No Death Penalty

On the World Day Against the Death Penalty,  we and our Congregation around the world reiterate CCVI's opposition to the death penalty. ‘Nowadays the death penalty is inadmissible’ says our Pope Francis.

In the wake of the death of Sister Patricia Ann Kelley CCVI, who was raped and murdered in 1987, our courageous Sisters took a stand against the death penalty. Sister Dorothy Ettling the leader of the I.W. Sisters at that time said, "Such violence will never be conquered by a retaliation of violence in our own hearts."  

Pope Francis reminds us that nothing can justify the use of the death penalty, and there is no “right” way to humanely kill another person. He is building on church teaching, including pronouncements during John Paul II’s papacy, that modern prison systems make executions unnecessary. Capital punishment “does not render justice to the victims but rather fosters vengeance”, Francis added.

So, today we are invited to remember the Pope's call: ‘all Christians and people of good faith are therefore called upon today to fight, not only for the abolition of the death penalty – whether it is legal or illegal in all its forms – but also to improve the conditions of incarceration to ensure that the human dignity of those deprived of their freedom is respected.'