At the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, the participants issued a statement saying that “the sanction of death is not necessary to protect society, and violates respect for human life and dignity.” They also reminded the Catholic population that it is often based on factors such as race or the location where the crime was committed.  Frequently, poor, disadvantaged and immigrants are the ones who end up on death row. We also know that some people have been wrongfully executed. So the issue of the death penalty is much more than a political one. It is a moral issue that needs to be addressed and solved.  Hatred and revenge will never solve the problem. It only generates more violence. This does not mean that we condone the crime, or are soft on crime. We are called to minister in appropriate ways to both victim and offender. We know that no person, even a murderer is beyond the forgiveness of our God. Sanctioned killings will not solve the societal problems .

Bishops have frequently spoken out against capital punishment, and in recent times we often hear about family members of murder victims who are speaking out about the issue. I will never forget such a person I heard speak about his experience several years ago.

His name is Bud Welch, whose only daughter, Julie graduated from Marquette University. She was bright, successful and full of compassion for people’s needs. She found a government job in the Federal Building in Oklahoma City. She was about to announce her engagement to her friend, Eric. We all know the rest of the story. A bomb ripped the building apart and killed many of the workers in the building, including Julie.

Her father, Bud, said there were no words to describe his anger and rage when the news of Julie’s death came. He felt he was temporarily insane. Then he remembered something Julie had said earlier when she heard of another execution in Texas. She said: “Dad, all they’re doing is teaching hate to their children in Texas. It has no social redeeming value.” For months, Bud struggled in vain to find peace and hope. He went to visit the home of the father of Tim McVeigh, one of the perpetrators of the crime. They shared stories and discovered they were both victims of the tragic circumstances. He realized they were both in this agony for the rest of their lives.  Few had any sympathy for the family of the killer. Bud left there and decided to spend the rest of his life opposing the death penalty. He was an inspiration to many for his generous forgiving response. Many of the people opposing the death penalty today are families of the victims.  We must realize that only God’s healing and forgiving love can redeem us and bring us peace. There is also a growing dissatisfaction with capital punishment and many do not see it as a solution to current societal needs.

We need leaders today who can speak out boldly and clearly against the death penalty. Some are already believing that the death penalty has failed and want to abolish it. The number of people supporting it had decreased in the past decade. John Paul 11 put the question this way: “Now that Jesus Christ has been nailed to the cross for the sins of the world, how can we still use the thought of expiation to establish the death penalty?” Lent is a good time to think about this issue and join in the effort to abolish it.  Let us join with others in this effort and work to create a society guided by the mercy and compassion of our God.