United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Statements

"It can be very difficult to think of mercy at a time when justice for unthinkable crimes seems to cry out for vengeance," Bishop Dewane commented, "[t]he harm and pain caused by terrible sin is real." Yet, he invoked Pope Francis' reflection that, "Jesus on the cross prayed for those who had crucified him: 'Father, forgive them, they know not what they do' (Lk. 23:34).  Mercy is the only way to overcome evil.  Justice is necessary, very much so, but by itself it is not enough. Justice and mercy must go together."

In the middle of 2015, the two chairmen of the Committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development and on Pro-Life Activities co-authored a joint statement stating a recommitment and reminder of the campaign to end the death penalty that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops instituted 10 years prior. A portion of the statement reads:

As Catholics, we need to ask the following: How can we restore our respect for law and life? How can we protect and rebuild communities, confront crime without vengeance, and defend life without taking life? These questions challenge us as pastors and as teachers of the Gospel.