Faithful Unite to Urge End to Death Penalty Listening Lends Itself To
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WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | Jan. 8-21, 2016 | Volume 77, Number 5 ORLANDO DIOCESE PALM BEACH DIOCESE VENICE DIOCESE People gather to listen to different speakers at Cities for Life/Cities Against the Death Penalty Nov. 30 at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Daytona Beach. (JACQUE BRUND | FC) The statue of Grief and History stands near the U.S. Capitol dome in Washington. (KEVIN LAMARQUE, Bishop Frank J. Dewane lays his hands on the head of REUTERS | CNS) Grzegorz Klich during his ordination to the transitional Faithful unite diaconate Dec. 19. (BOB REDDY | FC) to urge end to Listening lends Two ordained death penalty itself to healing to transitional “I realized that revenge is not a cure for grief,” Two years ago, Darin Lueken suddenly lost his diaconate said a single mother who offered an impromptu young son. Today, he holds tight the memory of speech at the Cities for Life/Cities Against the his faith community reaching out compassion- Grzegorz Klich and Charles G. Ruoff claim Death Penalty event. She spoke about the rage ately to him and his wife and daughter who were there is nothing special about them except that and she experienced with her son’s unsolved mur- suffering from the tragedy, and the shock and they have a desire to serve the Lord and are cur- der. It wasn’t until another murder occurred that loss. He decided to give back to his parish com- rently pursuing a vocation to the priesthood, a she realized how revenge had consumed her. munity, which reached out to him when his son, lifelong dream for both. “I focused all my anger on the ring leader (of Mitchell Joseph Lueken, 14, a 2013 graduate of St. The two seminarians for the Venice Diocese the crime) and ... I waited to see him get the death Vincent Ferrer School, died in an accident. took a major step closer to the priesthood when penalty. All of a sudden he looked like a scared kid Lueken spearheaded and is facilitating a new they were both ordained to the transitional dia- and all I could think of was his mom — she would ministry at St. Vincent Ferrer called “GriefShare” conate Dec. 19. Bishop Frank J. Dewane presid- suffer like I am suffering for the rest of her life. that addresses the needs of those going through ing over the ordination, and challenged the med Now I’m working to abolish the death penalty.” grief. to be “a servant of all.” Click on the ORLANDO DIOCESE above for Click on the PALM BEACH DIOCESE for more Click on the VENICE DIOCESE above for more more on this story. on this story. on this story. E-EDITION EXCLUSIVE Pope: Christ’s birth can bring Bishop: Murder of mayor was National March for Life peace, hope to world message from organized crime changes venues WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | Jan. 8-21, 2016 FLORIDACatholic ORLANDO DIOCESE People gather to listen to different speakers at Cities for Life/Cities Against the Death Penalty Nov. 30 at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Daytona Beach. (PHOTOS BY JACQUE BRUND | FC) Faithful unite to urge end to death penalty Bishop John Noonan speaks on the importance of resisting the evil of vengeance Nov. 30 at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Daytona Beach. LAURA DODSON Life World Day Against the Death music band, the school children With him is Father Phillip Egitto, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes. Florida Catholic correspondent Penalty every Nov. 30 is a global and a Liturgy of the Word service. evangelization effort to bring about Guest speakers were Dale Recinel- “It means so much to those in the “The bishops have been asking MELBOURNE | “I realized that “a higher and more civil form of la, Catholic correctional chaplain execution chamber to know there since 1980 to eliminate the death revenge is not a cure for grief,” said justice, able to finally renounce the for Florida’s death row and solitary are brothers and sisters praying for penalty,” Recinella said. “The bish- Susan, a single mother who lost her death penalty.” confinement; Mark Elliott, execu- them,” explained Recinella who ops changed my heart; studying the son to a violent crime 10 years ago. Led by Father Phillip Egitto, pas- tive director of Floridians Against is an attorney, and since 1998 has death penalty changed my mind.” “Revenge is not a cure for anything.” tor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, the Death Penalty; Daytona Beach been spiritual adviser to some of the “I want to commend each of you Susan was an impromptu speak- Daytona Beach was one of 2,031 Mayor Derrick Henry; and Bishop 400-plus men on death row. He said and Father Phil and Our Lady of er at the Cities for Life/Cities Against cities in 92 countries this year com- John Noonan. that the first man for whom he was Lourdes for leading the charge,” the Death Penalty event Nov. 30 at mitted to the abolition of the death I thank Father Phil for being my a spiritual adviser was innocent. said Mayor Henry. “Thank you for Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Day- penalty. The Our Lady of Lourdes light,” Bishop Noonan said, “re- Evidence — proof of his innocence being the light, for living what you tona Beach. She spoke about her ex- grotto shone with the flickering minding us that we must be lights. — came in too late, so there was a believe in, for fighting against what perience with her son’s murder. of candles and multicolored spot- Behind me is a statue of Mother procedural bar and the man was you believe to be wrong.” “No one was charged in my son’s lights. Participants overflowed the Mary who pondered in her heart. executed anyway. Growing up poor and a South- death and I had grief and rage and provided chairs; many brought Vengeance is not what we are about. “I watched the killing of an inno- ern Baptist in Kentucky, Sara nowhere to focus it,” Susan ex- their own chairs, as well as blan- We are the only civilized country cent man,” Recinella said, “and just Truhlar believed in an eye for an plained. “Then there was a hor- kets. Some sat on the grass, the side- who executes people legally. Like a few weeks later, I was spiritual ad- eye and was for the death penalty. rific murder a few blocks from my walks or stood at the periphery. Mary, we need to ponder in our viser for a botched injection.” She became Catholic in 1986 after house. I focused all my anger on the “We have gathered here tonight hearts and bring mercy and love to In studying the death penalty, marrying her husband, but it was ring leader and I wanted to see him in prayerful response to the many those in need. Until we bring God’s Recinella discovered that in a sin- a botched execution in 2006 that suffer. The boy was convicted and I acts of violence in our society,” Fa- mercy, we are not being light.” gle time period, 26 people were re- changed her mind about the death waited to see him get the death pen- ther Egitto said. “We gather not just Florida carries out the death leased from death row as innocent penalty. alty. All of a sudden he looked like as a Catholic group, but in union penalty at the Florida State Prison while 90 were executed; the mental- “Wow, the difference now,” Truh- a scared kid and all I could think of with many faith groups through- in Starke and a contingent of prayer ly ill don’t even have to know their lar said. “I’m against it and know was his mom — she would suffer out the world who are also lighting warriors is present outside the fence own name to be executed; and 10 why I’m against it, and it’s an awe- like I am suffering for the rest of her up their cities this evening. On this to pray during every execution. percent of the men on death row are some place to be when you just let it life. Now I’m working to abolish the night, in a world filled with violence They strike a bell whose gong can veterans of the U.S. armed services go, forgive it, have mercy and move death penalty.” and fear, we gather to be a sign of be heard in the execution chamber, — many with post-traumatic stress on. Pope Francis said that ‘God Begun 14 years ago by the Com- God’s mercy and compassion.” offering up a prayer with every toll disorder — and their battle medals waits for that day of awakening and munity of Sant’Egidio, a Church The program included song pro- to comfort the victim that he is not have been used as proof that the conversion and then forgives every- public lay association, the Cities for vided by the parish contemporary alone in his final journey. man is too dangerous to live. thing.’” n Jan. 8-21, 2016 Florida Catholic YOUR ORLANDO COMMUNITY 2 Students prepare for March for Life KATHERINE LAGUNA To prepare for their trip, Mc- of the Florida Catholic staff Bride scheduled an educational trip for her students to visit Op- Santa Fe LAKELAND | In less than two tions for Women Pregnancy Help Catholic weeks, 21 Santa Fe Catholic High Clinic in Lakeland. While at the High School students School students, parents and chap- facility, students went on a tour visit Options erones will travel to Washington, and learned what an appoint- for Women D.C., for the 2016 March for Life.