Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey has said that executing federal death row inmate Dustin Le Honken “will do nothing to restore justice or heal those burdened by these crimes.”
Death Penalty
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Faith leaders urge president, attorney general to halt federal executions
“As faith leaders from a diverse range of traditions, we call on President Trump and Attorney General Barr to stop the scheduled federal executions,” the group said in the statement released July 7.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Catholic leaders denounce court’s rejection of federal death penalty appeal
Sister Helen Prejean, a long-time advocate of abolishing the death penalty, has said that the Supreme Court has “abdicated its legal and moral responsibilities” in allowing executions to proceed in various cases.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Supreme Court declines to block upcoming federal executions
The executions would mark the first use of the death penalty on the federal level since 2003.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Supreme Court stops Texas execution over rule banning clergy in the death chamber
The U.S. Supreme Court granted a last-minute stay of execution for Texas death-row inmate Ruben Gutierrez June 16, saying the state prison officials need to reexamine their rule that bans clergy from being with prisoners to the execution chamber.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Critics denounce Attorney General Barr’s decision to set execution dates for death row inmates
Attorney General William Barr has set execution dates for four federal prisoners on death row.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Death penalty opponents decry first execution carried out amid pandemic
Catholic advocates against the death penalty have assailed the state of Missouri for proceeding with the first execution to occur during the pandemic, despite the efforts to stop it.
Posted inFaith, Faith in Focus
This Lent, U.S. Catholics are called to reckon with the sin of capital punishment
In the middle lands of these 40 days, I am burdened by the fact that our society has not yet reckoned with the ongoing sin of capital punishment nor the full extent of our country’s racist past.
Posted inArts & Culture, Film
In ‘Sister,’ state retribution is no match for Helen Prejean
To its benefit, “Sister,” directed by Joe Cardona and José L. Vázquez, does not focus exclusively on Sister Helen’s work against the death penalty but also discusses her early life and spiritual formation.
Posted inFaith, Jesuitical
What’s it like to say Mass on death row? An interview with the Jesuit chaplain of San Quentin prison
Each day, George Williams, S.J., passes through metal doors plastered with the word “CONDEMNED” to minister to the men of San Quentin State Prison.