March 6. Justice and the Death penalty.  Andrew was part of the Catholic Students’ society at university. He shared, “We have been discussing the rights – excuse the pun –  and wrongs of the death penalty, of prisons and pardons.  I used the example of the woman Lisa Montgomery, who was executed in the US on January 13, 2021, the last woman to be executed under former president Donald Trump.  He did not agree to granting her clemency or pardon. Admittedly she had committed a very serious crime, killing a pregnant woman and cutting out her baby, but her own life story was equally horrific.  She had been constantly raped, abused and beaten from childhood and throughout her life until she could hardly be considered capable of right judgement.  Trump did pardon a number of people, some who had been his friends and accomplices in political crimes. Where is true justice and when should it be tempered with mercy?” 

Scripture: Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever because he delights in mercy. Micah 7:14-20.

Pope Francis: The arguments against the death penalty are numerous and well-known.  All Christians and people of good will are today called to work not only for the abolition of the death penalty, legal or illegal, in all its forms, but also to work for the improvement of prison conditions, out of respect for the human dignity of persons.  A life sentence is a secret death penalty.  FT 268. 

From CARE FOR CREATION. St Francis valued and protected all God’s creatures and all forms of life, living or non-living, recognizing their rights and seeing them all as symbols of God’s life and love. His biographer writes, “When he washed his hands he chose a place where the water wouldn’t be trampled underfoot.  When he walked over rocks he walked with reverence out of love for Him who is called, ‘The Rock’.”  

Reflect, share, act, pray. How can our family act in protecting the right to life within all forms of creation?