Saturday, March 21, 2015
The Pope speaks on capital punishment
As I understand it, for many years Catholic social teaching on capital punishment has been less than absolute: That it should be avoided if a society has other ways to safely incapacitate those who are most dangerous to others.
However, a recent statement by Pope Francis seems to go farther than that:
In a lengthy letter written in Spanish and addressed to the president of the International Commission against the death penalty, Pope Francis thanks those who work tirelessly for a universal moratorium, with the goal of abolishing the use of capital punishment in countries right across the globe.
Pope Francis makes clear that justice can never be done by killing another human being and he stresses there can be no humane way of carrying out a death sentence. For Christians, he says, all life is sacred because every one of us is created by God, who does not want to punish one murder with another, but rather wishes to see the murderer repent. Even murderers, he went on, do not lose their human dignity and God himself is the guarantor.
Capital punishment, Pope Francis says, is the opposite of divine mercy, which should be the model for our man-made legal systems. Death sentences, he insists, imply cruel and degrading treatment, as well as the torturous anguish of a lengthy waiting period before the execution, which often leads to sickness or insanity.
The Pope also condemns the use of the death penalty by “totalitarian regimes” or “fanatical groups” who seek to exterminate “political prisoners”, “minorities”, or anyone seen as a threat to political power and ambitions.
But he makes quite clear that the use of capital punishment signifies “a failure” on the part of any State. However serious the crime, he says, an execution “does not bring justice to the victims, but rather encourages revenge” and denies any hope of repentence or reparation for the crime that has been committed.
However, a recent statement by Pope Francis seems to go farther than that:
In a lengthy letter written in Spanish and addressed to the president of the International Commission against the death penalty, Pope Francis thanks those who work tirelessly for a universal moratorium, with the goal of abolishing the use of capital punishment in countries right across the globe.
Pope Francis makes clear that justice can never be done by killing another human being and he stresses there can be no humane way of carrying out a death sentence. For Christians, he says, all life is sacred because every one of us is created by God, who does not want to punish one murder with another, but rather wishes to see the murderer repent. Even murderers, he went on, do not lose their human dignity and God himself is the guarantor.
Capital punishment, Pope Francis says, is the opposite of divine mercy, which should be the model for our man-made legal systems. Death sentences, he insists, imply cruel and degrading treatment, as well as the torturous anguish of a lengthy waiting period before the execution, which often leads to sickness or insanity.
The Pope also condemns the use of the death penalty by “totalitarian regimes” or “fanatical groups” who seek to exterminate “political prisoners”, “minorities”, or anyone seen as a threat to political power and ambitions.
But he makes quite clear that the use of capital punishment signifies “a failure” on the part of any State. However serious the crime, he says, an execution “does not bring justice to the victims, but rather encourages revenge” and denies any hope of repentence or reparation for the crime that has been committed.
Comments:
There is a feature on my machine (a Mac Pro with a tiny and overly sensitive keyboard) that "corrects" misspellings, and does its best to guess the word I meant to type. I have thought at times it had a sense of humor. Never suspected it had a theological bent.
Makes me wonder: Are there were any typos in Guttenberg's Bible?
Appreciate your wise friends comment. Still, Christ was certainly put off by injustice, which implies that notwithstanding the core of his teaching is love and forgiveness, justice must be in there somewhere.
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Thanks for the opening.
If society dispenses with the death penalty altogether in every circumstance-and the point of this comment is not to argue that it should or should not-the question is: What is appropriate, humane, even Christian punishment ?
Is incarnation is the answer? If so, for how long? Are life sentences without benefit of parole ever appropriate? Are they "humane?" Are they Christian?
Assume that the men who bombed the Boston Marathon are incarcerated, and after a few years have truly repented, are genuinely sorry, have seen the error of their ways, and are actively working to do good in their prison circumstances, should they be released? Is the Norwegian approach satisfactory: 20 years for the mass murder of all of those children?
It is said that the death penalty is not a deterrent. Would the practice of releasing violent offenders after only a few years serve as deterrents to crime, particularly the premeditated kind: for profit, for life insurance, to eliminate an incriminating witness, partner or rival, for "business" purposes al la the "Godfather", etc.?
If there is no justice in the death penalty, as the Pope seems to say, what is "just" punishment?
So many questions.
What is the Catholic Church's position on this?
If society dispenses with the death penalty altogether in every circumstance-and the point of this comment is not to argue that it should or should not-the question is: What is appropriate, humane, even Christian punishment ?
Is incarnation is the answer? If so, for how long? Are life sentences without benefit of parole ever appropriate? Are they "humane?" Are they Christian?
Assume that the men who bombed the Boston Marathon are incarcerated, and after a few years have truly repented, are genuinely sorry, have seen the error of their ways, and are actively working to do good in their prison circumstances, should they be released? Is the Norwegian approach satisfactory: 20 years for the mass murder of all of those children?
It is said that the death penalty is not a deterrent. Would the practice of releasing violent offenders after only a few years serve as deterrents to crime, particularly the premeditated kind: for profit, for life insurance, to eliminate an incriminating witness, partner or rival, for "business" purposes al la the "Godfather", etc.?
If there is no justice in the death penalty, as the Pope seems to say, what is "just" punishment?
So many questions.
What is the Catholic Church's position on this?
# posted by 
: 12:56 PM
: 12:56 PM
I'm not the person to give the Catholic position on anything, since I am not Catholic.
BUT, I have to give your credit for the best typo ever in asking "Is incarnation the answer?" That can take us interesting places, I'm sure.
For what it is worth, a wise person once suggested to me that Christianity-- at least as seen in the teachings of Christ-- has very little to do with justice.
BUT, I have to give your credit for the best typo ever in asking "Is incarnation the answer?" That can take us interesting places, I'm sure.
For what it is worth, a wise person once suggested to me that Christianity-- at least as seen in the teachings of Christ-- has very little to do with justice.
There is a feature on my machine (a Mac Pro with a tiny and overly sensitive keyboard) that "corrects" misspellings, and does its best to guess the word I meant to type. I have thought at times it had a sense of humor. Never suspected it had a theological bent.
Makes me wonder: Are there were any typos in Guttenberg's Bible?
Appreciate your wise friends comment. Still, Christ was certainly put off by injustice, which implies that notwithstanding the core of his teaching is love and forgiveness, justice must be in there somewhere.
# posted by : 11:56 PM
: 11:56 PM
Is the silence of life’s entanglements encountered not challenge intended? Created in His ‘Heavenly’ Image though adrift and constantly transformed by ‘earthly’ experiences – life and love intersect in a myriad of choices.
Life’s value is seldom revealed, seldom revealed by the anonymous millions world over who daily serve the needs of many millions more.
Is the offering of (divine) mercy and the potential for contrite repentance and reparation not worth the investment? The misguided righteousness of deadly force employed and too frequently exported to ‘serve and protect’ accounts for many more lives lost – ponder the lives taken or surrendered (suicide) by returning military than all of the lives lost in mass killings. How many spared death would become repeat offenders? What opportunities are we offered to interact among those pardoned who are often marginalized and maligned?
The safety and security of our neighborhoods and communities should not be overly dependent upon ‘outsourcing’ – our tax dollars allocated to fire and life safety departments. Through birth we were charged to continually increase stewardship - more today than yesterday.
Should we seek to be best known for accomplishments or the sincerity of effort, mercy and love extended?
How blessed to acknowledge the closer we become to God, the greater the distance that separates us. . .
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Life’s value is seldom revealed, seldom revealed by the anonymous millions world over who daily serve the needs of many millions more.
Is the offering of (divine) mercy and the potential for contrite repentance and reparation not worth the investment? The misguided righteousness of deadly force employed and too frequently exported to ‘serve and protect’ accounts for many more lives lost – ponder the lives taken or surrendered (suicide) by returning military than all of the lives lost in mass killings. How many spared death would become repeat offenders? What opportunities are we offered to interact among those pardoned who are often marginalized and maligned?
The safety and security of our neighborhoods and communities should not be overly dependent upon ‘outsourcing’ – our tax dollars allocated to fire and life safety departments. Through birth we were charged to continually increase stewardship - more today than yesterday.
Should we seek to be best known for accomplishments or the sincerity of effort, mercy and love extended?
How blessed to acknowledge the closer we become to God, the greater the distance that separates us. . .
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