Texas Bishops Call for Mercy for Mother Facing Execution
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops ask the Texas state leaders to spare the life of Melissa Lucio.
State Catholic Conference Statements
Testimony in support of SB 103: Ending Ohio’s Death Penalty
Bishops from the Catholic Conference of Ohio issue a statement supporting Ohio SB 103, which would abolish Ohio's death penalty.
Arizona Bishops' Statement on the Scheduled Execution of Frank Atwood
The Arizona Catholic Conference of Bishops respond to the scheduled execution date of Frank Atwood, and urge people to join them in praying for his soul and for an end to the death penalty.
Texas Bishops Affirm U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Ramirez v. Collier
Texas Bishops from the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops respond to the March 23 Supreme Court decision to allow John Ramirez to have his pastor pray and lay hands over him during his execution.
Louisiana Bishops Urge Death Penalty Abolition
The Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops has consistently and resolutely provided pastoral teaching on the sacredness of life from conception to natural death. This statement provides an update in light of the current 2022 Louisiana Legislative Session.
Oklahoma bishops issue statement on state's request for execution dates
“We are disappointed and surprised by the state’s haste to set execution dates for six men on death row at the same time a federal court is reviewing Oklahoma’s lethal injection protocol to determine if it is constitutional."
Virginia: Virginia Catholic Conference on Abolishment of Death Penalty
Today, Governor Ralph Northam signed into law SB 1165/HB 2263, making Virginia the first southern state, and the 23rd state overall, to end its death penalty. Looking back, we sadly reflect on our Commonwealth’s disturbing and tragic history of executions – carried out more frequently here than in any other state in our country’s history.
Maryland Bishops: Stop Federal Execution
The eight Catholic bishops serving Maryland are urging President Donald Trump to stop the planned federal execution of Dustin Higgs, scheduled for Jan. 15, 2021.
Iowa bishops ask President Trump for clemency in Honken death penalty case
Dustin Lee Honken was convicted in 2004 of the horrific acts of killing five people, including two children. He is scheduled to be executed on July 17, 2020. We ask that you commute Mr. Honken’s sentence, as well as the sentences of others to be executed this summer, from death to life without the possibility of parole.
Catholic Church Lauds Washington State Supreme Court Death Penalty Ruling
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.”