Section:
advocacy
Put an end to the death penalty
We, Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, following in the footprints of the nonviolent Jesus and the peacemaking tradition of Francis of Assisi, join Pope John Paul II, the Catholic bishops, and many others in calling for an end to the death penalty.
–Corporate Stand, October 1999
Resources for what you can do
DVDs
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has published a DVD based on their recent statement on the death penalty. The DVD, A Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death, is fifteen minutes in length and is an excellent basis for discussion for parish groups, adult education programs, RCIA programs, and religion classes. It presents specific facts to counteract the myths and uses clips from individuals whose lives have been touched by violence and who still speak out against the death penalty. The DVD sells for $9.95. Visit www.usccbpublishing.org to order. An excellent study guide is also accessible (free of charge) from the website.
Other publications available for purchase
- Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty (brochure and/or bulletin inserts available in English and Spanish).
- Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice.
BOOKS
Prejean, Sister Helen, CSJ. Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States.
Vintage Press. 1994. This book, already made into a feature film and an opera (and currently in process of becoming a stage play), recounts Sister Helen’s story of becoming a spiritual advisor to two death row inmates at Angola State Prison in Louisiana beginning in 1982. Her account describes not only the problems she encountered within the criminal justice system but also her own growth and struggles in learning to serve the needs of both the offenders and the families of victims. She has become an internationally recognized advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. A second book, The Machinery of Death: Life Liberty, and the Death Penalty in America, was published in September 2002.
Prejean, Sr. Helen, CSJ. The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions.
Sister Helen describes the convictions and executions of Dobie Williams and Joseph O’Dell, two of the men whom she has accompanied on their journey to execution. Unlike the other men for whom she served as spiritual advisor, Helen believed—and still believes—that these two men were innocent of the crimes for which they were executed.
Bedau, Hugo Adam. The Death Penalty in America.: Current Controversies
Oxford University Press. 1997. Hugo Bedau is well known in the abolitionist movement for his scholarly research and writing against the death. This particular work is a collection of essays and statistics. Although it does contain some materials that relate the views of death penalty proponents, it is primarily a collection of anti-death penalty materials.
Bosco, Antoinette. Choosing Mercy: A Mother of Murder Victims Pleads to End the Death Penalty
Orbis Books. 2001. You may be familiar with journalist Antoinette Bosco’s column which is syndicated in numerous diocesan newspapers. In this particular work, she recounts the story of the murder of her son and daughter-in-law and her own journey to reach a state of forgiveness and, ultimately to work for the abolition of the death penalty.
Cabana, Donald. Death at Midnight: The Confessions of an Executioner.
Northeastern University Press. 1998. Don Cabana tells of his more than twenty years in prison work and the gradual change in his own views about the death penalty. After he became a prison warden and witnessed several executions, Mr. Cabana realized that he could no longer be part of a system that sanctioned execution.
Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province. Bearing Witness to the Gospel of Life in the Face of the Death Penalty in the United States.
This document, published in 2000, was written by Robert E. Lee, Esq., at the request of the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Directorate of the Franciscan Friars. Part I of the document is entitled "Faith Formation" and focuses on the Gospel of Life as evidenced in scripture, in the life of Francis, and in the words of John Paul II. Part II, "Issue Clarification," examines some of the problems inherent in the death penalty as executed in the United States today. The final portion of the document is a "Call to Action."
Hopcke, Robert H. Catholics and the Death Penalty: Six Things Catholics Can Do to End Capital Punishment.
Useful for personal reflection and group discussion. 30 pages long, $4.95.
King, Rachel. Don’t Kill in Our Name: Families of Murder Victims Speak Out Against the Death Penalty.
Rutgers University Press. 2003. Ms. King is a lawyer for ACLU. In this book she shares the stories of ten individuals who have had loved ones murdered and who have journeyed from dealing with their own grief, suffering, and helplessness to reach an understanding that execution will not bring the closure that many assume it will. These individuals are among the founders of the organization, Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation, an organization that works tirelessly for the abolition of the death penalty.
Morris, Debbie (with Greg Lewis). Forgiving the Dead Man Walking.
Zondervan Publishers. 1998. Debbie Morris was kidnapped, raped, and held hostage by Robert Willie, one of the inmates for whom Sister Helen Prejean served as spiritual advisor. Ms. Morris’ testimony helped to achieve the sentence of death for Robert Willie. Her book tells of the traumatic impact her experience had on her life, her struggle with alcoholism, and her journey to wholeness.
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Human Rights, Human Wrongs: Sentencing Children to Death. March 2003
Using statistics, this booklet focuses on the place of the United States in relationship to countries around the world in regard to juvenile executions.
Religious Organizing Against the Death Penalty Project. Dead Man Walking Study Packet: A Resource for Organizing Religious Communities Against the Death Penalty.
American Friends Service Committee. Intended for people of faith who possess varying perspectives with regard to the death penalty, the booklet contains a participant questionnaire, questions for facilitating a discussion of the film, and suggestions for further actions. Educative materials include a list of facts about the death penalty, a series of pertinent scripture quotes, two articles, and a list of resources.
Religious Organizing Against the Death Penalty Project. The Death Penalty: The Religious Community Calls for Abolition.
American Friends Service Committee. This booklet includes "Statements of Opposition to Capital Punishment" from twenty-nine different faith traditions.
Religious Organizing Against the Death Penalty Project. Sermons, Homilies, Reflections on the Death Penalty.
American Friends Service Committee. The title says it all!
ARTICLES
The Wrong Man
This article written by Alan Berlow from The Atlantic Monthly, November 1999 highlights the weaknesses in the U.S. criminal justice system with actual accounts of inmates who have been exonerated after spending years on death row.
America’s Death Penalty: Just Another Form of Violence
Written by John Bessler. Phi Kappa Phi Forum. Winter 2002.This article is significant because it places the death penalty issue in the context of current national and world issues that might give rise to increased rationales offered by proponents of the death penalty. The article, instead, maintains the violent nature of capital punishment itself and places it on a par with the very violence that proponents claim to protect us against. Bessler, an attorney and an adjunct professor of law at the University of Minnesota Law School, is also the author of Death in the Dark: Midnight Executions in America and Legacy of Violence: Lynch Mobs and Executions in Minnesota.
The Death Penalty on Trial
Written by Clarke, Kevin U.S. Catholic, October 2000. This article describes a hearing held by members of the Commission on Capital Punishment established by former Illinois Governor George Ryan. Individuals addressing concerns at the hearing included members of Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation, the mother of a death row inmate who died (prior to execution) proclaiming his innocence, and a member of the Chicago archdiocesan prison ministry team.
Catholicism and Capital Punishment. First Things.
Avery Dulles, April 2001. Cardinal Dulles studies the death penalty from the perspective of a theologian as well as tracing its historical roots.
Restorative Justice: Mending the Fabric of Society
The National Catholic Reporter. May 30, 2003. This article written by Lili LeGardeur looks at justice from a restorative rather than a retributive stance. The model is usually used in connection with noncapital cases but this article does make some application to murder cases. The concept is being more frequently investigated in connection with capital cases.
Lounsberry, Emilie. "Americans Rethinking the Death Penalty." Inquirer. May 10, 2001. This article discusses the growing concern over the unequal application of the death penalty, especially in Pennsylvania.
Lowenstein, Thomas K. "Against Execution." The American Prospect. August 28, 2000. Thomas Lowenstein, former political director of Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty, uses the stories of Bud Welch, whose daughter was killed in the Oklahoma City bombing; Renny Cushing, whose father was murdered; and Kirk Bloodworth who spent almost nine years on death row before being exonerated by DNA testing to illustrate his arguments against the death penalty.
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. "Drug Companies and Their Role in Aiding Executions."
This lengthy 2002 report studies the advocacy efforts that have been undertaken to influence pharmaceutical companies that make the drugs used for lethal injection.
New England Regional Office of the American Friends Service Committee. ‘The Death Penalty in America—On Justice, Racism, Reconciliation, and the Condition of the Soul."
PeaceWork. April 1999. This entire issue of PeaceWork is dedicated to the death penalty. The articles are short and very readable and include such topics as the option of life without the possibility of parole, the concept of restorative rather than retributive justice, the role of racism and vengeance in sentencing, and the victimization of families—both those of the victim and those of the offenders. The opening article by Hugo Bedau supplies statistics on U.S. executions in comparison to those in other countries.
O’Connell. Kevin J. "Tinkering with the Machinery of Death." Advocate. Spring 1997. Wilmington attorney Kevin O’Connell, cofounder of Delaware Citizens Opposed to the Death Penalty, cites the American Bar Association’s vote to urge a halt to the death penalty to all each state to initiate an independent study of its application. Mr. O’Connell uses the ABA’s vote to draw up his own " ‘wish list’ of ways to reform the administration of the death penalty in Delaware."
A Good Friday Appeal to End the Death Penalty: A Statement of the Administrative Board of the U.S. Catholic Conference. March 1999
WEBSITES
Amnesty International – Of particular importance are the fact sheets and video clips.
Catholics Against Capital Punishment – Founded in 1992 to promote greater awareness of Catholic Church teachings that characterize capital punishment as unnecessary, inappropriate, and unacceptable in today's world.
Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty – Check out the alternatives, facts about the death penalty, and the resource center.
Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants – Check out the "How You Can Help" section.
Community of Sant’ Egidio – The death penalty is just one of the issues addressed by this Italian lay association. Members were particularly effective in gathering signatures for presentation to the U.N. calling for a global moratorium.
Death Penalty Information Center – One of the major death penalty websites – Access press releases, statistics, facts, etc. This site has information about state and local advocacy groups, resources, and action alerts.
Delaware Citizens Opposed to the Death Penalty- This new website provides information on the history of the death penalty in Delaware, as well as news, events, and links to other organizations that share the goal of abolishing the death penalty.
Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation – In addition to checking out the scheduled tours of Journey of Hope, you can access back copies of MVFR’s newsletter, The Voice.
National Association of Sentencing Advocates – Access information on issues such as racial disparity, the impact of drug policies, and women and the criminal justice system. You can also access issues of the association’s newsletter, Raising our Voices.
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty – One of the major death penalty websites – Learn the facts about the death penalty, check what's happening in your state, read the NCADP blogs, watch recent video clips.
International Centre for Restorative Justice
International Institute for Restorative Practices
Sister Helen Prejean’s Website – This website provides a listing of Sister Helen’s scheduled appearances, reflections on her books and on her presentations, and an updating of some of her activities.
New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty – Learn about all that led to New Jersey's victory in abolishing the death penalty.
Learn more about other areas in which we’re working for change.
