In the Catholic Church in the United States, pastoral statements are offered by individual bishops in particular dioceses, state Catholic conferences of bishops, regional synods of bishops, or the national conference (USCCB) when seeking to apply universal church teaching to particular circumstances or issues. In the case of the death penalty, U.S. bishops have often been strong anti-death penalty advocates for persons sentenced to be executed. The list below includes more recent pastoral and state conference statements relating to Catholic teaching on the death penalty and its application to particular laws and state-sponsored executions.
Aug. 2, 2108
JEFFERSON CITY – Bishop Shawn McKnight has issued the following statement in response to the announcement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith regarding Church teaching on capital punishment:
"Today, I commend Pope Francis for his clarification on Catholic Church teaching on the death penalty, declaring it inadmissible in all cases."
Cardinal Cupich's remarks were made the day of Pope Francis' historic revision to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which calls the death penalty "inadmissable" in all cases.
Three Bishops from Tennessee recently wrote the Governor to seek mercy for the 63 death row inmates of the state. Tennessee's last execution took place in 2009. This letter comes amidst a civil trial over Tennessee's lethal-injection protocol. It also comes just weeks before the scheduled execution of Billy Ray Irick on August 9th.
A letter from Catholic Bishops of Tennessee urging the Governor to halt executions through the end of his term
10 years ago on December 17, 2007, New Jersey was the first state in 40 years to abolish the death penalty. Read the statement below from New Jersey Bishops commemorating this important anniversary.
A Statement by the Catholic Bishops of New Jersey
On May 3, 2017 Bishop Francis Malooly from the Diocese of Wilmington wrote a strongly worded letter urging the General Assembly of Delaware to reconsider a new proposition that would reinstate the death penalty.
To this end, we must ask ourselves whether or not there is vengeance in our hearts. In many ways that which we fear–violence itself–has forced us to become proponents of violence. Just as the pursuit of justice should never be perverted by vengeance, fear should never darken the ever-shining light of life.
In 2017, the Bishops of Mississippi came out with a statement calling for an end to the death penalty in the state and for support to promote the dignity and sanctity of all life. At the time, there was a bill being debated in the legislature which sought to add alternative methods of execution. A portion of the statement is read as follows:
In 2017, the Bishop of Arkansas, Most Rev. AnthonyTaylor, came out with a statement to the Governor calling for an end to the death penalty and to promote the dignity and sanctity of all life. At the time, there were 8 executions planned in the span of 11 days, the most planned in American history. A portion of the statement is read as follows:
In 2017, the Bishops of Nevada came out with a statement calling for an end to the death penalty in the state and for support to promote the dignity and sanctity of all life. At the time, there was a bill being debated in the legislature which sought to repeal the death penalty. A portion of the statement is read as follows:
