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  • From Prison to Peacemaker: Felix Rosado’s Restorative Justice Transformation

    Felix Rosado spent nine long years blaming everybody for his incarceration but himself. But then, two things happened: he rekindled his Catholic faith and learned about restorative justice. These two discoveries set Felix on an extraordinary journey of accountability and transformation. Click here to learn more about restorative justice.

  • [Video] Catholics and the Death Penalty

    This 4-minute video produced by CMN in 2017 features: The video is well-suited for presentations on the Catholic opposition to the death penalty in educational or ministry settings. While it does not include graphic depictions of violence, it begins with an oral description of a murder, including a mention of the threat of sexual assault.

  • [Video] Catholics and Restorative Justice

    Catholic ministry leaders, restorative justice experts, and people who have been impacted by harm and crime explore the relationship between our Catholic faith and the philosophy and practices of restorative justice. Click here to learn more about restorative justice.

  • El Video de Oración del Papa — Por la Abolición de la Pena de Muerte (Spanish)

    Este video del Papa presenta la intención de oración que el Santo Padre confió a toda la Iglesia Católica en septiembre de 2022 a través de la Red Mundial de Oración del Papa. En esta ocasión, Francisco pidió que se rece “para que la pena de muerte, que atenta contra la inviolabilidad y dignidad de…

  • 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….

  • 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…

  • 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…