"I Desire Mercy, Not Sacrifice"

The death penalty has unfortunately been a topic of discussion as of late. First, Tennessee tried to execute its first woman in 200 years; there were court orders and stays and back-and-forths, but ultimately, Christa Pike received two lethal injections. And then she lived. And then there was the fallout of reviving a person condemned to death, the trauma imposed on her and those watching, and the discussion of what happens now. It’s been a mess from beginning to almost end.

Then, it was announced that not only would the Fort Hood shooter be executed, but that the firing squad execution would be live-streamed. Even people who generally approve of the death penalty found broadcasting it distasteful. (It now seems like the administration may pull back on this due to backlash.)

The Transitus of St. Francis

Today is the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi. Franciscans observe the day not just as the saint’s feast day but as the Transitus, or passage, celebrating his transition from this life to the next. They believe it is not an end of life but a continuation.

Francis is one of the most famous Christian saints. He was born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone into a wealthy family in Assisi in 1181. His father was a silk merchant and was travelling in France when Giovanni was born; he took to calling his son Francis in homage to his commercial success in France. As a youth, Francis helped in his father’s business and hung out with a lavish crowd. Even then, he had a heart for charity; he once gave away his entire purse to a beggar, which resulted in mockery from his friends and anger from his father.

In 1202, Francis joined a military expedition and was taken prisoner. He spent a year as a captive in the village of Collestrada. After his release, he resumed his previous lifestyle. In 1205, he left to reenlist, but on the way, he had a vision that called him to a more religious life. Francis felt called to identify with the poor, saying that he was marrying “Lady Poverty.” He returned to Assisi and avoided the parties and spending of his former friends. He made pilgrimage to Rome.

Blessed Fulton Sheen

Today, Fulton Sheen became Blessed Fulton Sheen, one step closer to canonization. He was born Peter John Sheen in El Paso, Illinois, in 1895 to Irish immigrants. He came to be called Fulton (his mother’s maiden name). After college, he decided to become a priest and was ordained in the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois in 1919. He continued his studies in D.C. and then Leuven, Belgium. His doctoral thesis was titled "The Spirit of Contemporary Philosophy and the Finite God." He was the first American to win the university’s prize for best philosophical treatise.

After two more years of study in Rome, he returned and served in Peoria. Both Columbia and Oxford offered him philosophy teaching positions, but he turned them down. His bishop ultimately sent him to teach in D.C. and London.

In the 1930s, Sheen began a weekly radio program, “The Catholic Hour.” He spoke about contemporary issues in theological terms. By 1950, he had about 4 million listeners a week. In 1940, he commentated for a broadcast of the Easter Mass in D.C., one of the first televised religious services.

In 1950, he became the national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, which coordinates assistance for missionaries. While serving as director, he was also appointed as an auxiliary bishop of New York.