d Law, the leader of the Archdiocese of Boston, said, "The teachings of the church are clear, for a well-informed Catholic to support capital punishment, it would be morally wrong. And if one knowingly rejects the teachings of the church it is wrong, morally evil, and a sin." (Boston Globe, Diego Ribadeneira) People who call themselves Catholics usually follow the church's rules. If they know it is a sin and it will go against their beliefs why would they support the death penalty? Cardinal Law was talking to Governor Paul Cellucci on this topic. The Governor, who is a Catholic himself, strongly supports capital punishment. He stated "I'm trying to do what I think is right for Massachusetts. I happen to believe putting the death penalty on the books will deter a certain amount of horrific violent crime." (Boston Globe, Diego Ribadeneira) Through these statements it shows that Governor Cellucci and Cardinal Law have two different views of how Catholics should think of the death penalty. Looking at it as head of the church in Boston, Cardinal Law feels it is morally wrong and it is a sin to have the death penalty. Paul Cellucci, being a Catholic and the head politician in Massachusetts, feels it is a good thing.The Cardinal feels Cellucci, being a Catholic, should not want to have capital punishment in his state. How can he call himself a Catholic when the Cardinal flat out told him God is not for the death penalty? A person's fait is in the hands of God not a jury. "Certainly, in general, the punishment should fit the crime. But in civilized society, we reject the, an eye for an eye, principle of literally doing to criminals what they do to their victims. The penalty for rape cannot be rape, or for arson, the burning down of the arsonists house. We should not, therefore, punish the murderer with death. When the government meets of vengeance disguised as justice, it becomes complicit with killers undervaluing human life...
