“Charity is certainly
greater than any rule.
Moreover, all rules
must lead to charity.”

Death Penalty Priority Issue

SC Congregational Stand on the Death Penalty

As a Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, we believe that the death penalty should be abolished in the United States in law and in practice. October 2000

Catholic Social Teaching on the Death Penalty

According to Catholic Social Teaching – Rights and Responsibilities, the Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities – to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.

On August 1, 2018, Pope Francis approved a new revision of paragraph number 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, according to which “a new understanding has emerged of the significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state,” thus, “the death penalty is inadmissible.”

Local Organizations to Partner with:

• Ohioans to Stop Executions (OTSE): https://otse.org/

Action Fall 2023: Support the NoDeathPenaltyOH campaign: https://nodeathpenaltyoh.com/

National Organizations:

• Catholic Mobilizing Network: https://catholicsmobilizing.org/death-penalty
• Equal Justice Initiative: https://eji.org/issues/death-penalty/

Books on the Topic to Read:

• Just Mercy by BrIyan Stevenson
• Dead Man Walking by Sr. Helen Prejean (https://www.sisterhelen.org/)

Connect with Mackenzie Doyle, doyle@srcharitycinti.org, if you would like more information about this issue.

Sign Up here to be involved in Faith Week to push to end the Death Penalty in Ohio:

• Faith Week and Day of Prayer to End Ohio’s Death Penalty (nodeathpenaltyoh.com)

Updates on Abolishing the Death Penalty in Ohio:

On Dec. 15, Senate Bill 101, one of two bills in the Ohio Legislature to end the death penalty in Ohio, had its second of four hearings. This hearing was for proponent testimony. Sister Sally Duffy and Mackenzie Doyle were in attendance. A list of people who wrote written testimony can be found here .

It will be a while until the third hearing for either bill – Senate Bill 101 or House Bill 259. In the meantime you can take the following actions:

Send your Legislators (House and Senate) copies of this: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/send-this-clevelandcom-article-to-your-lawmaker (A press release from Crime Victims’ Families urging them to end the death penalty) and this article detailing Gary Mohr’s, the former director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, testimony in support for death penalty abolition: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/send-this-toledo-blade-article-to-your-lawmaker (Full Article Here).

You can also write letters to representatives on the House Finance Committee who are on the fence in terms of death penalty abolition: CLICK HERE for a list of representatives.

Chairperson Rep. Edwards:  Rep94@ohiohouse.gov
Rep. Carruthers: Rep47@ohiohouse.gov
Rep. Robb-Blasdel: Rep79@ohiohouse.gov
Rep. Manning: Rep52@ohiohouse.gov