More on "Must He Die"

The Monitor
April 11, 2007

Letter to the Editor

I am writing to thank Bishop Peña for his article in Good Friday’s paper (April 6th) in which he addresses the issue of capital punishment. I thank him for calling attention to this atrocious practice we have in this so-called civilized society of ours. He wrote forcefully against the practice, as has the entire body of the United States Catholic bishops.

For many years at my parish, (Holy Spirit in McAllen) we had the practice, as part of our General Intercessions, of praying by name for those who had been executed by the State of Texas the month before. We also mentioned by name their victims, and prayed for both families affected by this crime. That practice has been done away with as too controversial by new powers that be in our parish. The sad thing is that last year the Deacon (the same one who accused parents of being responsible if their child is molested by a priest) said he did not even know about the national bishops’ statement, let alone agree with it.

Perhaps some day these powers that are and other Catholics who display the bumper sticker “You can’t be both – Catholic and Pro Abortion” will wake up to all that being pro-life entails. Hopefully they will come to see that the Church’s mandate against the death penalty is just as strong, just as Catholic, as its mandate against abortion.

Eleanor Marks
San Juan