For a while, the clinics in Italy refused to dehydrate this woman to death, despite her father's obtaining a court's permission to do so. In fact, the Italian health minister had "warned" clinics not to participate in her dehydration. Some who advocated her dehydration were disturbed to think that he might "have to" take her abroad to be killed, while others more militantly suggested that some hospital should be court ordered to kill her (which is what has been done in the United States).
But not to worry, a clinic in the city of Udine has stepped up to the plate.
It appears that the health minister's warning may have applied only to national health care clinics. The clinic in Udine where Eluana will be killed is private, and that may explain their willingness.
As of Tuesday, when the transfer took place, Eluana's long dehydration process was scheduled to begin in about three days. There is evidently a good deal of high feeling in Italy against this, as witness the stand of the majority of clinics and also some protests against Eluana's transfer (some protesters even tried to stop the ambulance transporting her). But what we are seeing here is the leadership of the courts. The courts have declared that this should be done, that this is "helping" Eluana to die, and many (including her father) believe that this is a matter of her autonomy. I had thought that perhaps the health care profession would stand firm until an actual court order was made to a facility, but apparently not.
Let us pray for Eluana and for her father, too, who desperately needs to repent.
HT to Todd, who sent me the most recent story.