Dear Editor, I write regarding Sr Eileen Clear’s letter (IC 03/03/2016).
I agree with Church teaching on capital punishment as it has developed to respect the value and dignity of human life in all contexts, including those of abortion, euthanasia, and violent crime.
Bur her contention that “For Scalia, the law and constitution always came first, justice second, and mercy didn’t even feature” is un-sustainable.
It is inaccurate to assert he “was a strong advocate of the death penalty”.
A recent article by Sr Helen Prejéan adverts to Judge Scalia’s “sincerity”. However, some of her references to articles/talks by him suggest she misrepresented his views somewhat and misunderstood his insight regarding the function of Supreme Court Justices.
Consequently, Justice Scalia would challenge Sr Eileen Clear’s claim that he “was instrumental in the execution of several prisoners on death row, some of whom were later proved innocent”.
At the funeral, Fr Paul Scalia described his father as “a practicing Catholic — practicing in the sense that he hadn’t perfected it yet. Or, rather, that Christ was not yet perfected in him”. The “compassionate Jesus” prefers his own criteria for judging how closely any individual’s life mirrors his.
Yours etc.,
Neil Bray,
Limerick City.