The parents of the terminally-ill baby Charlie Guard, have ended their legal battle to take their child from London to the U.S. for experimental treatment.
The decision was announced yesterday by the baby’s parents, after a U.S. neurologist said that it was too late to offer Charlie experimental nucleoside therapy after seeing the baby's latest MRI results. Following the decision, the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales expressed deepest sympathy and prayers for the family in a statement issued on their website.
Charlie was born with a rare DNA depletion syndrome, which causes progressive muscle weakness, brain damage, respiratory and liver failure and is typically fatal. British hospital believed the baby had no chance of survival, but the parents, Chris Guard and Connie Yates, crowdfunded nearly $1.7 million in four months to finance treatment in the US for the baby.
When hospital officials wanted to stop providing life support for the baby, the parents went to a London court with their case, that garnered world media attention. But the court ruled the baby should be allowed to "die with dignity" and allowed the doctors to end the life support.
Greg Burke, director of the Vatican press office, said in statement yesterday, that the Pope has taken a personal interest in the case, and "is praying for Charlie and his parents and feels especially close to them at this time of immense suffering. The Pope asks that we join in prayer, that they may find God's consolation and love.
It’s hot outside and while we complain about the heat here in Canada, Rome is being crucified under one of the worst droughts in decades, so much so, that the Vatican has decided to shut-down 100 of its historic city-state water fountains.
The Vatican announced earlier today, that the drought has led the Holy See to take measures aimed at saving water. "This decision, is in-line, with the teachings of Pope Francis, who reminds us in 'Laudato Si', how the habit of wasting has reached 'unprecedented levels' and that 'fresh drinking-water is an issue of primary importance, because it is indispensable for human life and for supporting life", the office said. The prolonged drought has forced Rome's city officials to shut down some of Rome's public drinking fountains in June, and may lead to further water rationing for the city's estimated 1.5 million residents, in the months to come.
And while pilgrims and visitors have long marveled at the majestic fountains of St. Peter's Square, since their construction in the 17th century, Vatican Spokesperson, Greg Burke told CNS that the move to switch off the fountains is the Vatican’s way of putting 'Laudato Si'' into action, he said. Let's not waste water."
Now here in Canada, it’s been over six months since the terrible mass shooting at the Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City in January, an incident that shocked the world and garnered an unprecedented outpouring of support of the victims, from Canadians across the country. Cardinal Lacroix, the Cardinal Archbishop of Quebec looks back at that tragedy, and explains how it changed the Catholic-Muslim relationship for Canadians, especially in that province.
In just 4 days from now, the largest gathering of Catholic Asian youth happens in Indonesia for the 7th Annual Asian Youth Day gathering.
This event which started in 1999 in Thailand, is held in every three years and attended by more than two thousand Catholic youth from various countries in Asia, to participate in various catholic-oriented events. This year, all the festivities begin on July 30th and run till August 9th.
The 6th annual Asian Youth Day was attended by the Pope in 2014, which took place in South Korea. For detailed information on the event, you can visit the official website at asianyouthday.org.
That's all for today. Join us again on tomorrow, when I bring you more news and stories from a Perspectives of a Catholic Lens.
Quebec City Mosque Shooting, 6 Months Later - Cardinal Lacroix | |
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