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…
![[One-Pager] What is Restorative Justice?](https://catholicsmobilizing.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/What_is_RJ_Graphic-768x575.png)
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.
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…
![[One-Pager] Racism and the Death Penalty: Compounding Systems of Dehumanization](https://catholicsmobilizing.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Race_and_the_Death_Penalty_Graphic-768x575.png)
Catholic Mobilizing Network’s advocacy toward ending the death penalty reveals the institutionalized racism and discrimination rampant in the U.S. criminal legal system, which has resulted in the overincarceration of Black and Brown people — particularly on death row. Misuse and abuse of power perpetuate racial injustice and deny human beings of their God-given dignity. As…
EWTN’s Kate Scanlon speaks with Syl and Vicki Schieber, who suffered the violent murder of their daughter, Shannon, yet hold true to the teachings of the church and reject the death penalty. She also interviews CMN Executive Director Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy and Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Domestic…
As Catholics, we understand that there is a Gospel call toward forgiveness — yet forgiveness is never an obligation, but a creative act of possibility and grace. This is especially important on a restorative justice journey. Together, we can work to dispel common myths about forgiveness and open up new possibilities for reconciliation and healing. Myth #1: Forgiveness…
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…
![[One-Pager] The Federal Death Penalty: What All Catholics Need to Know](https://catholicsmobilizing.org/wp-content/uploads/Fed-DP-Onepager-coming-soon-768x994.png)
The Federal Death Penalty: What All Catholics Need to Know President Biden is the first president to oppose capital punishment publicly. He campaigned on an anti-death penalty platform, and on Jul. 1, 2021, Biden’s Department of Justice ordered an official moratorium on federal executions. Though an encouraging step, it does not prevent future administrations from…
![[Podcast] Encounters With Dignity: A Podcast on Restorative Justice](https://catholicsmobilizing.org/wp-content/uploads/c0qFqZOzIzsNLmFH3aXCUcVt-768x768.png)
Encounters With Dignity, a Podcast on Restorative Justice from Catholic Mobilizing Network, brings you stories, learnings, and actionable wisdom from people putting restorative justice into practice in their everyday lives. Each episode explores the synergies between Gospel values, Catholic Social Teaching, and restorative justice, preparing listeners to bring this reconciling approach to their communities, churches,…
In the aftermath of a crime, a victim-survivor’s faith community is often one of the first places they turn to for support. Yet many of our parishes and ministries struggle with how to respond to victims’ complex needs for healing. As people of faith, we can be instrumental in supporting victim-survivors through restorative processes designed…
Circle process is a foundational restorative practice that creates the conditions to build, strengthen and repair relationships through storytelling. In ministry settings, this methodology is well suited for synodal listening, communal discernment, and attending to the wounds of trauma, harm, and conflict. Many Catholics, after learning about the principles and practices of restorative justice, wish…
This resource is designed for bishops, priests, and deacons who wish to connect the Church’s teaching against the death penalty to Scripture in a homily. In this resource you will find: