Bulletin Inserts: Death Penalty

“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.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, point no. 2267

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“For us, ending the use of the death penalty is not simply about politics, it is about our faith. We believe human life is a gift from God that is not ours to take away. Our faith commits us to the life and dignity of every human person – first the victims of violent crimes and their families, who deserve our help and protection. For us this is not about ideology, but respect for life. ….We cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing. We cannot defend life by taking life. In his encyclical The Gospel of Life, the Holy Father (Pope John Paul II) challenges followers of Christ to be “unconditionally pro life.” He reminds us that “the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil.” Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, March 2005

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“As Catholics, we are committed to promoting a consistent ethic of life and upholding the dignity of life from conception until natural death. We emphatically oppose a culture of death. We cannot promote the “illusion that we can protect life by taking life.” Why did we bishops speak out so publicly in opposition to the death penalty? Let me tell you why. The sanction of death, when it is not necessary to protect society, violates respect for life and dignity.” Archboshop John Vlazny, August 2009 

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On Capital Punishment
“Killing the guilty is still the wrong choice for a civilized nation. Why? It accomplishes nothing. It does not bring back or even honor the dead. It does not ennoble the living. And while it may satisfy society's anger for awhile, it cannot even release the murder victim's loved ones from their sorrow. Only forgiveness can do that. What the death penalty does achieve is closure through bloodletting and violence against violence—which is not really closure at all, because murder will continue as long as humans sin, and capital punishment can never, by its nature, strike at murder's root. Only love can do that.” Justice, Mercy and Capital Punishment by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. (Archbishop of Denver) 

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Justice Without Vengeance
“People are asking if we are really safer in states where executions are so regular that they hardly rate news coverage. People are asking whether we can be sure that those who are executed are truly guilty, given the evidence of wrongful convictions and poor representation in death penalty cases. We welcome legislation to address these issues as a way to focus on the unfairness of the death penalty. But most of all, we are asking whether we can teach that killing is wrong by killing those who have been convicted of killing others. It is time to abandon the death penalty—not just because of what it does to those who are executed, but because of how it diminishes all of us.… We cannot overcome crime by simply executing criminals, nor can we restore the lives of the innocent by ending the lives of those convicted of their murders. The death penalty offers the tragic illusion that we can defend life by taking life. We ask all Catholics—pastors, catechists, educators, and parishioners—to join us in rethinking this difficult issue and committing ourselves to pursuing justice without vengeance”- Source: Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice, USCCB, November 2000

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Divine Mercy and The Death Penalty
“Prior to his intervention [in the death sentence of Darrell Mease] in St. Louis, Pope John Paul had laid out his case for the limitation of the use of the death penalty in his encyclical The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae) (1995) and in his extraordinary 1997 modification of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). He still allowed for the application of the death penalty as a just choice that authority may make in its responsibility to safeguard society from the unjust aggressor. Yet the revised text goes on to say: "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 nonexistent.’"2 The sworn responsibility of authority to secure the common good is not easily laid aside. But here the Church, convinced that society can be protected without executing dangerous criminals, charges us to look to a less violent, less final remedy. The Catechism directs us to a solution that preserves the common good without definitively curtailing the individual good of the perpetrator, offering him the opportunity for redemption. Each man, no matter how sinful and flawed, has a final purpose and call to salvation, one that we ought not too easily or unnecessarily preempt.”

USCCB - http://www.usccb.org/prolife/

CCC - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/

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As the 2010 edition of Respect Life Month drew to a close, the issue of capital punishment was once again in the world spotlight as the Vatican called on Iraq not to execute former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.

It might not be easy to advocate for the life of a convicted murderer or for someone like Aziz, sentenced to death by hanging for persecuting Shiite Muslims, but it is important to the pro-life cause, said Deirdre A. McQuade, assistant director for policy and communications in the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities. "It demeans our culture to use violence to answer violence, and it can only further undermine respect for innocent life," said McQuade. "If the state can protect us without committing additional violence, that is the way we are called to go." Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., made that same point, linking the death penalty issue to the Catholic belief in divine mercy.

"God did not abolish justice. Rather, he intended by the offering of his Son to purge human justice of any sense of wrath or revenge," he wrote. "As we seek a reason to put aside the practice of the death penalty, perhaps the best motive is our desire to imitate God in his mercy toward those for whom Jesus died."
So, for Catholics, the central reason for opposing the death penalty does not have to do with the possibility of killing an innocent person, the deterrence factor or the economic costs of capital punishment. Instead, it is related to respect for the dignity of human life and divine mercy. Those who believe in Christ "never see anyone as irredeemably wicked," McQuade said. "God's mercy extends to all of us." The U.S. bishops, who have been advocating against capital punishment for more than 25 years, began an ongoing Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty in 2005.

~ excerpts from: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1004460.htm

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Bulletin Inserts: Euthanaisia

“Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable. Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator…Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of "over-zealous" treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one's inability to impede it is merely accepted...Even if death is thought imminent, the ordinary care owed to a sick person cannot be legitimately interrupted.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, points 2277-2279

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“Euthanasia is a false solution to the drama of suffering, a solution unworthy of man. The true answer cannot be putting someone to death, however “kindly,” but to bear witness to the love that helps us to face pain and agony in a human way. We are certain: No tear, whether it be of those who suffer or those who stand by them, goes unnoticed before God.” Pope Benedict XVI, Address given on February 1, 2009

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“When people ask me about the "right to die," I respond, "Don't worry -- you won't miss out on it!" A right is a moral claim. We do not have a claim on death; rather, death has a claim on us! Some see the "right to die" as parallel to the "right to life." In fact, however, they are opposite. The "right to life" is based on the fact that life is a gift that we do not possess as a piece of property (which we can purchase or sell or give away or destroy at will), but rather is an inviolable right. It cannot be taken away by another or by the person him/herself. The "right to die" is based, rather, on the idea of life as a "thing we possess" and may discard when it no longer meets our satisfaction. The "Right to die" philosophy says there is such a thing as a "life not worth living." For a Christian, however, life is worthy in and of itself, and not because it meets certain criteria that others or we might set.” Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life

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There can be no such thing as a "right to assisted suicide" because there can be no legal and moral order which tolerates the killing of innocent human life, even if the agent of death is self-administered. Creating a new "right" to assisted-suicide will endanger society and send a false signal that a less than "perfect" life is not worth living.” Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Letter to Supreme Court in 1997

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Euthanasia/Assisted Suicide
"Some years ago, the winner of a Pro-Life Essay Contest sponsored by the Archdiocese of New York was Anne Marie O'Halloran, from Maria Regina High School in Hartsdale. Her topic was euthanasia. Let me share with you some of her own words:

"One of the highest values this country holds is freedom. This has led to a situation in which individuals believe they have the right to live completely as they desire. Human beings are seen as limitless. They have the right to decide how they want to live and how they should die....Another quality prized by our culture is power. We believe, or rather, we would like to believe, that we can control anything and everything to ensure a safe and comfortable lifestyle....Our society has created a world in which it is always possible and always considered right to take the easy way out of problems, suffering and death. That way is completely against the example Jesus set for us; it is against Christian values. We, as Christians, must form a counter-culture. We do not pray for an easy, free or painless life and death. Rather we should pray for strength to sustain and understand the life God gave us to live."

May more young men and women come to see what this student sees and says so well, that we are NOT the absolute masters of life and death. Only God is. May His gift of life be respected."
~Father Frank A. Pavone, Director of Priests for Life [used 7/4/2010]

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Euthanasia: On the care owed to those who are sick

"Euthanasia or deliberately taking of the life of someone who is sick, dying, disabled or mentally ill is morally unacceptable. The Church calls for the ordinary care owed to a sick person, but medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous or extraordinary are not necessary. If you are unsure about the moral implications of health care procedures that are being proposed for someone you love, contact your pastor of the archdiocese’s Respect Life Apostolate. They will be happy to help you consider approaches that are in accordance with our Church’s teaching about care for those who are sick or dying."

~ Most Rev. Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis, July 6, 2010 column in St. Louis Review [used 9-19-2010]

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Our Catechism on the dignity and care owed to the sick, handicapped, and dying:
"Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible. Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable. Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.
Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of “over-zealous” treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.
Even if death is thought imminent, the ordinary care owed to a sick person cannot be legitimately interrupted.” ~ CCC 2277-2279

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Declaration on Euthanasia
It is necessary to state firmly once more that nothing and no one can in any way permit the killing of an innocent human being, whether a fetus or an embryo, an infant or an adult, an old person, or one suffering from an incurable disease, or a person who is dying. Furthermore, no one is permitted to ask for this act of killing, either for himself or herself or for another person entrusted to his or her care, nor can he or she consent to it, either explicitly or implicitly. Nor can any authority legitimately recommend or permit such an action. For it is a question of the violation of the divine law, an offense against the dignity of the human person, a crime against life, and an attack on humanity.

It may happen that, by reason of prolonged and barely tolerable pain, for deeply personal or other reasons, people may be led to believe that they can legitimately ask for death or obtain it for others. Although in these cases the guilt of the individual may be reduced or completely absent, nevertheless the error of judgment into which the conscience falls, perhaps in good faith, does not change the nature of this act of killing, which will always be in itself something to be rejected. The pleas of gravely ill people who sometimes ask for death are not to be understood as implying a true desire for euthanasia; in fact, it is almost always a case of an anguished plea for help and love. What a sick person needs, besides medical care, is love, the human and supernatural warmth with which the sick person can and ought to be surrounded by all those close to him or her, parents and children, doctors and nurses. CDF Declaration on Euthanasia – Approved by Blessed John Paul II - May 5, 1980

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At its June 2011 meeting in Seattle, WA, the USCCB will approve and release its first statement by the whole body on assisted suicide; “Live Each Day with Dignity”.
“After years of relative inaction following legalization of physician-assisted suicide in Oregon in 1994, the assisted suicide movement has shown a strong resurgence in activity,” said Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities. “This renewed effort has led to the passage of an Oregon-style law in Washington by popular referendum in November 2008, a state supreme court decision essentially declaring that assisted suicide is not against public policy in Montana, and concerted efforts to pass legislation in several New England and Western states. The Church needs to respond in a timely and visible way to this renewed challenge, which will surely be pursued in a number of states in the years to come.” http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2011/11-115.shtml

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“The pressure of euthanasia is felt”
“More and more lonely elderly people exist in big cities, even in situations of serious illness and close to death. In such situations, the pressure of euthanasia is felt, especially when a utilitarian vision of the person creeps in. In this regard, I take this opportunity to reaffirm once again the firm and constant ethical condemnation of every form of direct euthanasia, in accordance with the Church's centuries-old teaching “  http://www.usccb.org/prolife/tdocs/popebquotes2008.shtml

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USCCB Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities on Euthanasia
“Euthanasia and assisted suicide can appear a reasonable and even compassionate solution to the suffering of individuals and families struggling with illness or the dying process. Yet these are not real solutions – they do not solve human problems, but only take the lives of those most in need of unconditional love.”

http://www.usccb.org/prolife/pastoralplan.shtml#ii

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USCCB: To Live Each Day With Dignity, June 16, 2011
Our Bishops new statement on assisted suicide is particularly relevant the Church in Oregon, and make direct reference to our state’s laws. The short statement can be read here: http://www.usccb.org/toliveeachday/ . It often quotes Blessed John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical, Evangelium Vitae. In paragraph 66 of this Encyclical, Bl. John Paul says:

“To concur with the intention of another person to commit suicide and to help in carrying it out through so-called "assisted suicide" means to cooperate in, and at times to be the actual perpetrator of, an injustice which can never be excused, even if it is requested. In a remarkably relevant passage Saint Augustine writes that "it is never licit to kill another: even if he should wish it, indeed if he request it because, hanging between life and death, he begs for help in freeing the soul struggling against the bonds of the body and longing to be released; nor is it licit even when a sick person is no longer able to live". Even when not motivated by a selfish refusal to be burdened with the life of someone who is suffering, euthanasia must be called a false mercy, and indeed a disturbing "perversion" of mercy. True "compassion" leads to sharing another's pain; it does not kill the person whose suffering we cannot bear. Moreover, the act of euthanasia appears all the more perverse if it is carried out by those, like relatives, who are supposed to treat a family member with patience and love, or by those, such as doctors, who by virtue of their specific profession are supposed to care for the sick person even in the most painful terminal stages.”    Evangelium Vitae, 66  http://www.usccb.org/prolife/tdocs/evangel/evangeli.shtml

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Archbishop José H. Gomez on Euthanasia
“We need to resist the euthanasia movement in our day. At the same time, we need to rededicate ourselves to building a culture of truth and mercy. We need to help our brothers and sisters who are sick and afraid—beginning with those in our own families. With modern palliative treatments we can alleviate the pain they feel. We need to reassure them that we will be there for them spiritually and emotionally too. We need to send a signal to every one in our society. That this is a society that values every individual. That there will always be someone there to love them and care for them—even when they are no longer able to take care of themselves.”

To Live Each Day With Dignity – Archbishop José Gomez – July 14, 2011
http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/07/to-live-each-day-with-dignity

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Death with Dignity?
“Here in Oregon many of our fellow citizens, sad to say, have been deluded into confronting the dying process in a manner unworthy of our human dignity...... there seems to be a real misunderstanding of what true compassion is all about.  The root meaning of the word means that we are willing to “suffer with” another person.  True compassion lightens the burdens of those who suffer while maintain[ing] solidarity with them.  It doesn’t put lethal drugs in their hands and abandon them to their suicidal impulses....... The better way to deal with the problem is what Pope John Paul II called “the way of love and true mercy.”  This includes a readiness on the part of all to support patients with our love and companionship, providing them the help they need to ease their physical, emotional and spiritual suffering….. Effective palliative care can help patients devote their attention to the unfinished business of their lives, to arrive at a sense of peace with God, with loved ones and even with themselves....... We Catholic people need to be the messengers of the Gospel of Life.  It is our responsibility to defend and uphold the principle that all people have a right to live with dignity through every day of their lives…. It is the prayer of our Catholic community that our desire to help others will be heightened when they find themselves at death’s door and that together we can continue to work for the re-founding of a society in which love is truly stronger than death.”

Excerpts from Archbishop John Vlazny’s 7/14/2011 column: “Death With Dignity?”
http://www.catholicsentinel.org

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