Capital Punishment
The Latest
There's no excuse for it: Pope Francis on the death penalty
In a video message sent Wednesday to a gathering of advocates for abolition of the death penalty, Pope Francis welcomed... Read more
Executions in the US are falling dramatically. Why?
Executions in the United States fell to the lowest number in decades in 2015, and recent Popes may have helped... Read more
Ahead of Florida execution, bishops renew calls against death penalty
Stressing that capital punishment is not necessary in the modern-day U.S., Florida’s Catholic bishops have asked the state governor to... Read more
Pope appeals for life of Georgia death row inmate, but parole board rejects
The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles has declined to commute the death sentence of a local woman scheduled to... Read more
It's not over yet: Nebraska bishops, Catholics continue to fight death penalty
Nebraska’s three Catholic bishops have asked all people of goodwill to continue to fight the death penalty, after it won... Read more
Bishop Conley asks for prayers as Nebraska legislators vote on death penalty (Updated)
As the Nebraska Legislature considers overriding the state governor's veto of a bill that would repeal the death penalty, the... Read more
Nebraska bishops praise move to repeal death penalty
Nebraska’s Catholic bishops on Wednesday praised the Nebraska legislature’s veto-proof vote to end the death penalty, saying capital punishment “cannot... Read more
Nun asks jury for mercy, to spare Boston bomber's life
In the defense’s final move to save the life of convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Sister Helen Prejean asked... Read more
Virginia bishops on the death penalty: We're having the wrong debate
As discussions surrounding a “more humane” death penalty in the United States continue, the two Catholic bishops of Virginia have... Read more
Is Oklahoma's use of lethal injection cruel and unusual?
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in a case challenging the use of the lethal injection in the... Read more
Bullets or needles? Death penalty faces new scrutiny as states mull changes
Firing squads, gas chambers and the electric chair – these types of execution may seem like methods of the past,... Read more
Pope Francis: No matter what the crime, 'the death penalty is inadmissible'
Regardless of the crime that has been committed, capital punishment is unacceptable in the modern world, Pope Francis stressed in... Read more
'Capital punishment must end' – Catholic publications unite in rare joint statement
Four U.S. Catholic publications with a broad range of audiences have come together in a joint editorial citing Church leaders... Read more
Archbishop Chaput applauds Penn. governor for halt to death penalty
Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia has welcomed Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf's decision on Friday to effectively establish a moratorium on... Read more
Jail, not death: appropriate punishment according to Australia's bishops
With two of their nationals on Indonesia's death row over drug trafficking offenses, the Australian bishops are appealing to the... Read more
Bishops use Supreme Court case to call for death penalty abolition
Several bishops in the U.S. have welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to re-examine death penalty protocols, and have called for... Read more
Court commended for staying execution of mentally ill man
The Catholic bishops in Texas thanked a federal appeals court for issuing a stay of execution for mentally ill inmate... Read more
Texas Catholics to governor: Don't execute mentally ill man
The Texas Catholic Conference has called on governor Rick Perry to stay the execution of mentally ill death row inmate... Read more
Pope calls for end to death penalty out of respect for human dignity
Pope Francis called for the abolition of capital punishment during a speech on Thursday, as well as all forms of... Read more
Asia Bibi's death sentence sparks outrage from Pakistan's Christians
The Lahore High Court's rejection on Thursday of Asia Bibi's appeal against her death sentence, passed by a lower court,... Read more
