Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia intervened on the death of the English boy Archie Battersbee, who died on Saturday (06 August) after life support equipment was switched off. I’ve been in a coma since April after a viral social media challenge
Vatican News
English boy Archie Battersbee’s life support was turned off after a long legal battle. Archie was diagnosed with brain death in April this year after running out of oxygen while trying to complete a viral challenge on social media, according to his mother. He was declared brain dead and kept alive artificially in a London clinic. In the past four months, Christian parents have engaged in a tough legal battle over their child. His mother claimed yesterday: “He fought to the end”.
Tweet from the Pontifical Academy for Life
Bishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, intervened, assuring his prayers for the boy’s soul and for his family through his official Twitter account. He added: “When a person’s life is decided by a court, humanity is defeated.”
the bishops
Bishop John Sherrington, Assistant to the Diocese of Westminster and responsible for life issues at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, spoke in the last few hours about Archie’s situation which divided public opinion and recalled the already known “cases” of Charlie Gard and Alfie Evans. “Every step must recognize your inherent dignity as a person made in the image and likeness of God. At this time of farewell, it is important to accompany Archie and his parents with compassion,” the prelate said. And he stressed “the need to find better forms of mediation through which parents and healthcare professionals can reach mutual agreements and avoid complex court cases.”