I raise my voice in fervent opposition to the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast's scandalous offer of an award to Attorney General Barr for his "exemplary Christlike" behavior. I urge the group to immediately rescind their inivtation, and I urge anyone reading this to join me.
What is Christlike about a Catholic believer using his discretionary power as Attorney General to undertake a series of speedy federal executions? In contrast, those in power before him for 17 years chose not to seek death.
It has been solely at the direct command of A.G. Barr that five human lives have already been snuffed out, and two other persons—William LeCroy and Christopher Vialva—await almost certain death in a couple of weeks.
What is so grievously scandalous about bestowing a "Catholic" award on this man, so keen to kill criminals under his jurisdiction, is that his attitude and behavior so flagrantly contradicts Catholic teaching. The Church vigorously opposes government killing without exception.
Pope Francis recently updated Catholic teaching on the death penalty, stating that, in light of the teachings of Christ, this deliberate taking of life is "an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the human person."
I'm deeply convinced that Jesus himself, the "Christ" in whose name the award is to be bestowed, who taught us to go beyond "an eye for an eye" and to love and forgive our enemies rather than kill them, has my back on this one.
I urge anyone reading this, Catholic or not, churchgoer or not, to oppose this use of religious symbolism—an award for "Christlikeness"—which will only serve to legitimize government cruelty and killing.
