State Catholic Conference Statements

Thursday, October 11, 2018, the Washington State Catholic Conference released a statement that affirmed and celebrated the Washington Supreme Court ruling that the death penalty is unconstitutional. 

“We applaud the unanimous state Supreme Court decision issued today finding the death penalty unconstitutional,” said Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle.  “The Catholic Church’s consistent belief is that every human life is sacred from conception until natural death – it is this principle that has energized our efforts for decades to abolish the death penalty.”

In an August 9 letter to Governor Rick Scott on behalf of the bishops of Florida, Michael Sheedy, executive director, appealed to the governor to commute Jimenez' death sentence to a life sentence without parole. 

The Catholic Bishops serving in Nebraska, Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha, Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln, and Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt of Grand Island, issued a statement in response to a clarification on the Church's teaching on the death penalty issued Thursday morning by the Vatican.

Gov. Bruce Rauner today called for the reinstatement of the death penalty for individuals convicted of mass shootings or the fatal shooting of a police officer.

Faith is not a light which scatters all our darkness, but a lamp which guides our steps in the night and suffices for the journey. – Pope Francis

 “The harm to persons by the intentional criminal acts of others can be long lasting. Crime victims, survivors, and their families need to know they are not alone.  Local Church communities will walk with them providing support and prayers on the road to healing and restoration.

“Healing is a process aimed at restoring a sense of physical safety, security and their sense of self.

Tennessee underwent legislation which sought to exclude those with severe mental illness from the death penalty. The Bishops expressed their support for this type of legislation and Jennifer Murphy, Director of the Tennessee Catholic Public Policy Commission, eloquently stated the collective Catholic opinion in an op-ed piece, part of which is found here:

The Minnesota Catholic Conference upholds the teachings of Pope John Paul II on the death penalty and supports Minnesota's decision to abolish it. Their 2017 legislative principle states:

"Pope John Paul II stated that the death penalty has no place where alternatives are available to protect society. Minnesota made a similar judgment when it abolished the death penalty in 1911. This policy has served us well and we must retain it."

To see the full text, click here

The New York Catholic Conference strongly oppose the death penalty and believe New York should legislatively abolish the death penalty. They oppose it on the premise that the death penalty is unnecessary in today's society. A portion of their statement says:

In 1999, the Catholic Conference of Michigan, in a strongly worded statement, expressed their definitive stance against capital punishment. A portion of the text is the following: