Death penalty

Broken system

Gov. Greg Abbott, upon the unanimous vote of the Board of Pardons and Parole, on Feb. 22 commuted the sentence of Thomas “Bart” Whitaker from death to life without parole. Thomas' father, Kent Whitaker, who survived the attack from his son which killed his wife and 19-year-old son has been outspoken in his opposition to his eldest son's execution.

Last year, for the first time since 1974 Harris County, historically the most prolific county in the United States for executions, neither executed anyone nor sentenced anyone to death. The actions of the state of Texas offer a moment of hope that our modern system of capital punishment is indeed coming to an end.

Perhaps most astounding is that in allowing the needs and wishes of the victim to take precedence, the state of Texas has signaled a larger effort throughout the United States to move away from vengeance and violence toward mercy and restoration.

The choice of life over death highlights what we have learned from victims and families alike: The death penalty is a broken system of justice that does not result in healing for those who experience grave harm.

With public opinion on the death penalty at an historic low, now it the time to mobilize for an end to the death penalty in this country.

The Catholic Church has long been against the death penalty, and as Pope Francis reminded us last October, our use of the death penalty “heavily wounds human dignity.” People of goodwill have heard the Pope’s words; we have decided it is long past time we move away from death towards life.

As my brother Catholic Bishops stated in 2016, the death penalty is a pro-life issue, and one that Catholics throughout the country need to be working to end. Catholic Mobilizing Network, the national organization working to lift up this need for mercy and justice, invites all people of faith and goodwill to educate, advocate, and pray to end the death penalty. “I have set before you life and death; therefore choose life” (Deut. 30: 19).

Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza, Episcopal moderator, Catholic Mobilizing Network