American prelates criticize death penalty
March 27, 2015
Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City criticized Utah’s reinstatement of death penalty by the firing squad.
“No human law can trump God's law,” he said. “Taking a human life is wrong, a slap in the face of hope, and a blasphemous attempt to assume divine attributes that we humble human beings do not have.”
Bishop Wester’s remarks followed recent statements by Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles and the bishops of Nebraska calling for the repeal of the death penalty.
“Catholic teaching allows the use of the death penalty under certain clear and specific conditions,” said the state’s bishops. “We do not believe that those conditions exist in Nebraska at this time. For this reason, the Catholic bishops of Nebraska, guided by prudence and the teaching of the Church, support legislative efforts to repeal the death penalty and reform our criminal justice system.”
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Further information:
- Utah bishop decries governor's decision to sign firing squad measure (CNS)
- Statement of Nebraska bishops (Archdiocese of Omaha)
- Archbishop Gomez: It is time to end the death penalty (Angelus)
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Posted by: unum -
Mar. 28, 2015 10:44 AM ET USA
Once again our a bishop has neither the correct fact nor PR assistance to engage in political discourse. When will the bishops use the power and talent or the laity to engage the public on burning moral issues? God has given his bishops a plethora of talent and energy in the Church laity, but our bishops continue their ego driven outbursts on moral issues. A diocesan task force of clergy and laity with the experience to speak effectively on political issues could produce results!
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Posted by: Erusmas -
Mar. 27, 2015 8:11 PM ET USA
The statement by the bishops of Nebraska is reasonable. The statement here attributed to Bishop Wester is not. It contradicts centuries of Church teaching, including the esteemed Roman Catechism. If what Bishop Wester says is true, the moral teaching of the Church has been gravely erroneous throughout her history.
