Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
Protesters against the death penalty gather in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington June 29. (CNS photo/Jonathan Ernst, Reuters)

In a message commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty on July 16, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops renewed its opposition to capital punishment. “Our faith tradition offers a unique perspective on crime and punishment, one grounded in mercy and healing, not punishment for its own sake,” wrote Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, O.F.M.Cap., of Boston, chair of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami, chair of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. “No matter how heinous the crime, if society can protect itself without ending a human life, it should do so. Today, we have this capability.”

Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
norman ravitch
9 years 8 months ago
There is nothing in the Old Testament or the New Testament or the history of the Jews and Christians which condemns capital punishment.

The latest from america

Against the backdrop of deep differences with the Trump administration over migration and foreign aid as well as concerns for Ukraine and for Gaza, the Vatican secretary of state welcomed U.S. Vice President JD Vance to the Vatican.
Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, attended the liturgy with his wife, Usha, a practicing Hindu, and his three children after meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni earlier in the day.
My Catholic identity and my wife’s Protestant identity continue to endure, and our faith has developed together in greater harmony, knowing that our love for each other was ultimately grounded in our love for God.
Damian WhitneyApril 17, 2025
the wily accuser tempted him in just the way to confuse a savior: All this I will give you.
Jerry HarpApril 17, 2025