Death penalty has been used in United States of America since 1608. During its early years, even minor offenses can be executed for stealing grapes, killing chickens, and Indian trading. What is worth noting is that this is a practice that has been inherited from European justice system which used to include punishment for marrying a Jew, stealing, cutting down a tree, robbing a rabbit warren, and wearing black face at night.
Over time, the questions of ethics of death penalty have been put forward and it became limited to more serious crimes. Eventually, Britain abolished death penalty on November 8, 1965. In 1983, the Protocol 6 to the European Convention banned the death penalty for all domestic offenses. In 2002, Protocol 13 abolished the death penalty in all circumstances in EU with its argument that it is a violation of the right to life and right to freedom from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.
There are 27 states out of 50 in United States still use death penalty as part of its justice system including California, Pennsylvannia, Oregon and Ohio that halted their executions.
Pope Leo XIV has affirmed the church’s teachings against death penalty in his interview on September 30, 2025. The Pope highlighted the complexity of life issues and encouraged conversations among citizens and Catholics. He reiterated the respect for all life which includes the immigrants and those in death row. He stated that
"Somebody who says I'm against abortion but says I'm in favor of the death penalty is not really pro-life."
The Pro-Life movement by the Catholics in the United States of America is normally, if not always, focused on anti-abortion. This is known to be abused as a political tool by candidates during elections. Though pro-life supports protection of life, this movement does not traditionally mention or include the abolishment of death penalty, protection of migrants, and Care for Our Common Home that addresses climate crisis affecting millions of lives globally.
A recent Community Cafe sponsored by Catholic Mobilizing Network on "Unsticking Sticky Situations: Navigating Tensions and Conflict in Circle Process" on January 23 gave tips on how to have courageous and yet courteous approach on difficult topics through circle process. The Circle Process (CP) may be used for Death Penalty or any divisive or sensitive topics that a group of people may want to have a conversation:
⭐️Be present and listen so others feel valued.
⭐️Honor time and share space equally.
⭐️Speak from your experience, with the group in mind.
⭐️Stay curious—reflect, grow, and welcome new perspectives.
⭐️Refrain from fixing; enter with humility.
⭐️Share the learnings, not the stories—respect others’ identities.
This CP deserves a respect for the above guidelines. The answer does not have to be from the guardian but from the collective wisdom in the circle. It is suggested for the CP to have a guardian who will ring the bell in heated conversation or when needed. Then, the guardian will invite all participants to wait for a minute to 2 minutes of silence instead of using the word “Stop”. After the pause, the guardian will invite all to go deeper by integrating the emotion into the next phase. A question may be asked by the guardian: What inner work helps me to be grounded? The participants are to be trusting and have the willingness to let go. The final stage is the acknowledgment of the points learned, heard, appreciated, and the commitments if there are any.
There are 17 death row inmates scheduled for execution in 2026 in United States with Charles Thompson scheduled for execution in Texas on January 28, 2026. The primary mode of execution for most states is lethal injection. Other alternative modes of execution are lethal gas and electrocution. Idaho has firing squad and South Carolina has electrocution as primary mode of execution, different from other states. Death row inmates schedule of execution:
- Feb 10: Ronald Heath in Florida
- Feb 12: Kendrick Simpson in Oklahoma
- Mar 11: Cecric Ricks in Texas
- Apr 30: James Broadnax in Texas
- May 14: Edward Busby in Texas
- May 20: Leroy McGill in Arizona
- May 21: Tony Carruthers in Tennessee
- Jun 17: Gerald Hand in Ohio
- Jul 17: Cleveland Jackson in Ohio
- Jul 22: Danny Hill in Ohio
- Aug 13: Anthony Darrell Dugard Hines in Tennessee
- Aug 19: James D. O'Neal in Ohio
- Sep 30: Christa Pike in Tennesse
- Oct 21: Jerome Henderson in Ohio
- Nov 18: Melvin D. Bonnell Jr. in Ohio
- Dec 3: Gary Wayne Sutton in Tennessee
Pray, discern, and take actions on your role in the life of the death row inmates above.
For latest updates on executions refer to: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/upcoming-executions
US Conference of Catholic Bishops on death penalty abolition
Upcoming Events:
Conversations in Communion on January 28 3PM EST
Introduction to Restorative Justice Workshop on February 11 6PM EST
Conversations in Communion for Women Religious February 12 12NN ET - March 5 3PM ET
Bryan Stevenson at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth courtesy of Brite Divinity School’s Center for Theology and Justice, in collaboration with TCU’s Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, presents The 2nd Annual Dream Justice Event on Monday, February 23, 2026, at 6:00pm CST. Bryan Stevenson is a founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative. The event is free and open to the public. Register here.
Read More:
