Sound reasons for keeping the written media alive

Sound reasons for keeping the written media alive

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Sunday, April 3, 2022, two items in the Insight section that require a positive response to their substance and exposure.  

The first is from the Letters to the editor deals with “More reasons to oppose the death penalty.”  This issue has been a constant discussion by many who either agree with capital punishment saying it is the right of governments to determine whether a person should live or die, or those who are determined to let God have the final say after they pass from this life into eternity. 

Biblically speaking there are times that severe punishment for evil crimes, especially murder, were allowed and/or promoted.  However, there were more than one crime where the death penalty was used, such as the law of Moses and the woman caught in adultery standing before Jesus.  Most people that tend to be merciful would say that instance was too brutal.

Then there are many who believe that capital punishment is too severe and often premature in many cases where the prisoner is found innocent due to poor defense or sometimes a legal system that was found to be corrupt.  This letter to the editor expresses several positive reasons why the death penalty should be eliminated and I for one totally agree.  First, even though the church does not forbid it where is the element of forgiveness since we have become the judge and jury of an individual.  Can you imagine if the story of the Prodigal Son had been told in a new venue where the older brother’s anger was well noted and the father would have used corporal punishment on the younger son.  Where would God’s mercy and the point Jesus was making to the Pharisees be?  The writer of this letter is Vivienne Sella, a member of Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.  This controversial letter should be read and digested in an understanding sense.  Shouldn’t everyone have a second chance?    

Our second article titled “Finding peace and confidence in an ancient faith” describes how she, Silica McMeans, became a Catholic at the age of 20 and fell in love with our faith to the point of living a spiritual life not just for herself, but along with her husband instilled the faith within her children.  She speaks of the Angelus ringing at noon and 6 PM, family rosaries, teaching her children about saints for whom they are baptized, of learning  prayers of generations past in English and Latin. 

She has covered more meaning from this lived experience than many writers might say themselves.

Her article, rather lengthly, shows the deep and necessary ministry of evangelization that is so badly needed today.  We are told that the most important result of what we should carry from our Holy Mass is the means to evangelize.  She has done that, and with a newspaper article describing her new found faith it will touch many readers.  What they do with the words is up to them.  She has done her part.

Ralph B. Hathaway, Evangelize!