Educate

  • [Book] Dignity and the Death Penalty: Evolution of Catholic Teaching

    Dignity and the Death Penalty is a seven-session small group resource examining Catholic teaching on the death penalty, based on the insights of Catholic anti-death penalty visionary Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ.  Created in partnership between Catholic Mobilizing Network and Renew International, Dignity and the Death Penalty helps readers and small group participants reflect on the brokenness of the criminal legal system…

  • [Video] Testimony from Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann on the Death Penalty

    This 7-minute video reflection by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas was recorded on the occasion of the federal government’s execution of Keith Dwayne Nelson on August 28, 2020. In this moving testimony, Archbishop Naumann shares about his own experience as the son of a murder victim and affirms the Church’s resounding call…

  • [One-Pager] Restorative Approaches in a Time of Racial Reckoning

    Catholic Mobilizing Network’s advocacy toward ending the death penalty and advancing justice and healing reveals the institutionalized racism and discrimination rampant in the U.S. criminal legal system, which results in the over-incarceration of Black and Brown people. Misuse and abuse of power perpetuate racial injustice and deny human beings of their God-given dignity. As a…

  • [Webinar] The Movie Just Mercy: An Opportunity for Church Leaders to Address Racism

    Catholic Mobilizing Network’s Executive Director Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy is on a panel of ministry leaders conversing about the movie Just Mercy, and the ways in which it can inspire action among Catholics to address the sin of racism. Just Mercy is available for streaming on digital platforms. It tells the stunning true story of young…

  • Death Penalty FAQ

    What does the Catholic Church teach about the death penalty? On August 2, 2018, the Catechism of the Catholic Church section 2267 was updated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith to reflect the Church’s evolving stance on capital punishment: “The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and…

  • [Webinar] Using Your Voice to End the Death Penalty: How to Write a Letter to the Editor

    Letters to the Editor (LTE) are critical tools for advocacy, especially when it comes to ending the death penalty. Short and easy to write, they are effective at shaping public opinion and shifting narratives on contemporary issues. Most importantly, they provide a platform for advocates like YOU to speak out on the issues they care about. This…

  • [Video] 5 Lessons from Open Wide Our Hearts, the U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral Letter Against Racism

    In November 2018, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love – A Pastoral Letter Against Racism. This 2-minute video from Catholic Mobilizing Network highlights five important takeaways from the letter. Download Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, A Pastoral Letter against…

  • [Video] Hope Over Death: A Catholic Family’s Journey of Forgiveness and Restorative Justice

    On April 2, 2010, Ann Grosmaire died after being shot by her fiance, Conor. Moved by their Catholic faith and inspired by Saint John Paul II’s forgiveness of Mehmet Ali Ağca, Ann’s parents, Kate and Deacon Andy Grosmaire, felt called to forgive Conor. Together with Conor’s parents, the Grosmaires fought to address the crime in a…

  • [Book] Redemption and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Restorative Justice

    Published in 2017, Redemption and Restoration is a comprehensive exploration of restorative justice though a Catholic perspective. It aims at equipping Catholics to participate in the national conversation surrounding the need for criminal justice reform and restorative justice, to create the programs needed to assist in healing the harm caused by crime, and to restore…