For Immediate Release: Oct. 11, 2022
Contact: Katlyn Toelle at katlyn@catholicsmobilizing.org
Website: catholicsmobilizing.org Twitter: @CMNEndtheDP
(Washington, D.C.) Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN) announced the formation of a new national Advisory Council last night at its Justice Reimagined Awards & Celebration at the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See in Washington, DC on the annual World Day Against the Death Penalty. Comprised of members whose expertise spans the legal profession, restorative justice practice, ecumenical advocacy, and Catholic education and ministry, as well as those who have been directly impacted by the system of capital punishment, the council will give guidance and support to CMN in its national, faith-based efforts to end the death penalty and promote restorative justice.
CMN’s Advisory Council was inspired in part by the Catholic Church’s ongoing Synod on Synodality, which was announced by Pope Francis in 2021. The global synod invites all people of goodwill to listen and dialogue in a spirit of discernment as a way to more deeply encounter the larger community of the People of God.
“The Advisory Council is CMN’s way of embracing the synod’s invitation to encounter and learn from those with new perspectives and diverse backgrounds,” said CMN executive director Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy. “We believe that assembling this incredible group of national leaders will expand and enrich CMN’s unique work to transform our broken criminal legal system from punitive to restorative.”
CMN Advisory Council members include:
Stephen Schneck, Chair, Commissioner of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
John Carr, Founder and Co-Director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University
Dr. Arturo Chavez, Associate Vice President for Mission at the University of the Incarnate Word
Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, former General Secretary of the Reformed Church in America, author, and global ecumenical leader
Alexia Kelley, President and CEO of FADICA
Fr. David Kelly, C.PP.S, Founder and Executive Director of Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation
Leonard Rubio, Executive Director of the Insight Prison Project and formerly incarcerated in San Quentin State Prison
Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, President and Founder of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Syl Schieber, Former Chairman of the Social Security Advisory Board and the father of a murder victim
Debra Soltis, founding partner of Kiyonaga & Soltis, PC
Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr., Executive Director of the Ohio Council of Churches and the brother of a murder victim
Michael Williams, trial lawyer and appellate advocate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP
In addition to launching the Advisory Council at last night’s event, CMN also presented awards to Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington, and Vicki and Syl Schieber for their visionary Catholic witness against capital punishment in the United States. To learn more, visit the event press release and online photo gallery.
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Catholic Mobilizing Network is a national organization that mobilizes Catholics and all people of goodwill to value life over death, to end the death penalty, to transform the U.S. criminal justice system from punitive to restorative, and to build capacity in U.S. society to engage in restorative practices.
CMN works in close collaboration with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and lives the Spirit of Unity of its sponsor, the Congregation of St. Joseph.
