Archbishop of Sydney

Life Matters

By + George Pell
ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY
17 June 2001

Nearly 90 countries execute criminals, but more than 100 refuse to do so. Last year China executed more that 1000 criminals and sent the bill for the bullets to the criminal's family. Unlike Australia, the U.S. has the death penalty and has executed 700 people since 1976, some mentally retarded and some minors when they offended. This is not a pattern to be followed.

All civilized societies should have a thirst for justice, and this includes a determination that offenders be punished. Punishment is not simply for deterring others and promoting repentance in the culprit, although these are primary considerations. The danger is that seeking justice can degenerate into a lust for vengeance to make the culprit, and often his family, friends or even country suffer too.

There are different views among the great religions on the morality of the death penalty. St. Paul writings to the Romans (c13) seems to recognise its legitimacy and there has been significant development in the Catholic tradition over the centuries and different opinions now.

The first edition of the Catholic Catechism in 1994, recognised "the right and duty of legitimate public authority", to punish wrong doers "not excluding, in cases of extreme gravity, the death penalty".

More recently, this has been tightened up under the influence of the present Pope, John Paul II, so that cases for execution "are very rare, if not practically non-existent".

So too the U.S. Catholic Bishops continue to oppose the death penalty. The bishops explained that "no one or any government should presume to kill God's gift. Rather all of us have the responsibility to protect human life from conception until natural death".

To a majority of people in Australia and the U.S. this view seems to go beyond common sense. But a number of Christ's teachings do this, urging us beyond our natural instincts.

These ideals regularly bear good human fruit in the long run, although we should never underestimate the human capacity for evil. There is a flaw in every human heart; every person is called to struggle against evil, which cannot be reduced to ignorance, although adult evil is often a fruit of juvenile suffering.

It is strange and inconsistent that some of those opposed to the death penalty for criminals can even be enthusiastic for abortion, the elimination of innocent human life. Supporters of life have a huge educational task here.

McVeigh called himself an agnostic and was a lapsed Catholic. He asked for the last rites from a Catholic priest before his execution. We hope he asked for forgiveness.

Jesus taught us to pray that our sins be forgiven as we forgive those who sin against us. This is another extreme teaching of Christ because forgiveness is a terrible challenge for the families of these victims. The cost is huge. However hate never brings peace of heart only forgiveness brings a measure of closure.