Respect Life Month 2022

In this toolkit you will find resources to educate, advocate, and pray for an end to the death penalty — throughout Respect Life Month, and beyond! Inspired by the Pope's Prayer Video for the Abolition of the Death Penalty, this toolkit amplifies Pope Francis' September 2022 prayer intention for the global abolition of the death penalty. Whether you are praying individually or with your parish or diocese, this toolkit has something for you. 

Novena to End the Death Penalty

Pope Francis' invitation to pray for the abolition of the death penalty throughout the month of September brings us straight into Respect Life Month which is celebrated in October. And on October 10, we celebrate World Day Against the Death Penalty!

CMN invites you to continue the Holy Father's invitation of prayer through the beginning of Respect Life Month by praying the Novena to End the Death Penalty. The Novena will begin on October 1 and conclude on October 9, the day before World Day Against the Death Penalty. 

Click here to download the Novena in English.
Click here to download the Novena in Spanish.

Click here to access a folder of Novena graphics and planned posts for social media. (English)
Click here to access a folder of Novena graphics and planned posts for social media. (Spanish)

    

Prepared Social Media Posts

In this resource you will see an outline of potential posts with recommended graphics, captions, hashtags, and more to be used throughout the month of September, and beyond. Additionally, you will find an outline for a Novena social media campaign to occur from Oct. 1 through Oct. 9, leading up to World Day Against the Death Penalty on Oct. 10. This resource should make sharing this campaign to mobilize mercy easy and accessible to all. 

Click here to access this content planner.

Quote Graphics from the Pope's Prayer Video

  

Click here to access a folder of quote graphics in English.
Click here to access a folder of quote graphics in Spanish.

Catholic Teaching on the Death Penalty

This resource breaks open the Gospel call to build a culture of life through short facts and statements regarding the Church's position on the death penalty. This resource is useful for creating social media posts, captions, and tweets, as well as starting conversations with audiences who may not be aware of the Church's teaching against the death penalty. 

Click to download this resource.

Tips for Preaching About the Death Penalty

This new resource is designed for bishops, priests, and deacons who want to identify opportunities to connect the Church's teaching against the death penalty to scripture. In this resource you will find:

  • A selection of Scripture passages and Liturgical Feasts that lend themselves towards preaching about the death penalty
  • Core Church teachings on the death penalty from the Catholic Catechism, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Pope Francis' papal encyclical, Fratelli Tutti
  • Basic facts about capital punishment in the U.S. and where to find information about the death penalty in your state

Click to download this resource.

The Status of the Death Penalty in the United States

This backgrounder provides information on the current landscape of the death penalty in the United States. This resource is useful for those interested in learning more or teaching others about the death penalty in the U.S.

Click here to download this resource in English.
Click here to download this resource in Spanish.

Death Penalty Fact Graphics

  

Click here to access a folder of graphics in English.
Click here to access a folder of graphics in Spanish.

The Status of the Death Penalty Around the World

This infographic, produced by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, places the U.S. within the global context of the death penalty. Additionally, this resource outlines what Pope Francis asks of each of us through this prayer intention. 

Click here to download this resource.

The Prayer to End the Use of the Death Penalty

The Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network offers this "prayer of the month" to accompany Pope Francis' intention. "The Prayer to End the Use of the Death Penalty" was written by the USCCB. 

Click here to view the prayer.

The Pope Video Poster

The official promotional poster of the Pope Video includes a QR code to watch the video. Hang this poster in your school, parish, office, or any communal space and invite others to join in this important prayer.

Click here to download the poster.

Pope's Prayer Video Script

Read the English translation to the Pope's Prayer Video. This resource may be useful for those who are interested in further breaking-open the Pope's message.

Click here to download the script.

Pope's Prayer Video on YouTube

View the Pope's Prayer Video here.