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  • Catholic Social Teaching and the Death Penalty (printable)

    Rooted in Scripture and the rich tradition of our faith, Catholic social teaching is a guide for how to live as a people of justice and mercy. The death penalty violates several core themes of Catholic Social Teaching, first and foremost being the belief in the inherent dignity of the human person. It is this…

  • [Infographic] Catholic Social Teaching & the Death Penalty

    This short infographic highlights the ways in which capital punishment violates four of the major themes of Catholic Social Teaching: Life and Dignity of the Human Person Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable Call for Family, Community, and Participation Solidarity

  • CMN Film List

    This collection of movies and documentaries explores the issues of capital punishment and restorative justice and highlights themes of mercy, hope, and respect for life. Listed titles include Just Mercy (2019), Dead Man Walking (1996), and Where There is Darkness (2019). (Make sure to visit CMN’s Just Mercy Catholic study guide for reflection questions and Church…

  • [One-Pager] Standing for Life: Our Catholic Faith and the Death Penalty

    The Catholic Church has long supported alternatives to the death penalty. Each of the last three popes spoke out publicly against capital punishment, acknowledging the ways it violates the inherent dignity of the human person. Download the handout below to learn more about the church’s history of opposition to the death penalty and ways we can…

  • [One-Pager] Racism and the Criminal Justice System (USCCB)

    In November 2018, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released its long anticipated pastoral letter against racism: Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love. In conjunction, the USCCB also released a 2-page letter highlighting the racial disparities systemically upheld within our country’s criminal justice system: Racism and the Criminal Justice System….

  • The Movie Just Mercy: a Catholic Study Guide

    About Just Mercy Based on Bryan Stevenson’s bestselling book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, the film Just Mercy presents the stunning true story of Walter McMillian, a black man convicted and sentenced to death in Alabama in 1988 for a crime he did not commit. The movie follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson in…

  • Catholic Social Teaching and Restorative Justice [printable]

    This PDF resource presents restorative justice through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching principles. It illuminates ways that restorative practices can transform individual relationships, communities, and systems in the spirit of healing and reconciliation. When crime happens, the U.S. legal system asks three questions: What law was broken? Who is guilty? How should they be…

  • [One-Pager] What is Restorative Justice?

    This two-page handout gives an introductory overview of restorative justice and ways that practices can be applied in various settings. Download and print copies of this resource to complement an educational program or spread the word about restorative justice in your parish and community. Click here to read more about restorative justice.

  • [One-Pager] Capital Punishment in the U.S. and Momentum Toward Abolition

    The United States is an international outlier when it comes to maintaining the death penalty; more than 70% of the world’s countries have abolished capital punishment in law or practice. (Source: Death Penalty Information Center) But despite its poor record, the U.S. has seen intensifying momentum toward national death penalty abolition in recent years. From…

  • Restorative Justice Resources for Educators

    This collection of resources and activities equips K-12 school and college/university educators to introduce their students to restorative justice as it aligns with Catholic Social Teaching. FOR WHOM: Catholic educators in search of ways to incorporate the topic of restorative justice into K-12 school and college/university curricula. Best suited for classes on theology or social…

  • Death Penalty Resources for Educators

    Catholic educators are often in search of ways to incorporate the issue of capital punishment into high school and college/university curricula. This collection of resources and activities serve as a general introduction to the issue of the death penalty as it aligns with Catholic Social Tradition. FOR WHOM: Intended for educator use in Catholic grade…