|
"Political
Responsibility"
1995
Statement by the Administrative Board of the
National Conference of Catholic Bishops
Choose Life
Catholic Teaching and the Death Penalty
Published by the Indiana Catholic Conference
"...the nature and extent of the punishment must be carefully
evaluated and decided upon and ought not go to the extreme of
executing the offender except in case of absolute necessity:
In other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend
society. Today, however, as a result of steady improvements
in the organization of the penal system, such cases are very
rare, if not practically non-existent.
- Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, 1995
"Crime is both a manifestation of the great mysteries of
evil and human freedom and an aspect of the very complex reality
that is contemporary society. We should not expect simple or
easy solutions to what is a profound evil, and even less should
we rely on capital punishment to provide such a solution.
- U.S. Catholic Bishops, Statement on Capital Punishment,
1980
As believers in Jesus Christ an in his Gospel of Life, the Indiana
Catholic Conference wishes to reiterate and to strengthen its
opposition to the imposition of the death penalty as a punishment
for capital offenses. This brochure expands upon our earlier
statement by explaining the positions taken in the light of
Catholic teaching.
In December 1994, after 10 years, the state of Indiana resumed
capital punishment with the execution of Gregory Resnover. Three
others have been executed since 1977, including Tommie J. Smith,
who, on June 14, 1996, became the first person in Indiana to
be executed by lethal injection. The Indiana Catholic Conference,
while realizing the morality of capital punishment is complex
and controversial, reiterates its deep concern regarding the
resumption of the death penalty at all levels of government,
In their recent statement, "Confronting a Culture of Violence,
the Catholic bishops of the United States once again express
their commitment to a consistent ethic of life. Because Catholics
believe in the sacredness and dignity of all human life, we
must speak out strongly against the violence and death that
now permeate all aspects of our society. As Catholics, we refuse
to shrink from recognizing, naming, and rejecting all actions
that threaten, diminish, or extinguish life, such as euthanasia,
the physical and sexual abuse of women and children, and capital
punishment.
Is it ever appropriate?
Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel
of Life) says that punishment "ought not to go to the extreme
of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity,
that is, only when it would be otherwise impossible to defend
society. And the Pope teaches that such cases of absolute necessity
where society cannot be defended in any other way are "very
rare, if not practically non-existent. (#56)
That view is echoed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
which applies the principle of self-defense to the protection
of society, and states:
If bloodless means are sufficient to defend human lives against
an aggressor and to protect public order and the safety of persons,
public authority should limit itself to such means, because
they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common
good and are more inconformity to the dignity of the human person.
(#2267)
Concerns for society and victims of crime
The effects of violent crimes upon people are easily seen, and
we share their fear at the increase in crime. We are troubled
by the fact that little or no attention is directed to the needs
of victims and their loved ones, and we believe that society
must find ways to support them, compensate them and help them
heal.
Our parishes have undertaken efforts to prevent violence and
promote reconciliation and healing. Contrast those real actions
with the reality of the death penalty, which allows no opportunities
for reconciliation. In addition, the long process between conviction
and execution does little to foster healing for the victims
and loved ones and may, in fact, exacerbate their pain.
What does Catholic teaching say?
In the past, Catholic teaching permitted the taking of life
in certain exceptional circumstances such as self-defense and
capital punishment. In the face of a society that grows ever
more violent with every passing year, the teaching against taking
lives has been strengthened and exceptions made more restrictive.
While the Church has not denied its traditional position that
the state has the right to employ capital punishment, many Catholic
bishops, together with Popes Paul IV and John Paul II, have
spoken against the exercise of that right by the state.
In 1995, Pope John Paul II clarified that teaching in Evangelium
Vitae:
"...the nature and extent of the punishment must be carefully
evaluated and decided upon and ought not go to the extreme of
executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity.
In other words: when it would not be possible otherwise to defend
society. Today, however, as a result of the steady improvements
in the organization of the penal system, such cases are very
rare, if not practically non-existent."
Inappropriate Response
It is our best judgment as pastors and lay members of the Church
who are devoted to defending life, that capital punishment will
only serve to inflame the culture of violence that is already
too prevalent in our state. We believe that capital punishment
undermines the sacredness of human life. It fails to combat
crime effectively and doesn't contribute to building a society
that is free from crime. Furthermore it neither helps the victims
who survive nor does it mitigate the loss of the victims who
do not.
No deterrent value
We know of no evidence that the death penalty has, in fact,
deterred violence and crime in those states where it has been
restored, and, therefore, we do not believe that the circumstances
of our day provide sufficient moral justification for the death
penalty.
We believe that the more effective deterrent to criminals would
be life imprisonment without parole. We acknowledge serious
concerns about the cost of criminal imprisonment. In response
to that concern, we note the existence of studies [Link to Studies
at the bottom of text] that document the fact that the death
penalty - with the appeals which are a part of that process
- is financially more costly to our society than is life imprisonment.
As U.S. Catholic bishops have stated, "Increasingly, our
society looks to violent measures to deal with some of our most
difficult social problems...including increased reliance on
the death penalty to deal with crime...Violence is not the solution;
it is the most clear sign of our failures...We cannot teach
that killing is wrong by killing. ("Confronting a Culture
of Violence)
Nor does our opposition stem exclusively from theological concerns.
Many thoughtful people have come to oppose the death penalty
for a variety of reasons:
*It does not effectively deter serious crime in our nation.
* It does not alleviate the fear of violent crime or better
safeguard the people.
* It fails to protect more effectively than the alternatives
such as life imprisonment without parole.
* It does not restore the social order breached by the offenders.
* It is often imposed unfairly, falling disportionately on racial
and ethnic minorities and the poor.
* It is not imposed in a way that prevents the execution of
possibly innocent persons.
In 1993, Indiana passed a law allowing a jury to sentence a
person to life imprisonment without parole as an alternative
to the death penalty. We believe this alternative meets society's
need for protection.
Vengeance or forgiveness?
We believe much of capital punishment's support springs from
a desire for revenge or a desperate attempt to the terrible
damage wrought by a capital crime. And such feelings are understandable
in the face of brutal and senseless violence inflicted upon
innocent people. Justice is a legitimate desire.
However, we believe that justice cannot be achieved through
vengeance. This belief is deeply rooted in our Scriptures. While
many people claim that the Bible endorses capital punishment,
the verse generally used as a support (Leviticus 24:20, "an
eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth) is in fact a plea for less
violence, by urging people not to avenge one offense with a
larger one. In the Gospels, Jesus said that retaliation was
an incorrect response to violence. Rather, Jesus tells us to
offer the other cheek and extend our hand in blessing and healing.
(Matthew 5:38 - 48)
Conclusion
Humane and effective methods of defending society exist and
should be used. Exacting the death penalty is not one of them.
Our Church remains consistent in its support of the sacredness
of human life and the dignity of the human person from the moment
of conception until natural death.
In "Confronting a Culture of Violence, the U.S. bishops
say:
We cannot ignore the underlying cultural values that help to
create the environment where violence grows: a denial of right
and wrong, education that ignores fundamental values, an abandonment
of personal responsibility, an excessive and selfish focus on
our individual desires, a diminishing sense of obligation to
our children and our neighbors, a misplaced priority on acquisitions,
and media glorification of violence and sexual irresponsibility.
In short, we often fail to value life and cherish human beings
above possessions, power and pleasure...A consistent ethic of
life remains the surest foundation of our life together.
We affirm the inherent dignity of all persons because we believe
that all persons are called into life bearing the image and
likeness of God. Each of us bears the stamp of our creator.
We recognize the inestimable value of each life brought into
being by that creator. For these reasons, we call on all Catholics
in the state of Indiana - nearly three-quarter of a million
people - to join us in opposition to the death penalty and in
the celebration of life.
"Millions Mispent: What Politicians Don't Say About the
High Costs of the Death Penalty, Death Penalty Information Center,
October 1992. (Contains 109 footnotes, many referring to additional
studies)
"The Penalty of Death - What It Does to the Living, Focus,
Michigan Catholic Conference, Vol. 21, No. 2, April 1993.
...For Information in Los Angeles... Please Contact...
Eric DeBode
California People of Faith Working Against the Death Penalty
3424 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 637-7402... socalcpf@yahoo.com
...The Final days
of a Death Row Inmate...
|
