A Witness to Life
Rev. Msgr. James Mahoney

The issue of capital punishment has been in the national conversation for many years. Both of the presumptive presidential nominees essentially agree on this issue. They are in favor of the death penalty. One of the candidates has explained that, for him, it is part of being pro-life. He believes that it actually prevents greater harm to life. The other candidate just simply states that he is in favor of it.

This is an issue where the majority of Catholics in the United States are in favor of capital punishment - and Pope John Paul II has developed the teaching against capital punishment. There is clearly a development in the teaching of the Catholic Church. She usually looked at capital punishment as part of the right of the State to protect itself. Now the pope writes that such a position is no longer a satisfactory reason to continue to have the death penalty.

Many persons who consider themselves to be "pro-life" are, in fact, in favor of the death penalty. Yet one can now validly question whether persons in favor of the death penalty should legitimately use the title "pro-life." Clearly the pope would not agree.

At the end of these brief comments is a link to a recent address given by Roger Cardinal Mahony. Cardinal Mahony is a thoughtful and substantive leader in the Church in the United States. His address considers the entire gamut of the issue: the consistency of being pro-life, the tragedy of murder, the rights and pain of the victim and the victim’s family. I hope that you find it interesting and helpful in the development of your own thinking about capital punishment.

Here is the link:  A Witness to Life

Msgr. James T. Mahoney is the Pastor of Corpus Christi parish in Chatham Township, New Jersey.