Saddam's execution punishes 'a crime with another crime. ... The death penalty is not a natural death. And no one can give death, not even the state.' _ Cardinal Renato Martino, Pope Benedict XVI's top prelate for justice issues, to the Rome newspaper La Repubblica.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
We Stick With the Church's Prudential Judgement on the Death Penalty
Here are some comments from critics of the execution of Saddam Hussein including Cardinal Martino's:
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2 comments:
Saddam reminds me of Tuco in "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"
...wanted in counties of this state...
...the condemned is found guilty of the crimes of murder, armed robbery...
...of citizens, state banks, and post offices...
...the theft of sacred objects, arson in a state prison...
...perjury, bigamy, deserting his wife and children...
...inciting prostitution, kidnapping, extortion...
...receiving stolen goods, selling stolen goods...
...passing counterfeit money, and contrary to the laws of this state...
...the condemned is guilty of using...
Therefore, according to the powers vested in us...
...we sentence the accused here before us...
...Tuco Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez...
...known as the "Rat"...
...and any other aliases he might have...
...to hang by the neck until dead.
May God have mercy on his soul. Proceed!
Yes, but is the "prudential" judgment of the Church consistent with the actual teachings of the Church? The teachings of the Church on executions have not changed since the Council of Trent. Of course, individual Bishops and Popes are free to object to an execution, but it is wrong to imply, as they so often do, that ANY execution is unjust.
When Cardinal McCarrick (USA) tried to persuade the American president that terrorists should never be executed, he didn't even consider the possibility that in some cases an execution is the only way to ensure public safety. After all, terrorists have organized and perpetuated the murder of innocents while in prison.
I'm fine with life-without-parole, but Roman Catholics need to get in touch with the teachings of their faith. If the RCC wants to CHANGE the teaching, fine. But to pretend that it has never changed, while fudging on the issue is disingenous.
For 1800 years the Church has believed that it is possible for someone to forfeit their own life due to their crime, and that justice demanded the taking of the murderer's life. To simply wipe that away without a mention smacks of the worst aspects of Vatican II revisionism.
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