Arizona Catholic Conference Bishops’ Statement Opposing the Death Penalty

[yosephdaviyd]

diocesephoenix.org/acc/documents/ACCBishopsdeathpenaltystmt3lastrevisedMarch2011.pdf
Arizona Catholic Conference Bishops’
Statement Opposing the Death Penalty

March 28, 2011

At the outset of this statement, we express our compassion for those who are victims of
brutal crimes and for their families. The effects of murder, in particular, are truly awful for
families, and we pray for the healing of all those who grieve and suffer because of murder.
As Arizona approaches two scheduled executions, we are compelled to express again
our opposition to the use of the death penalty in our state.

We firmly hold that capital punishment is state-sanctioned vengeance that is not in
keeping with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We hold that capital punishment – when other
means are available to keep society safe from dangerous criminals – denies the intrinsic
dignity and sanctity of human life.

The commission of a heinous crime, especially one in which a life has been taken,
should result in punishment.

But, the use of the death penalty – when other means are available to keep society safe
– is actually a contribution to a “culture of death.” It is an act of eye-for-an-eye vengeance
that contradicts the values of our nation and that denies the dignity and sanctity of human
life.

Pope John Paul II, an ardent defender of human life on the world stage, articulated that
the use of capital punishment should be limited only to extremely rare situations where it is necessary to defend society (Evangelium Vitae, #56). Executions in our state do not defend anyone, and are therefore wrong.

We, the Catholic Bishops of Arizona, call for an end to the unnecessary violence of the
death penalty.

We pray that the dignity and sanctity of human life at every stage be respected and
protected

 

[Barbkw]

I watch a lot of current programming on television that highlight police interaction with criminal activity:

Cops
Lock Up
Bait Car
Policewoman of …

From watching Lock Up - I came to understand that a convict will get 15 years in Florida for killing a person and 60 years for killing a person in Georgia. They’ll be on death row in Texas.

It’s a revolving circle - families live in areas that encourage and / or require gang involvement from their children. Gangs target areas of society that can’t or won’t retaliate against their abuse.

 

[Owlpride]

I am confused. So Catholics cant support the death penalty? Isnt the church telling us what to think? Im going to yelled.at for saying that…

 

[Owlpride]

I am confused. So Catholics cant support the death penalty? Isnt the church telling us what to think? Im going to yelled.at for saying that…

 

[yosephdaviyd]

Owlpride

See Catechsim of the Catholic Church Para 2267, Evangelium vitae by John Paul, and Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion: General Principles by Ratzinger when he headed the CDF.

You also might find my article on the subject of some use:
davidlgray.info/a3capitalpunishment.html

 

[lynx]

I am confused. So Catholics cant support the death penalty? Isnt the church telling us what to think? Im going to yelled.at for saying that…

The Church does tell you what to think. It’s a hierarchical system. If the Pope said that capital punishment is immoral and sinful that would truth for all Catholics. So, who’s going to override the Bishops’ position?

 

[Ender]

The Church does tell you what to think. It’s a hierarchical system. If the Pope said that capital punishment is immoral and sinful that would truth for all Catholics.

Not exactly: neither this nor any other pope can (or has) declared capital punishment to be immoral. Nor is it accurate to say that Catholics cannot support capital punishment … which really would be quite a stretch since the Church specifically and directly recognized its just use since the beginning of her existence.

So, who’s going to override the Bishops’ position?

Well, I disagree with it in almost every respect.

*We firmly hold that capital punishment is state-sanctioned vengeance that is not in keeping with the Gospel of Jesus Christ

*This is a bit of a muddle in that it claims that the Church openly and directly supported something for nearly 2000 years that was in opposition to the Gospel of Christ. I mean, even the Vatican had the death penalty on her books until 1969. Did they just discover in 1995 that they had been wrong all those previous centuries?

As for capital punishment being state sponsored vengeance, isn’t that true of all criminal punishment? What makes the death penalty a vengeful penalty but life without parole … not? This is not a rational argument, it is argument by insult and it seems to betray a loose understanding of the nature of punishment.

Ender

 

[lynx]

Ender:
This is a bit of a muddle in that it claims that the Church openly and directly supported something for nearly 2000 years that was in opposition to the Gospel of Christ. I mean, even the Vatican had the death penalty on her books until 1969. Did they just discover in 1995 that they had been wrong all those previous centuries?

They are if the Pope says so, which as you’ve mentioned he has not.

 

[Ender]

They are if the Pope says so…

This is a misunderstanding of how the Church actually works. I suppose in theory the Pope could declare being left handed a sin (Whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven, etc) but in actuality a thing doesn’t become sinful because a pope declares it to be so; he declares something sinful because it is. It is never something he makes up on his own.
*
As Teaches, she never tires of proclaiming the moral norm… The Church is in no way the author or the arbiter of this norm.* (Veritatis Splendor)

Ender

 

[Dsivanish]

IMHO, I’ve gone from being staunchly pro- death penalty to almost being totally against it.
I think that in certain cases it is a fitting and well deserved sentence. Joseph Duncan being at the top of that list. However, we all have offended our Father, and we also deserve death and He offers us pardon, forgiveness, and love. Charity triumphs over justice, and I think that we are to emulate that.

 

[lightoftheworld]

IMHO, I’ve gone from being staunchly pro- death penalty to almost being totally against it.
I think that in certain cases it is a fitting and well deserved sentence. Joseph Duncan being at the top of that list. However, we all have offended our Father, and we also deserve death and He offers us pardon, forgiveness, and love. Charity triumphs over justice, and I think that we are to emulate that.

I am on the same journey as well: I recently had the beginnings of a “second conversion”. I was very influenced by right-wing conservatives and even made jokes like “Fry Mumia” (Abu-Jamal).

However, God has been working on me to change some areas of my life that did not glorify Him. As my heart has been softened, I have come to believe that the Death Penalty actually contributes to the Culture of Death - and we have now come up with ways to prevent individuals from continuing in their crimes. I also am turned off by politically conservative Catholics who do not seem to listen to their Bishops’ voices on this matter, and consider their points with respect (of course, there is *no *obligation to follow or implement them).

I understand and agree with Karl Keating’s teaching on the death penalty - you can be a good Catholic and support it and a good Catholic and oppose it. But after being a proponent, I am starting to go on the side of abolition in almost all circumstances.

 

[Ender]

However, we all have offended our Father, and we also deserve death and He offers us pardon, forgiveness, and love.

I think I understand your perspective on this but to say that we also deserve death is to inappropriately trivialize the difference between us and murderers. In this life we are properly punished for our crimes; that is not just the right of States but their obligation as well. Also, it is a mistake to assume that forgiveness cancels out our debt - the debt of punishment remains even after the sin has been forgiven and what we are discussing here is the appropriate punishment for the crime of murder.

Charity triumphs over justice, and I think that we are to emulate that.

I disagree with this as well: one virtue does not render another one irrelevant. There is no “trump” virtue and if there was it would probably be justice. But again, thinking this way is to misunderstand sin and punishment. It is not charitable to relieve a person of a smaller burden now at the cost of imposing a heavier one later. The sin of murder must be expiated, either in this life or the one to come, and we tend to forget that capital punishment, if it is accepted, fully expiates the crime.

Ender

 

[Ender]

I have come to believe that the Death Penalty actually contributes to the Culture of Death

This seems to have been JPII’s belief as well which would explain his comments on capital punishment in Evangelium Vitae - and which later became section 2267 in the Catechism. This is also why that section is not so much Church doctrine as it is prudential opinion and why Catholics may disagree with it.

we have now come up with ways to prevent individuals from continuing in their crimes.

This is wishful thinking. The truth appears to contradict this assertion. According to Sheriff Michael Hennessey of San Francisco:

Each year, more than 100,000 offenders are released from New York’s state prisons and local jails, yet two thirds are rearrested within three years

I also am turned off by politically conservative Catholics who do not seem to listen to their Bishops’ voices on this matter, and consider their points with respect (of course, there is *no *obligation to follow or implement them).

I think the bishops are having trouble getting people to accept their comments because they do a poor job of defending their position. An unsurprising difficulty as it appears their position is not supportable.

Ender

 

[ANNE_2]

I watch a lot of current programming on television that highlight police interaction with criminal activity:

Cops
Lock Up
Bait Car
Policewoman of …

From watching Lock Up - I came to understand that a convict will get 15 years in Florida for killing a person and 60 years for killing a person in Georgia. They’ll be on death row in Texas.

It’s a revolving circle - families live in areas that encourage and / or require gang involvement from their children. Gangs target areas of society that can’t or won’t retaliate against their abuse.

 

[ANNE_2]

Don’t believe everything you see on TV.
My State, FL also has the death penalty for very serious cases. The State has to protect guards and prisoners from those who are truly evil - and there is not enough money for everyone to have a private room.

Unfortunately “life in prison” in many States is the length of time there is no more room in the prison.

From the CCC " 2267 Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.
If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people’s safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.
Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity “are very rare, if not practically non-existent.”

I would like to see the USCCB and State Conferences of Bishops push for much harsher penalties for illegal drug producers and runners, and also to protect our borders from the Mexican drug cartels.
This insidious crime against humanity leads to many other very serious crimes including murder, and a breakdown of society.
Many violations of the God’s Ten Commandments are due to the illegal use of drugs.

 

[JackyB]

Not exactly: neither this nor any other pope can (or has) declared capital punishment to be immoral. Nor is it accurate to say that Catholics cannot support capital punishment … which really would be quite a stretch since the Church specifically and directly recognized its just use since the beginning of her existence.
Well, I disagree with it in almost every respect.

*We firmly hold that capital punishment is state-sanctioned vengeance that is not in keeping with the Gospel of Jesus Christ

*This is a bit of a muddle in that it claims that the Church openly and directly supported something for nearly 2000 years that was in opposition to the Gospel of Christ. I mean, even the Vatican had the death penalty on her books until 1969. Did they just discover in 1995 that they had been wrong all those previous centuries?

As for capital punishment being state sponsored vengeance, isn’t that true of all criminal punishment? What makes the death penalty a vengeful penalty but life without parole … not? This is not a rational argument, it is argument by insult and it seems to betray a loose understanding of the nature of punishment.

Ender

This subject comes up on a fairly regular basis, I wholeheartedly agree with the death penalty for specific types of crime involving children, however Ender you always come up with the answers I have in my head but cannot articulate, thanks. Will follow this thread with interest as it is an emotional issue which brings out some thoughtful ideas, none of which have ever been able to sway me against capital punishment. I end with my usual : the ultimate punishment for the ultimate crime.

 

[Ender]

Will follow this thread with interest as it is an emotional issue which brings out some thoughtful ideas, none of which have ever been able to sway me against capital punishment.

The more I learned about what the Church has said on this and related subjects the more convinced I became that capital punishment was not only acceptable but appropriate and even necessary. The objections against it are not based on anything the Church has taught and the most reasonable (to me) explanation of 2267 is that it is the prudential opinion of JPII who felt its use caused more problems than it solved and, as a practical matter, it should be avoided. I don’t believe he ever felt its use was immoral.

Ender

 

[Owlpride]

Well I am for the death penalty. If that means I am a bad Catholic, sorry. I can think for myself. Why is that wrong?

 

[ANNE_2]

Well I am for the death penalty. If that means I am a bad Catholic, sorry. I can think for myself. Why is that wrong?

Don’t consider yourself a good or bad Catholic based upon others beliefs. Don’t believe everything you read. People put too many of their personal political opinions or misquotes in postings to prove their point.
And we must remember when the Pope speaks in most cases he is addressing issues throughout the entire world not targeting just the USA.

All Catholics must adhere to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” which contains the Doctrine of the Church regarding Faith and Morals - the only catechism from the Magisterium, first printed in the USA in March 2000, dark green cover. Promulgated by Pope JPII. (In the footnotes, the CCC references Bible and Church Documents.)

The **Compendium Catechism of the Catholic Church **is shorter and in question and answer format. It refers back the CCC in the margins so you can go to the CCC. This was promulgated in 2006 by Pope Benedict.

This year a “Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church” will be available.

Anything that is not Church Doctrine (and must be on Faith and Morals) we are not obligated to adhere to.
The USCCB and other State Conferences are not the Magisterium, and have taken positions that have nothing to do with Church Doctrine at times. Just a few examples is the USCCB position on (fake) global warming, and this year’s recommendation that we give up plastic bags and change out our lightbulbs for Lent.
In addition lest we forget, this is the first year the USCCB set up a Committee to try to make certain that they no longer give our Catholic donations to pro-abortion and pro gay-marriage social groups.

In the end, we will all be judged on our own actions, not what some Bishop, Priest, Nun did or web poster writes.
We have an obligation for our own Souls to read the CCC, and in charity promote its use by others.

I don’t know what is going on in Arizonia, but according to the stats I found, there have been 22 deaths due to death penalty in Arizona since 1976 (35 years). I have no idea if these cases adhere to the criteria in the CCC. Arizona jails are overcrowded. The vast majority on their death row are white (71%) so race is not an issue. With the discovery of DNA forenscis used since the early 1990’s in the US, mistaken identity for capital cases has been almost non-existent.

One of the main criteria is that the death penalty when used - should not be for revenge, but to protect others from the aggressor.

 

[Ender]

Let’s return to the specifics of the bishop’s comments.

We firmly hold that capital punishment is state-sanctioned vengeance that is not in keeping with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Punishment, capital and otherwise, is both the right and the responsibility of States. It isn’t clear how it is possible to claim that capital punishment alone is “state-sanctioned vengeance” while all other punishments are not. That distinction seems fanciful and illogical.

A better objection, however, is to point out that all criminal punishment is “state-sanctioned vengeance”, which, far from being objectionable, is an act of justice. It appears that whoever wrote that statement wasn’t familiar with Church teaching on the subject.

Vengeance consists in the infliction of a penal evil on one who has sinned. (Aquinas, ST, II/II 108,1)

That’s it: vengeance is the punishment of sin. But, you object, what about “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord”? Not surprisingly, Aquinas covers that too.

He who takes vengeance on the wicked in keeping with his rank and position does not usurp what belongs to God but makes use of the power granted him by God. For it is written (Romans 13:4) of the earthly prince that “he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” (Ibid, 1 ad 1)

But aren’t we obligated to forgive, to turn the other cheek? Well, yes, the individual is, but the State has a different obligation; it has a duty to punish evil.

• Legitimate public authority has the right and **duty *to inflict penalties commensurate with the gravity of the crime. (CCC 2266)

It turns out that the very first charge the bishops make against capital punishment is basically an objection that the State is fulfilling its obligation to justice. That’s probably not what they meant to do, but as I said, whoever wrote that statement didn’t understand the subject. Unsurprisingly, the rest of the statement is no better.

Ender