An important bipartisan federal criminal justice reform legislation, called the First Step Act (S.3649) currently awaits a vote in the U.S.
CMN has created a wide-ranging collection of resources available for download and use. Below you will find our full catalogue of resources for your parish, school, community, or personal use. CMN has resources for all age groups, including youth, teen and even the whole family.
Simply use the filters below to sort by: Age (Adult, Family, Teen, etc.), Category (Educate, Advocate, Pray), Issue (Death Penalty, Restorative Justice), Type (Fact Sheet, Workshop, Video, etc.), and/or State then click the “Filter” button to find exactly the tool you are looking for.
On December 13, 2018, Jose Jimenez is scheduled to be executed in the state of Florida for the 1992 fatal stabbing of 63-year-old Phyllis Minas. Take action TODAY to stop this execution.
Ohioans, we need your voice!
On Tuesday, December 4th, your OH state legislators will vote on a bill that could end the death penalty for individuals with severe mental illness.
Governor Brown, leave death row empty when you leave office.
“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.” (CCC 2267)
“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and the dignity of the person.” (CCC 2267) #Pledge4Mercy
CMN’s Mercy in Action Project seeks to promote clemency for those facing imminent execution. By joining the Mercy in Action Project you will receive monthly alerts with information on upcoming executions and tools to advocate for clemency in those cases as well as prayerful resources. Join us as we save lives on death row! The Mercy in Action Project is being partially supported by a grant from The Consistent Life Network, an international pro-life, pro-peace coalition.
Coming Spring 2019, this faith formation guide invites groups and individuals reflect upon the Catholic call to restorative justice.
Responding to Pope Francis' call to mercy and encounter, this book is an invitation to consider our individual responses to harm, our communal responses to crime and how our criminal justice system falls short of promoting human dignity, hope and healing. Through scripture, personal stories and eye-opting facts, each chapter encourages prayerful contemplation about ways to prioritize human dignity and the common good when responding to crime, incarceration and the use of the death penalty in the United States.
CMN's book list includes some of our favorite selections covering both the death penalty and restorative justice. Use this list as a guide to learn more about these topics, or as a tool to help your parish or community reading group engage with these issues at a deeper level.
By David Matzko McCarthy, Trudy D. Conway, and Vicki Schieber, Editors
This new book on Restorative Justice serves as a guiding context for Catholic Mobilizing Network's work to promote restorative justice.
Follow the link below to learn why these murder victim family members speak out against the death penalty.
This one page handout gives an introductory overview of restorative justice and ways that practices can be applied in various settings. Use copies to compliment an educational program or spread the word about restorative justice in your parish and community.
The Catholic Church has long supported alternatives to capital punishment. Click to download this one pager which outlines the history of Catholic opposition to the death penalty and how to create a more restorative path forward.
The Catholic Church has long supported alternatives to capital punishment. Click to download this one pager which outlines the history of Catholic opposition to the death penalty and how to create a more restorative path forward.
August 5, 2018 / 18th Ordinary / Cycle B
Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Washington DC
Download this letter from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and learn how all people of goodwill are called to address the evil of racism. As you read, contemplate how the most egregious example of our broken criminal justice system - the death penalty - reflects the racial discrimination and bias we are called as Catholics to dismantle.
Rooted in both 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. Use this two-sided one-pager and learn how Catholic Social Teaching brings the teachings of Jesus and his call to discipleship to the larger societal conversation of social justice
Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN) celebrates today’s revision of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to say that, in all cases, the death penalty is “inadmissible” (Revised Catechism of the Catholic Church 2267).
Catholic Social Teaching brings the teachings of Jesus and his call to discipleship to the larger societal conversation of social justice. This infographic highlights the ways in which the continued use of the death penalty violates our call to live as a people of life.
This resource contains different Bible passages and guiding questions to explore the Bible's teaching on the death penalty and restorative justice.
Help to educate your parish or community with this set of 6 short bulletin articles focusing on Catholic Social Teaching and the Death Penalty. The articles cover different aspects of Catholic Social Teaching as it applies to the death penalty.
Rooted in both 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.
See the schedule and speaker information from our conference at the Catholic University of America on April 25, 2018.
This film list is a resource of CMN's favorite movies and documentaries concerning the death penalty and restorative justice. Explore these titles as introductions to the topics, talking points for discussion, or as a tool for study within a community.
Check out the recording and download the PowerPoint of CMN's latest webinar: Building a Culture of Life: End the Death Penalty and Promote Restorative Justice. Watch the webinar and learn:
Join Msgr Stuart Swetland, Fr. George Williams SJ, and Vicki Schieber for part two of a conversation about CMN, our work, and the current state of the movement to end the death penalty and promote restorative justice.
Join Msgr Stuart Swetland, Fr. George Williams SJ, and Vicki Schieber for a conversation about CMN, our work, and the current state of the movement to end the death penalty and promote restorative justice.
Working with journalist Andrea Acosta, CMN’s Sr. Ilaria Buonriposi produces a weekly podcast addressing the Church’s position on the death penalty or restorative justice in three versions (30 seconds, 1 minute, and 5 minutes).
Working with journalist Andrea Acosta, CMN’s Sr. Ilaria Buonriposi produces a weekly podcast addressing the Church’s position on the death penalty or restorative justice in three versions (30 seconds, 1 minute, and 5 minutes).
This powerful promotional flyer is perfect for use at your parish, school, or community center. Pulling on themes from CMN's 2018 Respect Life Month Toolkit, this flyer is a great way to start the conversation around our call to build a culture of life and end the death penalty.
God of Mercy,
You bestow upon every person a dignity that cannot be extinguished, no matter the harm someone has suffered or caused.
Rooted in this sacred value of all life, we work together to transform the criminal justice system by ending the death penalty. Enliven our commitment to “work with determination for its abolition worldwide."
Dios misericordioso,
Tú donas a cada ser humano una dignidad imprescindible que no puede ser eliminada por
lo que éste haya echo o sufrido.
Estas oraciones de los fieles subrayan nuestro llamado a ser defensores de TODA vida.
The culture of life we seek is built on a foundation of prayer. The Holy Hour of Mercy is a resource that guides you through an hour of praying for life and an end to the death penalty. Prayers in this hour include the St. Michael Prayer, The Divine Mercy Chaplet, and a Litany for Life.
Intended for use before or on the day of an execution, CMN's Prayer Vigil for an Execution calls all to reflect on the themes of forgiveness and mercy in the face of the death penalty.
Journey the way of the cross while meditating on the need to end the death penalty and promote restorative justice. This special death penalty themed Stations of the Cross will give you the opportunity to meditate on the many complex and unjust realities of the death penalty while journeying with Christ on his passion.
CMN's Holy Saturday Prayer Service serves as a way to explore one of the more profound - and underutilized - days of the liturgical year. Beginning from the darkness of Good Friday, this experiential prayer service invites participants to reflect on the role of harm in their own lives; and the lives of those impacted by the continued use of the death penalty and the larger criminal justice system.
This inspiring one act play, created by Mimi Gisolfi DʼAponte, is based on the true story of Sister Marion Defeis' experiences as a prison chaplain at Rikers Island Correctional Facility in New York and her work to reform the Rockefeller Drug Laws.
“Nuestra Señora de la Vida,” written by Petra Alexander, is a Spanish language monologue which is a perfect tool to open up dialogue about life issues from the perspective of a young Latino American.
Catholic Mobilizing Network invites you into prayerful reflection and hopeful anticipation this Advent season. For each week of Advent, we offer a special reflection to guide your preparation for the coming of Christ.
A compilation of all four weekly reflections is available for download here.
Want to write a letter to the editor (LTE) but not sure where to start? Look no further! CMN's step-by-step guide will teach you everything you need to know about writing and submitting an LTE.
This October, the Catholic Church across the United States will observe Respect Life Month. This is a time when we are invited to renew our dedication to lifting up the inherent, God-given dignity of all human life.
This October the Catholic Church across the United States will observe Respect Life Month. This is a time for and your parish community to renew your dedication to all human life. CMN has been hard at work preparing new and exciting materials to assist you in your advocacy for all life.
Take the National Catholic Pledge to End the Death Penalty today and start building a culture of life.
#Pledge4Mercy at: catholicsmobilizing.org/action/pledge
Take the National Catholic Pledge to End the Death Penalty today and start building a culture of life. #Pledge4Mercy
In this webinar, hosted by the Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition, Fr. George Williams and Dr. Eileen Dumbo host a conversation about the different levels of trauma that are encountered around and within prison ministry.
Tyler Curtis and Ron Zeilinger host a conversation about the collaboration that can take place in order to further the prison ministry reach.
These educational modules explore opportunities for restorative justice practices in the criminal justice system, parish communities and daily life.
CMN’s Restorative Justice Workshop provides an overview of restorative justice philosophy and explores this issue through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching. A slide by slide Facilitator’s Guide and participant handout ensure you have everything you need to clearly present our stunning Prezi Presentation from opening prayer to closing discussion questions.
With this comprehensive resource, you don't need to be an expert to explore the death penalty issue in your school, parish, or community. Use our beautiful Prezi presentation and slide-by-slide Facilitator Guide to explore the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of all life and the social justice issues that surround the death penalty.
Catholic communities are, by their very nature, intergenerational. Our membership, liturgical celebrations and Sacramental moments bring together generations of family members as the faith is passed on from oldest to youngest. Family workshops, like CMN’s “The Advent of Mercy,” make this intergenerational character a defining feature, incorporating various age groups in a hands-on learning process designed to engage all members of the family unit.
