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| FRANCIS: Church to more actively oppose death |
As
a reporter-type person who has, on several occasions (although none since 2001 when the federal government put Timothy McVeigh to death), covered the process leading
up to executions, one of the standard pieces of the story is that the Catholic Church
is opposed.
THE
POPE HIMSELF invariably will make statements about how cruel the concept is of
putting someone to death as a form of criminal punishment. As though it is Homicide,
committed in the name of Justice.
I
know church officials I have spoken to have always tried to describe capital
punishment as something obsolete – something that there’s just no need for in
the modern-day world.
There
are provisions in Catholic teachings that were taught in the past to justify an
execution as a form of public protection. Meaning that the criminal in question
was so violent and such a risk to society that putting the person to death was
the only way to ensure that nobody else was hurt by his acts.
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| The governors who did away … |
Modern-day
prisons and life-without-parole prison terms are considered sufficient
protection – thereby eliminating the need to take away an individual’s life.
ONE
THOUGHT I always was taught was that execution as a form of providing someone
with vengeance for a criminal act was wrong – if not a sinful thought to have
itself.
Almost
as though someone who is eagerly awaiting another person’s execution ought to
be making a trip to their priest to perform confession of their sin – and seek
penance so as to avoid the pains someday of Hell and eternal damnation.
 |
| … with death penalty in Illinois, … |
But
now, Pope Francis is proclaiming that execution “attacks” human dignity, even
in those who have committed violent criminal acts. A thought that is not going
to be a popular one amongst those who publicly proclaim their desire for more
executions – and those who think that one of Illinois’ drawbacks is that we had
the sense to do away with the state’s capital crimes statutes nearly a decade
ago.
 |
| … and the governor who hints at bringing it back |
To
the point where Gov. Bruce Rauner’s political re-election strategy has included
making pronouncements implying he’d like to see executions restored in this
state (there hasn’t been an execution in Illinois since the 1999 date when Andrew
Kokoraleis was put to death by lethal injection at the now-shuttered prison in
Tamms).
IT
WOULD SEEM that instead of papal pronouncements against execution every time a
death row inmate comes close to an execution date, it’s now going to be an active
part of Catholic teaching to publicly support abolition of execution.
Catholics
are now going to have to become truly “pro-life” in their views on mankind and society,
instead of using the label to define their opposition to abortion being a legal
medical procedure.
As
for those political people who happen to be Catholic, I know there are those
who happen to think they’re obligated to follow their religious faith over all
when it comes to abortion-related questions. There are some clergy who like to
make overly public pronouncements of excommunication for any government
official who doesn’t rigidly support viewing abortion as a criminal act.
Are
we bound to see government officials now facing a conflict with regards to
capital punishment? Or could this become the ultimate reason why we should view
a government official’s religious faith as a personal view, rather than one
controlling their public policy actions?
YOU’VE
PROBABLY FIGURED out that my own leanings go against capital punishment. I was
supportive back when Gov. George Ryan effectively ended the death penalty in Illinois
(although there are those who view his actions as the most heinous of his
record – more so than any of the offenses for which he was convicted and
incarcerated), and thought it a good day when Gov. Pat Quinn signed the
legislation that abolished the death penalty altogether.
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| GACY: For some, he didn't die painfully enough |
I
still remember the day I came to my leanings – it was May 10, 1994. That was
the date John Wayne Gacy was put to death for the dozens of slayings of young
men he committed in the 1970s.
I
was at the Stateville Correctional Center near Joliet when the execution was
performed. There was nothing about the execution procedure that was
particularly gruesome (Gacy essentially was put to sleep). But I was most
offended by the sight of a trio of nuns and a priest who gathered at the prison
to pray for Gacy’s soul – only to be harassed, jeered and taunted by the
hundreds of people who gathered outside the prison to cheer on Gacy’s death.
A
sight I suspect we’re going to see much more of in coming years as the Catholic
Church attempts to show compassion for all of mankind.
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