Bud eventually went to visit Bill McVeigh, Timothy McVeigh's Father. Pope John Paul II forgave. After being seriously wounded by Mehmet Ali Agca, the Holy Father forgave his assailant and visited him in his prison cell. Forgiveness heals the forgiver. Forgiveness communicates God's mercy to the sinner and can lead to repentance and a new life, even for one who has committed murder.
All human life is sacred.
Just as we see the likeness of God and value of life in an innocent child, so we must learn to see the same in a criminal, even as we condemn the sin committed. Out of a desire for retribution, we must not surrender the belief that human life is sacred. The death penalty is sometimes justified on the basis of the need to defend and protect people's safety. We believe, however, that this goal is accomplished by the incarceration of the offender. Missouri's criminal justice system includes the option of life imprisonment whereby the offender will never be free from prison.