Resources

  • [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

  • Guided Holy Hour for an End to the Death Penalty

    The culture of life we seek is built on a foundation of prayer. The “Holy Hour of Mercy” resource guides you through an Hour of praying for life and an end to the death penalty. It includes: The St. Michael Prayer The Divine Mercy Chaplet A Litany for Life This guided Holy Hour for Mercy…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Praying with Victims of Violence

    A Prayer for Those Affected by Violence and Harm of Any Kind Loving and merciful God, We hold in prayer each of us who have experienced harm, in any form. We especially pray for victims of violence and their families, that they may experience love and support, and find comfort in your compassion. Grant us…

  • Estampa de oración “Dios misericordioso” para abolir la pena de muerte (Spanish)

    Dios misericordioso, Tú donas a cada ser humano una dignidad imprescindible que no puede ser eliminada por lo que éste  haya echo o sufrido. Enraizados en el valor sagrado de la vida, trabajamos juntos para transformar el sistema judicial abrogando la pena de muerte. Reafirmamos nuestro compromiso de ¨trabajar con determinación para la abolición de la…

  • “God of Mercy” Prayer Card

    This prayer serves to remind us of the unconditional opportunity for redemption that, as God’s children, we all share. Pray it alone or with others in community, asking God to “sustain our pursuit of reconciling justice, that we may model Christ’s compassion and mercy with our lives.” God of Mercy, You bestow upon every person a dignity that…

  • [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…

  • “Choosing Mercy” Vigil: Praying Together to End the Death Penalty

    Inspired by the need for mercy in our society, this prayer vigil includes reflections on scripture and intersections for all those in need of healing. Centered around the call to end the death penalty, this vigil can serve as a thoughtful prayer tool in those times leading up to and in the aftermath of an…

  • [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….