CATHOLIC SCHOLARS PLAN SYMPOSIUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY
Tallahassee, FL (April 4, 2000)-- Catholic Scholars in the State of Florida (FCCS) are initiating the first step in a long-term program of inviting "grass-roots" lay Catholics to join Pope John Paul II, and the Bishops in a movement to abolish the death penalty in Florida, across the country, and around the world. "A symposium on Monday, April 10, preceded by a press conference, will constitute the start of a dialogue, which the FCCS, in cooperation with the Florida Catholic Conference, hopes to stimulate across the Catholic Churches of Florida and beyond," said the FCCS State Coordinator, Dr. Edward J. Holland.
In his 1995 Encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, The Gospel of Life, the Holy Father called the world to move from a "culture of death" to a "new culture of life." In the spirit of Pope John Paul II’s message, the FCCS, together with the Florida Catholic Conference, will sponsor the one-day symposium from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m., at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary Auditorium, 10701 S. Military Trail, approximately one-half mile south of Boynton Beach Blvd., in Boynton Beach. Clergy, religious, educators, students, and parish lay leadership, have been invited to hear scholars from a range of disciplines discuss papers they have prepared for a forthcoming book titled, Beyond the Death Penalty: The Challenge from Catholic Social Teaching. The Florida Council of Catholic Scholarship also plans to present a "white paper" on the subject.
"The Pope and the Catholic Bishops of the United States, and in particular, the Catholic Bishops of Florida have been appealing for an end to the death penalty," said Dr. Holland. "Reportedly in Florida, lay Catholics maintain strong support for the death penalty. We pray that this dialogue will begin to move the hearts and minds of Catholics to think more deeply about the questions, and to do so in the light of the nonviolent way of Jesus."
Preceding the symposium, a press conference will be held starting at 10:30 a.m. in the seminary auditorium. Print and broadcast media from throughout the state are invited to meet and question Edward J. Holland, Ph.D., Professor in Philosophy and Religion, St. Thomas University, author of one of the briefs, Recent Papal & Episcopal Teaching on the Death Penalty, and Sixto Garcia, Ph.D., Professor, St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, author of History of Theological Perspectives on the Death Penalty. The moderator for the press conference will be D. Michael McCarron, Ph.D., Executive Director, Florida Catholic Conference, author of the brief, Engaging the Public Debate. The Most Reverend Anthony J. O’Connell, Bishop of Palm Beach, will also be in attendance at the morning news conference and for the symposium later in the day. The document, when published, will consist of three main headings: The Issue of the Death Penalty; Development of Catholic Social Teaching on the Death Penalty; and, A Pastoral Response. From each of these, various subjects will be explored by contributing Catholic Scholars from Florida. Additional background information will be provided at the press conference.
Members of the media are asked to RSVP by April 7 to Deacon Sam Barbaro, Director of Communications, Diocese of Palm Beach, (561) 775-9529 or 775-9530.