Jackson Hgts. Suicide Draws Regrets from Parish Priest

by MIKE THIER Monsignor Raymond Kutner, of Jackson Heights Blessed Sacrament Church, wishes he knew two of his parishioners, Ann and Peter Florio, better. "If we had known them, we’d have had a chance to reach out to them," Kutner said of the family who lost Ann, 69, last week to suicide. "We are always available. We’d hope people facing terminal illness would seek us out so we could comfort them through prayer … I don’t know if the Florios are even known to their neighbors." Ann, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease five months ago and learned two weeks ago that her health was failing, was found by her husband hanging in their living room from a rope he purchased five days prior to the suicide. 
Currently, her husband Peter, 75, is charged with second-degree manslaughter for assisting his wife’s Aug. 5 suicide. If convicted, Florio faces a maximum sentence of 15 years. Florio was freed on $10,000 bail. The next step for Florio will be an Aug. 20 conference date, when the prosecutor and defense counsel will begin discussing potential pleas or future court dates. Kutner feels that Florio should not be tried, however, he said, that people facing similar circumstances should not resort to drastic measures. "People have Alzheimer’s and other diseases. They deal with this. There are places to deal with those who are terminally ill," Kutner said. "If there are people in these terrible situations, they should reach out. Some just hold in their anguish."
 According to Assistant District attorney Stephanie Swenton, Florio drilled a hole in the living room ceiling, slipped the rope through a hole and tied the slip-knot noose. "We would never condone such so-called mercy killings. We’re totally opposed to Dr. Kevorkian-type assisted suicides," Kutner said. "God is the author of life. All life is in his hands. Human beings don’t have the power or right to terminate life in any instance." Monsignor Kutner admitted that he did not know the Florios well, but described them as parishioners ‘in good standing.’ Information regarding the Florios’ standing at Blessed Sacrament comes from a church survey that Kutner said could be 15-20-years-old. Kutner estimated that at least 5,000 pray at weekend masses. 
"There are many who are here, but anonymous. They are faces who we recognize" Kutner said. On Aug. 5, officers from the 115th precinct responded to Peter’s 1:25 p.m. call and found Ann dead on arrival. Police said, Peter told officers on the scene he left the apartment at 7:30 a.m. and returned at 1:15 p.m., adding he didn’t know when or if she’d proceed with the suicide she had spoken about for two weeks prior to her death. Police found no suicide note. Kutner received no request to administer the last rites, which he said could be made even on the body of a Catholic who committed suicide. Peter told police that he hugged the body of his 69-year-old wife before dialing 911.