October 15, 2026

 

ISSUE: Capital Punishment 


ACTION: Reject execution as a spectacle. Abolish the death penalty.


The moral legitimacy of a nation rests on its administration of justice without relying on deadly force. Justice demands accountability and proportionate sanctions for criminal conduct, however, the authority to punish does not grant the state unrestricted dominion over human life. Capital punishment entrusts irreversible power to a fallible justice system and violates human dignity. When executions become public spectacles, these concerns deepen. The prophet Ezekiel offers a clear warning against making death an occasion worth celebrating, reminding us that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires their repentance and life (Ezekiel 33:11). This does not excuse wrongdoing; rather, it reminds us that accountability must leave space for conversion. A commitment to justice requires us to examine how the death penalty is applied and whether its use is supported by evidence.

 

Capital punishment remains legal in 27 states, although executions are concentrated in relatively few jurisdictions. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, more than 30 people have been executed in six states in 2026. The continued use of capital punishment places our nation at a moral crossroads, where the pursuit of justice carries the risk of taking an innocent life. However small the share of wrongful convictions in capital cases, the irreversible consequences demand a standard of certainty our criminal justice system cannot guarantee. For example, since 1973, 203 wrongfully convicted death-row prisoners have been exonerated. Beyond the risk of wrongful execution lies a separate question: whether capital punishment offers any greater protection than nonlethal alternatives. Recent research offers little support for the claim that capital punishment provides greater protection. A 2021 study found no evidence that death penalty statutes deterred murder, while a 2022 study of moratoriums in Illinois, New Jersey, Washington, and Pennsylvania found no evidence that suspending executions increased homicide rates. These findings do not settle every question about deterrence, but they undermine categorical claims that capital punishment makes society safer.

 

Our opposition extends beyond concern over human error and deterrence theory. Catholic social teaching affirms that every person bears God’s image and retains an inherent dignity that even the most heinous of crimes cannot extinguish. This conviction underpins our commitment to the integrity of creation and the Church’s rejection of capital punishment. The Catechism of the Catholic Church declares the death penalty inadmissible and calls for its worldwide abolition, and in Fratelli tutti, Pope Francis declared that even a murderer retains personal dignity. Murder demands just punishment, but its gravity does not make execution necessary. The state must demonstrate that nonlethal punishment is inadequate and a death sentence is morally legitimate; to date, it has failed to explain why justice requires death. The recently abandoned proposal to broadcast an execution added another moral concern: turning death into a public spectacle.



President Trump’s October 15th decision to cancel the livestream of former Army Major Nidal Hasan’s December 3rd execution is welcome, though the execution remains scheduled. Hasan killed 13 people and injured more than 30 at Fort Hood in 2009. His crimes are terrible and warrant lifelong punishment, but they do not justify taking his life, and the now-abandoned plan to broadcast his death was morally indefensible. Even supporters of capital punishment should reject celebrating an execution. The controversy renews former President George W. Bush’s emphasis on justice over revenge. In a November 2010 interview, Bush stated, “I believe in justice, not revenge,” while reflecting on his visit to Ground Zero in the immediate aftermath of the September 11th attacks. That distinction must guide our nation’s response to violent crime, fusing accountability with moral restraint. Honoring victims requires spiritual and emotional care for survivors and families, without assuming another death will assuage their grief. Elected leaders must meet those needs without exploiting suffering for political gain.


Faithful to the Charism of Charity, we call upon all to advocate for an end to capital punishment, support victims and survivors, and oppose hatred. We remain steadfast in our opposition to the death penalty. Neither the severity of a crime nor public demands for vengeance will cause us to abandon our values. Let our actions uphold the integrity of creation and affirm that no human life is disposable.

 

Take Action: Reject execution as a spectacle. Death is never an occasion worth celebrating!

 

  • Contact your Congressional representatives and urge them to support legislation prohibiting the public broadcasting or livestreaming of executions.
  • Call on the Trump administration to halt Nidal Hasan’s execution and commute his sentence to life imprisonment without parole.
  •  Urge Congress to abolish the death penalty. Ask lawmakers in death penalty states to support abolition and New Jersey lawmakers to preserve our state’s prohibition.
  • Visit the Catholic Mobilizing Network’s advocacy page and explore opportunities to participate in clemency advocacy, and work towards the abolition of the death penalty.


Prayer:


Merciful Father, we ask your blessing on all we do to build a culture of life. Hear our prayers for those impacted by the death penalty.

We pray for all people, that their lives and dignity as children of a loving God may be respected and protected in all stages and circumstances.

We pray for victims of violence and their families, that they may experience our love and support and find comfort in your compassion and in the promise of eternal life.

We pray for those on death row, that their lives may be spared, that the innocent may be freed and that the guilty may come to acknowledge their faults and seek reconciliation with you.

We pray for the families of those who are facing execution, that they may be comforted by your love and compassion.

We pray for civic leaders, that they may commit themselves to respecting every human life and ending the use of the death penalty in our land.

Compassionate Father, give us wisdom and hearts filled with your love. Guide us as we work to end the use of the death penalty and to build a society that truly chooses life in all situations.

We ask this Father through your Son Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

Amen.




Call Senator Andy Kim:

Washington, D.C. Office

Phone: (202) 224-4744

 

Barrington, NJ Office

Phone: (856) 757-5353


Jersey City, NJ Office

Phone: (201) 377-0900


Call Senator Cory Booker

Newark, NJ Office

Phone: (973) 639-8700


Camden, NJ Office

Phone: (856) 338-8922


Washington, D.C. Office

Phone: (202) 224-3224
 
 

Sisters of Charity | PO Box 476 | Convent Station, NJ 07961 US

Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice

Constant Contact