"Certainly the church is not a democratic society in the way civil society understands, " said Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins of Portugal.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

"An attack against life is an attack against God, who is the author of life, " Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, head of the Vatican's office for sainthood, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.

BBC: NEWS | Americas | Brain-damaged Terri Schiavo dies