US faith communities mobilize against Death Penalty

Faith-led events opposed to Death Penalty

Faith communities across the United States are joining hands to observe the annual World Day Against the Death Penalty on 10 October. Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN), a national organization working to end the death penalty, has identified 16 faith-led events and counting, serving as a poignant reminder that people of faith are helping lead the national effort to abolish capital punishment.

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, CMN Executive Director, expressed her optimism, stating: "We are deeply encouraged to see people of faith as some of the leading voices opposing capital punishment this World Day Against the Death Penalty. From these diverse faith groups, we are hearing a clear, unifying message that God has created every life sacred, and this makes capital punishment unacceptable in all cases."

Among the planned events are several prayer vigils, one of which is taking place outside of the Louisiana Governor's Mansion in Baton Rouge. Co-sponsored by CMN, the Promise of Justice Initiative, the Jesuit Social Research Institute, Faith Leaders of Colour Coalition, Louisiana Interfaith Against Executions, and PREACH, the "Prayer Vigil to Commute Louisiana's Death Row," scheduled for 10 am CT, aims to support an ongoing effort to grant clemency to essentially all occupants of the state's death row. Confirmed speakers include Sr Helen Prejean, CSJ, renowned Catholic anti-death penalty advocate and Louisianan, and Most Rev Michael Duca, Bishop of Baton Rouge.

A 24-hour vigil is currently underway in Ohio to bolster support for the two bipartisan bills aiming to abolish capital punishment in the state. Advocates from diverse faith communities convened at the Ohio Statehouse at 5pm on Monday, October 9 for the 'Day of Prayer to End the Death Penalty,' and plan to continue their vigil until 5pm on Tuesday.

Other events adopt a more educational approach, such as the 'United to End the Death Penalty Panel' scheduled for 7pm CT at the University of Incarnate Word (UIW) in San Antonio, Texas. Co-sponsored by UIW, CMN, Pax Christi Texas, and the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, this panel will feature powerful testimonies and research from Monique Coleman, sister of a Texas death row exoneree; Mitesh Patel, a San Antonio resident who advocated against the execution of the man who murdered his father; and Dr. Doshie Piper, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at UIW. Part of CMN's three-leg "Next Gen for Justice" Catholic College Speaking Tour, the panel will be preceded by a 12pm prayer vigil for Jedidiah Murphy, who is scheduled for execution in Texas on World Day Against the Death Penalty. More information about both events is available here.

"Falling squarely within Respect Life Month every year, World Day Against the Death Penalty is an important chance for Catholics to affirm the Church's unconditionally pro-life teachings. Capital punishment is fundamentally incompatible with a culture of life. Ending the death penalty is possible, but it's going to take our consistent witness as people of faith to get abolition over the finish line," added Vaillancourt Murphy.

To date, 23 states have formally abolished the death penalty. More than two-thirds of US states have either outlawed capital punishment or otherwise have not carried out an execution in at least 10 years.

LINK

Catholic Mobilising: https://catholicsmobilizing.org