had I failed to do that I would have been morally responsible for his death. He confirmed my own gut instinct that no one should starve to death or die of thirst under my care.
My understanding is that I myself do not have the right to starve myself to death either. Can anyone give me some definite Catholic teaching in this area? Or is this a gray area?
In Christ,
BOB
Last edited by theophan; 06/16/07 01:18 AM.
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Bob,
What you say seems right on the mark. I don't think that there is much of a gray area here.
Joe
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It is hard to think that someone as holy as Billy Graham would do something sinful.
Alice
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