Catholic Leaders Say McVeigh Execution Will Compound the Violence, Not Serve Justice
WASHINGTON (May 2, 2001) -- Two Cardinals who head the Catholic Bishops' committees on Domestic Policy and on Pro-Life Activities questioned whether the execution of Timothy McVeigh will serve the cause of justice, saying instead that the execution can only compound the violence.
In a statement released today, Cardinals Roger Mahony and William Keeler acknowledge the haunting memories of Timothy McVeigh's horrible crime and the "tragic loss of 168 lives, including 19 little children." But executing McVeigh "will not bring genuine healing or closure. It will not bring back to life those who died. It will be just one more killing. McVeigh, on the other hand, apparently will get what he wants--more attention and notoriety."
"This first federal execution in 38 years is not just about Timothy McVeigh," the statement said. "It is not even primarily about him. Rather, it is about every man, woman and child in the United States. For when the federal government executes Timothy McVeigh, it will do so in our name."
"As pastors, we strongly believe that the use of the death penalty diminishes us as human beings," the Cardinals said.
Cardinal Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, is Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Policy, United States Catholic Conference. Cardinal Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore, is Chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
"Some believe that Timothy McVeigh's execution will serve justice," the Cardinals noted. "But how can more violence and killing--state-sanctioned or otherwise--serve justice,?" they asked. "With Timothy McVeigh's execution we add to our culture of death. The Holy Father has urged all people of good will to replace this culture with a culture of life. But a culture of life rests on the foundational principle that all are created in God's image. We are called to uphold the life and dignity of every human being at all times, including the lives of those justly convicted of horrible crimes."
"We will continue to pray for all those hurt by this terrible crime, especially the families of those who died, and for the family of Timothy McVeigh," they said.
For more than 25 years, the Catholic Bishops of the United States have called for an end to the death penalty, because of the Church's teaching concerning the sanctity of all human life. The Administrative Board of the United States Catholic Conference issued A Good Friday Appeal to End the Death Penalty in April 1999. Bishop Joseph A. Fiorenza, President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, called for suspension of all federal executions in a letter to President Clinton in February 2000.
Last week Pope John Paul II appealed to President Bush for clemency for McVeigh. Clemency would change the sentence from execution to life in prison. In the past two years the Holy Father has made similar pleas on behalf of convicted killers in at least 20 other cases in the U.S., as well as in other countries of the world.
Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein of Indianapolis, the archdiocese in which the federal death chamber is located, in Terre Haute, recently called on Catholics and others of good will to join in observing May 15, the eve of McVeigh's scheduled execution, as a special "Day of Prayer for Peace and for an End to Violence" in this country and throughout the world. There will be a prayer service at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis that evening.
Following is the full text of the statement issued by Cardinal Mahony and Cardinal Keeler:
Statement of
Cardinal Roger Mahony
Archbishop of Los Angeles
Chairman: Committee on Domestic Policy
United States Catholic Conference
and
Cardinal William Keeler
Archbishop of Baltimore
Chairman: Committee on Pro-Life Activities
National Conference of Catholic Bishops
on
The Approaching Execution of Timothy McVeigh
May 2, 2001
The approaching execution of Timothy McVeigh surfaces memories of a horrible crime. The bombing of the Murrah Federal Building and the resulting tragic loss of 168 lives, including 19 little children, haunts each of us. Nothing can diminish the horror. No one can diminish the responsibility of those who committed this crime.
Yet, this execution can only compound the violence. It will not bring genuine healing or closure. It will not bring back to life those who died. It will be just one more killing. McVeigh, on the other hand, apparently will get what he wants--more attention and notoriety.
This first federal execution in 38 years is not just about Timothy McVeigh. It is not even primarily about him. Rather, it is about every man, woman and child in the United States. For when the federal government executes Timothy McVeigh, it will do so in our name.
As pastors, we strongly believe that the use of the death penalty diminishes us as human beings. We recall the words of the poet who explained that no man is an island, entire of itself and that therefore Aany man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. How much more so are we diminished when a man is killed on our behalf.
Some believe that Timothy McVeigh's execution will serve justice. But how can more violence and killing state-sanctioned or otherwise serve justice? With Timothy McVeigh's execution we add to our culture of death. The Holy Father has urged all people of good will to replace this culture with a culture of life. But a culture of life rests on the foundational principle that are all created in God's image. We are called to uphold the life and dignity of every human being at all times including the lives of those justly convicted of horrible crimes.
Furthermore, as Pope John Paul II reminds us, because modern societies can defend human life against convicted killers without resorting to capital punishment, it should restrict itself to those means. Such non-violent measures can give the offender time to repent of his or her crime and allow the possibility of receiving God's grace.
We will continue to pray for all those hurt by this terrible crime, especially the families of those who died, and for the family of Timothy McVeigh.