Another attack against life is capital punishment. It deals with those who have committed a crime serious enough to judge whether or not we should take their life. Many people say they are “pro-life” and are against abortion but support the death penalty. Likewise, there are many people who are against the death penalty but are for abortion.
What does the Church teach about the death penalty? The Church’s teaching is straightforward when it comes to capital punishment. If a society or community does not have the means to contain someone and defend the populous, then it is permissible to put someone to death. However, this should only be done as the absolute last resort and after all other means have been exhausted.
One easy way to remember the Churches teaching on the death penalty is the letters G.I.L. “G” is for grave danger. Is the danger a series threat? “I” is for immediate. Is the threat a pressing matter or is there still time? “L” is for last resort. Have all measures that are reasonable been taken? This approach is similar to the approach a police officer would use if he were going to “shoot to kill”. He would “shoot” if the danger was grave, immediate and a last result. If the person pulled a gun on the police officer this would be grave, immediate and the last result and so the officer would have to “shoot to kill”.
“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 more in conformity with 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 definitively 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]”[ii]
Should we have the death penalty in the United States? While there could be a very extreme circumstance, the answer is no. Why? “The Church is committed to opposing the death penalty because it is ‘both cruel and unnecessary’[iii].”[iv]
Taking the life of another person is a grave sin and even if that person has killed someone, it is still never good to take his or her life. Putting a criminal to death cannot undo the crime that person committed. Or even worse, we could possibly put an innocent man or woman to death. Judging the right to someone’s life is a dangerous road. Ultimately, it takes away their value of life, and no matter how much evil a person does, they still have an eternal soul that God made and we must respect God’s creation.
But what if they deserve to die? Does anyone “deserve” death? It is because of sin and hatred that the first murder occurred when Cain killed his brother Abel. We are not the ultimate judges of who “deserves” to die; only God is. If we take a life, it should be out of self-defense, not our hatred.
VIDEO – Story of Anthony Graves
This video tells the story of a wrongly convicted man, who spent eighteen years on death row. This is why it is important to bring those to justice and not condemn someone to death without fully determining that the person is responsible, as the Catechism says.
TV SHOW – EWTN LIVE
One of the corporal works of mercy is visiting the imprisoned. The Catholic Church has many prison ministries across the country. They try to reach out to criminals and bring about a conversion. While people may have committed great sins, they still need our prayers and support. How are we imprisoned by our sinful lives?
STORY – Saint Maria Goretti forgives her murderer
In 1902 an eighteen-year-old neighbor, Alexander, grabbed Maria Goretti from her steps and tried to rape her. When Maria said that she would rather die than submit, Alexander began stabbing her with a knife. As she lay in the hospital, she forgave Alexander before she died. Her death didn't end her forgiveness, however. Alexander was captured and sentenced to thirty years. He was unrepentant until he had a dream that he was in a garden. Maria was there and gave him flowers. When he awoke, he was a changed man, repenting of his crime and living a reformed life. When he was released after 27 years he went directly to Maria's mother to beg her forgiveness, which she gave. "If my daughter can forgive him, who am I to withhold forgiveness," she said. When Maria was declared a saint in 1950, Alexander was there in the St. Peter's crowd to celebrate her canonization. Pope Pius XII canonized her in 1950 for her purity as model for youth.[vii] If Alexander had lived in 2002 rather than 1902, maybe he would not have received a thirty-year sentence, but rather the death penalty. The death penalty robs a criminal of time, the time to repent. Alexander was able to repent and reform, which is the hope of all criminals.
ACTIVITY – Office of the Death for those on Death Row
California, Floria and Texas kill the most people through Capital Punishment. The Link above shows the schedule executions of those on death row in Texas. We can pray that their life will be spared. If they are not, we can pray for these people at the “hour of death”. The Church prays the Office of the Dead for those who have died. We are called by Jesus to pray even for our enemies and so we can pray the Office of Dead for these inmates, it is likely that very few if none will be praying for them during their execution. If we live in a state that has the death penalty we can organize with a group or pray individually for the person who will be executed that day. If we live in a state that does not have the death penalty, we can pray for those in our region of the country. During the intentions we can light a candle and pray for the person by name. We can also pray for several people who either have been executed or will be executed, at the time of the intentions a candle can be lit and the name and execution date can be said. This prayer is very powerful if prayed in a group after watching a movie like “Dead Man Walking”. This is both prayerful and educational.
MOVIE – Dead Man Walking Trailer
Dead Man Walking is a 1995 film based on the book of the same name, which tells the story of Sister Helen Prejean (played by Susan Sarandon), who establishes a special relationship with Matthew Poncelet, a prisoner on death row (played by Sean Penn).
[i] Evangelium vitae 56
[ii] CCC 2267
[iii] Pope John Paul II, St. Louis, January 27, 1999
[iv] YOUCAT 381
[v] Matthew 5:38-39
[vi] Mt. 5:43-45
[vii] http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=78