Responsibility, Rehabilitation, Restoration
The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops issued this publication in 2000, noting that our response is a “moral test for our nation and a challenge for our Church.” Over two decades later, this moral test and challenge remain imperative and are worth reflecting on as Catholics seek answers in a culture of moral decline.
The Bishops stress the need for a deeper understanding of the dignity of the human person… ”A Catholic approach begins with the recognition that the dignity of the human person applies to both victim and offender.” A Church declaration issued in April of this year titled “On Human Dignity” informs us: “the Church draws the reasons for her commitment to the weak and those less endowed with power, always insisting on ‘the primacy of the human person and the defense of his or her dignity beyond every circumstance.’”
As Catholics, we struggle collectively and individually to come to grips with the crimes committed in our communities. In our evening local news broadcasts, it is rare that a horrific crime is not reported on in detail, reminding us of how pervasive crime is in our community. Even so, it is easy to comfort ourselves, thinking that crime does not affect us personally. The Bishops quote statistics that “more than thirty-seven thousand federal prisoners (30 percent of the federal inmate population) are baptized Catholic, with many more in local jails and state prisons.” These statistics rang true to me the times I received a call from a Catholic spouse, parent, or grandparent in our Diocese or parish in anguish because their family member became incarcerated.
When an individual is sentenced to prison, it is for a specific period of time, depending on the seriousness of the crime and the individual’s criminal history. The punishment for the crime is time removed from society, their community, and family, where they could not follow the laws that govern us all. Their punishment does not include stripping them of their human dignity, prohibiting communication and visitation, or withholding their religious rights to practice their faith. “…human dignity is a Gospel value that cannot be despised without greatly offending the Creator. This dignity is infringed on the individual level when due regard is not had for values such as freedom, the right to profess one’s religion, physical and mental integrity, the right to essential goods, to life.” ( “On Human Dignity” ).
The Bishops state that our nation’s approach to crime and reshaping of the criminal justice system is a test of our Catholic commitment. Inherent in the Church’s broader mission is teaching right from wrong and reaching out with mercy and forgiveness. “We believe society must protect its citizens from violence and crime and hold accountable those who break the law. We respect the humanity and promote the dignity of both victims and offenders…We know that faith has a transforming effect on all our lives. Therefore rehabilitation and restoration must include the spiritual dimension of healing and hope.”
I challenge all of us to take to prayer the following profound statement by the Bishops: “Human dignity is not something we earn by our good behavior; it is something we have as children of God. We believe that because we are all created by God, “none of us is the sum total of the worst act we have ever committed…As a people of faith, we believe that grace can transform even the most hardened and cruel human beings.”
My brothers and sisters in Christ, I have been truly blessed to have experienced and witnessed such transformation, and I pray that you may witness it as well. There is a great need for prison ministry, and if this is something you may feel called to, please contact Morality Matters for more information.
Jim Rundell — SFA Local leader in Catholic Prison Ministry