Ideas for Liturgies
"For the Church to be consistently and credibly "pro-life," it must also stand in opposition to capital punishment."
—Cardinal Roger Mahony Statement on the Use of the Death Penalty, 1992
The following liturgical suggestions are offered to you by the Office of Detention Ministry and Fr. Chris Ponnet of Death Penalty Focus, Los Angeles. Please call Fr. Chris Ponnet, (213) 223-9047, or Jean Guelpa, (213) 637-7637, if you have any questions or comments.
Penitential Rite
Lord, you wish to feed us with life, may we let go of our need for vengeance and death, Lord, have mercy.Lord, you experienced the pain of rejection, abandonment and execution, may we be instruments of reconciliation, compassion and mercy, Christ have mercy.
Lord, you have revealed yourself as our God of compassion for all, may we be compassionate instruments of your peace, Lord, have mercy.
Intercessions
That the bounty of Jesus who fed all who hungered for his living Word, the Bread of Life, might lead us to understand that our respect for all life includes our care and compassion for the lives of victims of violent crimes, and for the lives of people condemned to death, we pray to the Lord ...O God, in faith we know that your mercy is for all, may we be as merciful, as you are merciful, to all victims and all prisoners, especially those on death row, we pray to the Lord ...
O God, may we lay aside our former way of vengeful thinking and put on a spiritual way of thinking with your justice born of truth, and with your mercy to all, we pray to the Lord ...
Lord Jesus, you offer yourself as bread for life for the world. May victims and their families know your Life, and our prayers for their peace, which comes not from revenge, but true reconciliation, we pray to the Lord ...
Lord, let us stop our murmuring and stand with our bishops who call for an end to the death penalty by sending a message to the world, "that we can break the cycle of violence, that we need not take life for life," we pray to the Lord ... (From Statement on Capital Punishment, U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1980)
Music Suggestions
with OCP Music Issue Hymn numbers
Justice Themes:
- "City of God" (521)
- "Be Not Afraid" (516)
- "They Will Know We Are Christian" (517)
- "I Will Not Die" (500)
- "Christ Be Our Light" (468)
- "Day is Done" (391)
- "Out of Darkness" (347)
- "Remember Your Love" (528)
- "You Are Mine" (668)
Scripture of Eucharist Themes:
- "That There May be Bread" (520)
- "Song of the Body of Christ" (476)
- "Bread of Life" (527)
Spanish Songs:
- "Somos el Cuerpo de Cristo" (470)
- "Resucito" (458)
- "Pan de Vida" (459)
- "Take Christ to the World" (454)
In honor of the families of those on death row, an in honor of Mary, who stood at the cross of Jesus? execution: "Hail Mary, Gentle Woman" (433)
Action Steps
These are some suggestions for parish action and involvement in the issue of capital punishment. Please call Fr. Christ Ponnet, Death Penalty Focus - L.A., (213) 223-9047, or Charles Eddy, Office of Detention Ministry, (213) 637-7637, if you have any questions or would like any other materials on the subject of the death penalty, or if you would like some assistance implementing any of these action suggestions:- At homily or announcement time, read part of the Statement by the U.S. Catholic Bishops, or A Call to Discipleship, the 1985 statement of the California Catholic Conference, or The Gospel of Life, #56, Encyclical of Pope John Paul II.
- Invite parishioners to view the movie Dead Man Walking, preceded and followed by discussion of the death penalty.
- Death Penalty Focus and the Office of Detention Ministry would be happy to help you plan an educational evening of speakers and discussion about the death penalty, with an emphasis on Catholic teaching. Please call Fr. Chris Ponnet, (213) 223-9047, or Charles Eddy, (213) 637-7637.
- Invite parishioners to attend a vigil on the eve of any pending execution in the State of California. For more information, please call Charles Eddy, (213) 637-7637. Prepare an educational insert for your bulletin about the death penalty. If you need assistance, please call Charles Eddy, (213) 637-7637.
