Capital Punishment in Virginia:
Images, Arguments, & Imagination
June 8, 2011
6:30 - 8:00pm
Sacred Heart Parish -- Norfolk, Virginia
Large group brainstorm: 6:30 - 6:45pm
1. What images do we have about capital punishment?
— Sources of these images:
— CSI show on TV
— Other?
2. What are arguments for the death penalty?
3. What are arguments against the death penalty?
Small group process — Two tasks: 6:45 - 7:00pm
— ID most compelling argument for. Why?
— ID most compelling argument against. Why?
Large group: 7:00 - 7:15pm
Each group takes turns telling most compelling arguments.
First pro, then con.
Presentation: 7:15 - 7:20pm
Large Group Brainstorm:
— What Scripture passages or stories can you think of that relate to capital punishment?
o Eye for an eye
o Romans 13
o Parable - Let the one without sin ...
o No objection (neither for slavery)
CST 7:20 - 7:35pm
There is a significant body of church teaching that is centuries old which relates our faith to
society. This moral tradition is known as Catholic Social Teaching.
According to the Catechism, CST grows out of Scripture and the lived experience of the church
in history. It is real teaching, real doctrine.
CST is founded on the passion for justice expressed by the Hebrew prophets and the Old
Testament call to care for the weak and to “let justice surge like water.”
CST is inspired by the life & words of Jesus Christ who always identified himself with the poor
& the outcast and whose mission was to “bring glad tidings to the poor, liberty to captives,
and recovery of sight to the blind.”
Finally, CST is the lived experience of the People of God who seek to build up the eternal reign
of God, striving to live our faith in the world.
Historically this teaching has addressed issues as disparate as
warfare, slavery, usury, trade relations, colonial conquest, and the industrial revolution.
As modern society grew increasingly complex,
this teaching was formalized in church documents beginning with Pope Leo XIII’s 1891
encyclical letter -- Rerum Novarum -- on the industrial revolution and rights of workers.
Since then many documents were issued by the Vatican on other social issues.
The basic & unifying principle underlying CST is the innate dignity & worth of each human
person, created in the image & likeness of God. In order for us to be fully human and to
realize our potential as God's creation, each of us has basic rights -- to food, clothing,
shelter, freedom of religion & conscience, democratic participation in the decisions that
affect our lives, work at just wage, etc. But the right to life is the first & most important
right.
Within CST, the traditional teaching was that society had the right to impose capital
punishment in order to defend public safety.
Innovation of JPII in Evangelium Vitae or The Gospel of Life (1995)
In 1995 Pope John Paul II addressed Respect Life issues at length for the first time in a Vatican
social encyclical (or letter) — Evangelium Vitae (or The Gospel of Life).
In this landmark document, Pope John Paul II focuses on three major threats to human life &
dignity — abortion, euthanasia, & capital punishment.
The Pope begins with a discussion of the death penalty. The Pope firmly rejects any notion of
vengeance in application of capital punishment. Instead, he argues, the punishment should
defend the public order, ensure the safety of people, and offer the offender help & incentive
to be rehabilitated.
The Pontiff says that the death penalty ought not to be applied except in cases of absolute
necessity, when there is no other way to defend society. He concludes by observing that
such instances today are very rare, if not non-existent.
The Holy Father repeatedly & forcefully articulated the church’s opposition to the death
penalty. Then-Cardinal Ratzinger had to order a revision to the Catechism of the Catholic
Church some years ago to reflect this new more forceful teaching.
Today virtually every Bishop, State Catholic Conferences, and the USCCB forcefully oppose
the death penalty. In fact, Bishop DiLorenzo & the Virginia Catholic Conference are very
active in the General Assembly opposing expansion of capital punishment and urging
clemency for those on death row (that is, reducing their sentence to life in prison without
parole).
Recent Trends 7:35 - 7:40pm
A. In recent years, there has been a significant decline in the number of capital prosecutions
being brought, the number of death sentences being returned and the number of executions.
B. There has been a noticeable increase in public opposition to the death penalty, including from
the governing bodies of a number of Churches and a number of other organizations.
C. Three states have recently repealed capital punishment — New Jersey, New Mexico and Illinois,
thus reducing to 34 the number of states with capital punishment. Thus, almost 1/3 of our
states (16) now do not have capital punishment. Strong repeal efforts are currently under way
in a number of other states, including Connecticut, Montana, Maryland and Nebraska.
Capital Punishment is Bad Public Policy 7:40 - 7:45pm
A. Capital Punishment is Poorly Administered
B. Capital Punishment is Not Necessary
C. Capital Punishment is Exceedingly Expensive
Q&A 7:45 - 7:55pm
Closing comments 7:55 - 8:00pm
In Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II said that we are experiencing a profound crisis of
culture, even going so far as to say that there is an emerging culture of death. He quotes with
approval the Didache, which is perhaps the most ancient non-biblical Christian treatise (from
70-190 AD):
“The way of death is this: ... they show no compassion for the poor, they do not suffer
with the suffering, they do not acknowledge their Creator, they kill their children and by
abortion cause God’s creatures to perish; they drive away the needy, oppress the
suffering, they are advocates of the rich and unjust judges of the poor; they are filled
with every sin.” [read slowly & clearly for emphasis]
The Pope goes so far as to speak of a war of the powerful against the weak, in which lives
considered useless or burdensome are systematically devalued & eliminated.
With joy and gratitude for the life that God has given, John Paul II calls all of us to proclaim
the good news of the Gospel of Life and to build what he calls a culture of life.
We are to proclaim that each & every human life is sacred and inviolable. The Gospel of Life
is both a great gift from God and an exacting task for humanity. In giving life to humanity,
God demands that we love, respect, & promote life.
The Pope challenges us to transform our culture and to imbue it with a profound honor and
respect for each person. He calls on all people of good will to become unconditionally pro-life:
“Where life is involved, the service of charity must be profoundly consistent. It cannot
tolerate bias and discrimination, for human life is sacred and inviolable at every stage
and in every situation; it is an indivisible good. We need then to “show care’ for all life
and for the life of everyone.”
Ask everyone to sign up for Virginia Catholic Conference
Ask those opposed/not sure about capital punishment to sign up for VADP
Just in case there are questions about relative merits of life issues and others ...
Quote from Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility
27. Two temptations in public life can distort the Church’s defense of human life and dignity:
28. The first is a moral equivalence that makes no ethical distinctions between different kinds
of issues involving human life and dignity. The direct and intentional destruction of innocent
human life from the moment of conception until natural death is always wrong and is not just
one issue among many. It must always be opposed.
29. The second is the misuse of these necessary moral distinctions as a way of dismissing or
ignoring other serious threats to human life and dignity. Racism and other unjust
discrimination, the use of the death penalty, resorting to unjust war, the use of torture, war
crimes, the failure to respond to those who are suffering from hunger or a lack of health care,
or an unjust immigration policy are all serious moral issues that challenge our consciences
and require us to act. These are not optional concerns which can be dismissed.
Catholics are urged to seriously consider Church teaching on these issues. Although choices
about how best to respond to these and other compelling threats to human life and dignity are
matters for principled debate and decision, this does not make them optional concerns or
permit Catholics to dismiss or ignore Church teaching on these important issues.
Clearly not every Catholic can be actively involved on each of these concerns, but we need to
support one another as our community of faith defends human life and dignity wherever it is
threatened. We are not factions, but one family of faith fulfilling the mission of Jesus Christ.
