For Whom The Bells Toll: Now There Are Two

Newtown now has two churches participating in For Whom The Bells Toll, a ministry dedicated to the abolition of capitol punishment in the United States.

In January 2006, Gordon Strother, a parishioner of Trinity Episcopal Church, began tolling the Trinity bell at 6 pm on each day in which an execution took place anywhere in the United States, which The Bee featured in its March 2, 2007, issue.

Eighteen months after its start in Newtown, the program was threatened when lightening damaged the bell tower at Trinity, 36 Main Street. Mr Strother wrote to the Monsignor Robert Weiss at St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, asking whether St Rose could take up the practice until Trinity’s bells could be repaired.

Mnsgr Weiss talked to Joan Dwyer, chairperson of the St Rose Social Concerns Committee, and she was reportedly delighted to help. Beginning in July 2008, Ms Dwyer, Luella Litener, Mary Roos, and Bernie Curran assured that the St Rose bell tolled for each execution day.

Then the day came when Trinity’s bells were repaired. St Rose could stop helping Trinity with the ministry. But a funny thing happened. The St Rose members people did not want to stop.

In response to Governor M. Jodi Rell’s position on capitol punishment, Ms Dwyer commented: “Yes, the crimes that these prisoners have committed are heinous, and we instinctively desire revenge, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. However, being civilized, creating a society, is all about controlling our instincts. It is one of the characteristics which distinguish humans from animals.

“That instinct which causes us to kill a killer makes us more like him and somewhat less civilized,” she continued. “Our system of corrections exists to protect society. It is perfectly logical to imprison a dangerous killer for life, but to kill him simply satisfies our instinctual desire for revenge,

“So now if residents and visitors to Newtown hear a tolling bell around 6 pm from either of these Newtown churches, know that somewhere in our nation a human life has been legally extinguished.”

For additional information about this ministry, Gordon Strother can be reached at 743-5667 or drop a note to him at 27 Walnut Hill Road, Bethel CT 06801-1318. He is especially interested in hearing from church representatives who may be interested in having their churches join the national movement.