REPEAL THE KS DEATH PENALTY!
REPEAL THE KS DEATH PENALTY!
The Catholic faith tradition “offers a unique perspective on crime and punishment, one grounded in mercy and healing, not punishment for its own sake,” two bishops said in a statement renewing the U.S. Catholic church’s push to end the death penalty.
“No matter how heinous the crime, if society can protect itself without ending a human life, it should do so. Today, we have this capability,” wrote Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston and Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami.
In Kansas in February 2015, a measure to abolish the death penalty ultimately failed, but the state Catholic conference praised senators for their “impassioned and thoughtful” debate on the issue.
Even with such progress, there is still a great deal of work to be done, and we must recommit ourselves to end this practice in our country.
Pope Francis calls us to end the use of the death penalty and said that in light of the upcoming Year of Mercy (which is to begin Dec. 8,) he declared, “we have to renew our efforts in calling for the end of the use of the death penalty.”
“Pope Francis, like his predecessors, provides a clear and prophetic voice for life and mercy in calling for all people of good will to work to end the use of the death penalty.”
“In anticipation of Pope Francis’ visit to the United States in September, we join our voices with his and continue our call for a culture of life,” As a people of life, we say it is time for the U.S. to abandon use of the death penalty.
We want people to pray for victims of crime and their families and to reach out to support them. We need to educate people about church teaching on the death penalty and criminal justice; working for legislation to end capital punishment; and change the debate in favor of defending life.
In November 2005, the bishops approved the statement on the death penalty calling on society to “reject the tragic illusion that we can demonstrate respect for life by taking life.” It built on the 1980 statement by the bishops that called for the abolition of capital punishment.
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