These following one-page resources outline the history of Catholic opposition to the death penalty and our failed system of capital punishment in the U.S.
To download a specific resource, click on the image or title.
Standing for Life: Our Catholic Faith and the Death Penalty
The Catholic Church has long supported efforts to end the death penalty; the last three popes urged its abolition worldwide. (Also available in Spanish.)
Racism and the Death Penalty: Compounding Systems of Dehumanization
The racist roots and rampant discrimination of the U.S. death penalty system exacerbates the ways capital punishment already denies human beings of their God-given dignity.
Capital Punishment in the U.S. and Momentum Toward Abolition
The U.S. has seen intensifying momentum toward national death penalty abolition in recent years, including state-based repeal efforts, waning public support, and declining execution and death sentencing rates.
Just Mercy Catholic Study Guide
Based on the bestselling book, Just Mercy presents the stunning true story of Walter McMillian, a Black man wrongly convicted and sentenced to death in 1980s Alabama. Use CMN's Catholic study guide for reflection questions, prayers, and supplementary resources related to the film.