Denver Catholic

16 MARCH 9-22, 2019 | DENVER CATHOLIC Around the Archdiocese CATHOLIC GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP Monday's 9:00-10:30am Call for dates Grief Support led by two St. Raphael clinicians, this is a 10-week grief process group utilizing "The New Day Journal" as a guide. Each session will include prayer, education on grief, small group sharing, and time for individual reflection. Please contact Lauren Accolla at (970)-573-6112 or email at Laccolla@ccdenver.org Group location: S. Middlefield Rd. #203 in Littleton POST-ABORTIVE HEALING SUPPORT GROUP Eight Monday evenings starting in April 6:00-7:30 PM This group is designed for individuals who would like to further their healing and growth (after individual counseling and/or Rachel's Vineyard retreat) Please contact Project Rachel Confidential Line to sign up: 720-377-1351or Susan Hyatt at 303-718-3030 or email at SHyatt@ccdenver.org Group Location: 750 W. Hampden Ave. #415 in Englewood WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU straphaelcounseling.com Bethany Doss, MA School Counselor bdoss@ccdenver.org 720-377-1359 straphaelcounseling.com "The Glory of God is man, fully alive." – St. Irenaeus MT. OLIVET CATHOLIC CEMETERY 12801 W. 44th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO (303) 424-7785 ARCHDIOCESE OF DENVER MORTUARY Serving the greater Denver area (303) 425-9511 ST. SIMEON CATHOLIC CEMETERY 22001 E. State Hwy. 30, Aurora, CO (720) 859-9785 Peace of Mind for your Family with Pre-Planning More info at cfcsColorado.org A Ministry of The Archdiocese of Denver Q&A: Archbishop and Democrat, Republican Senators weigh in on repealing the death penalty in Colorado DENVER CATHOLIC: Why should we repeal the death penalty in Colorado? ARCHBISHOP AQUILA: Human life is inherently good, even if a person chooses to commit horrible crimes. In the past, in certain circumstances, the death penalty made sense, since society struggled to protect itself from people who committed murder. But our prison system has improved to the point that we are able to respect the dignity of human life and to protect society. Given this reality, Colorado should not perpetuate the cycle of violence by taking further life, especially when the death penalty's ež ectiveness as a deterrent to crime is in doubt. SENATOR WILLIAMS: I think there are several reasons why. Number one, we know that the death penalty has not been utilized in Colorado since 1997. Secondly, we know that the application of asking for the death penalty is applied in an inequitable fashion, and we have many reports, many studies to prove that. If you look at who's on death row, there are three African Americans, all from Arapahoe County, all went to the same high school and all their cases were tried in the 18th Judicial District . Also, we know that there are approximately $3.5 million spent on death penalty cases, which doesn't include the appeals process, as opposed to about $150,000 spent on cases of life without parole. And on my Catholicism side, I believe in the sanctity of life, that it is God who makes us in his image, it is he who gives life from the point of con- ception until true natural death. And I just don't think we should be using the death penalty and taking people's lives. That's not our decision to make; that's the Creator's. SENATOR PRIOLA: From a perspective of faith, I understand what the Church teaches, and I agree with it. I think that by taking away someone's life, you're taking away their ability to repent from whatever they have done. Also, there are many cases where people have been innocently put to death. But also, in the practical sense, and what currently happens in the State of Colorado, is that folks are on death row for decades, which costs tens of mil- lions of dollars with appeals. We have the ability in this modern age to keep people locked up for life. BY VLADIMIR MAURICIO-PEREZ T he Death Penalty Repeal Act (SB 17-095), which would abolish capital punishment in Colorado for ož enses committed on or after July 1, 2019, was introduced by the State Senate March 4. The Denver Catholic spoke to Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila and two State Senators who hope to repeal the current measure: Senator Angela Williams, D -Denver, primary sponsor of the bill and parishioner at Cure D'Ars Parish in Denver; and Senator Kevin Priola, R-Henderson, initial cosponsor of the bill and parishioner at St. Augustine Parish in Brighton.

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