Resources for Responding to the Death Penalty
"Nowadays, in America as elsewhere in the world, a model of society appears to be emerging in which the powerful predominate, setting aside and even eliminating the powerless: I am thinking here of unborn children, helpless victims of abortion; the elderly and incurably ill, subjected at times to euthanasia; and the many other people relegated to the margins of society by consumerism and materialism. Nor can I fail to mention the unnecessary recourse to the death penalty when other bloodless means are sufficient to defend human lives against an aggressor and to protect public order and the safety of persons. Today, given the means at the State's disposal to deal with crime and control those who commit it, without abandoning all hope of their redemption, the cases where it is absolutely necessary to do away with an offender are now very rare, even non-existent practically. This model of society bears the stamp of the culture of death, and is therefore in opposition to the Gospel message. Faced with this distressing reality, the Church community intends to commit itself all the more to the defense of the culture of life." (Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia in America, 1999.)
For more information on the Death Penalty, please contact the Diocesan Department of Social Concerns at (614) 241-2540 or socmailbox@colsdioc.org.
Evangelium
Vitae – The Gospel of Life
Ecclesia
in America – The Church in America
No
Peace Without Justice - No Justice Without Forgiveness:
Message of His Holiness Pope John Paul II for the Celebration of the 2002
World Day of Peace
Angelus, December 12, 1999 - Pope John Paul II
Statements by the Holy Father on the Death Penalty
The
Death Penalty and the Catechism
Declaration of the Holy See to the First World Congress on the Death Penalty
United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops Resources
USCCB
Resources on the Death Penalty
Bishops'
Statements on the Death Penalty by State
A
Good Friday Appeal to End the Death Penalty
1980 USCCB Statement on the Death Penalty
Brief
Amici Curiae of the United States Catholic Conference and Other Religious
USCCB
Spotlight on the Death Penalty
The
Gospel of Life and the Sentence of Death: Catholic Teaching on Capital
Punishment
Bulletin
Inserts on the Death Penalty
Ecumenical Statements on the Death Penalty
Information
about the Federal Death Penalty and Federal Executions
Faithful Citizenship: Civic Responsibility for a New Millennium
Sharing
Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions
Pastoral
Plan for Pro-Life Activities: A
Campaign in Support of Life
Archbishop
Joseph L. Bernardin - Statement on Capital Punishment
Statement
of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' President on the Execution of Timothy
McVeigh
Archbishop
Daniel M. Buechlein - Statement on the Execution of Timothy Mcveigh
Statement
of Cardinal Roger Mahony
and Cardinal William Keeler on the Execution of Timothy McVeigh
Catholic
Conference of Ohio Resources
Statement
on “The Consistent Ethic of Life”
Statement on Shortening Death Penalty Appeal Procedures
Catholic
Update - The Death Penalty: Why
the Church Speaks a Countercultural Message
Scripture
from Scratch - Respect Life: The Bible and the Death Penalty Today
National
Association
Catholics Against Capital
Punishment
Death Penalty
Information Center
Death
Penalty Related Web Sites
United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops
Office of
Government Liaison (USCCB)
** Although sincere efforts have been made to offer links only to other Websites whose content is faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Columbus Diocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry is not responsible for the content of other Websites accessible by link (s) from this Website. **