Parish Resources
On The Death Penalty
Prepared by: Human Rights Commission Diocese of Toledo 2008
3/11/2008 1 Table of Contents
Resources for Death Penalty Education in Parishes
Introduction of Packet by HRC explaining Packet of Materials 3
Informational Bulletin Fill-Ins 4
Ideas for Use in Initiation, Preaching or Religious Education 7
Prayer Resources 15 Litany for an End to the Death Penalty A Service of Hope: A Prayer Service on the Occasion of an Execution Prayer Vigil for Victims of Gun Violence A Vigil of Witness against Capital Punishment: Signing the Declaration of Life
Additional Recommended Resources 30 Books Catholic Resources/Documents Videos Speakers Websites
3/11/2008 2
Greetings of Peace!
This packet is intended to provide parishes with a set of resources and tools to educate and inspire our communities to look at how we think about the death penalty and study what the Catholic Church teaches on the issue.
In recent years the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops has taken a public stand to end the use of the death penalty. Included in this packet are some basic resources from the Catechism, Encyclicals, our bishops’ statements and the Catholic social tradition. We have put together homily helps, short bulletin inserts, sample prayer services, and additional resources to aid you in reaching out to your parish community.
If you have questions or would like additional information, feel free to contact the Diocesan Human Rights Commission through Ms. Germaine Kirk, Diocesan liaison to the Human Rights Commission: 419 – 244-6711, ext. 431 or [email protected].
Peace of Christ,
The Diocese of Toledo Human Rights Commission
CHAIR: Tom McDonald, PAST CHAIR: Sr. Sharon Havelak, VICE CHAIR: Lynne Lukach, SECRETARY: Louise Sarra COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Diane Frazee, Kitty Kruse, Cathy Manghelli, Sr. Paulette Schroeder
FORMER COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Erin Battistoni, Dr. Sharon Heuschele and John VanDerLaar
3/11/2008 3
INFORMATIONAL BULLETIN FILL-INS
The following excerpts from various documents are designed to be used in bulletins. This is a simple but effective way to help Catholics learn about the Church’s teaching on the death penalty. Below a sampling of quotes are provided for your reference. The Compendium of Catholic Social Doctrine is also an excellent place to draw from for quotations. Providing a range of quotations over time can help build the interest and deepen the understanding of parishioners.
3/11/2008 4 The efforts of the state to curb the spread of behavior harmful to people’s rights and to the basic rules of civil society correspond to the requirement of safeguarding the common good. Legitimate public authority has the right and the duty to inflict punishment proportionate to the gravity of the offense. Punishment has the primary aim of redressing the disorder introduced by the offense. When it is willingly accepted by the guilty party, it assumes the value of expiation. Punishment then, in addition to defending public order and protecting people’s safety, has a medicinal purpose: as far as possible, it must contribute to the correction of the guilty party.
-Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, No. 2266
Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.
If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people’s safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity with the dignity of the human person.
Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm – without definitively taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself – the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity “are very rare, if not practically non-existent.” -Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, No. 2267
Pope John Paul II asserted that punishment “ought not go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society. Today, however, as a result of steady improvements in the organization of the penal system, such cases are very rare, if not practically non-existent.” -- Pope John Paul II, The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae), no. 56, 1995.
The new evangelization calls for followers of Christ who are unconditionally pro-life: who will proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of life in every situation. A sign of hope is the increasing recognition that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without…denying criminals the chance to reform. I renew the appeal I made…for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary.
--Pope John Paul II, January, 1999, St. Louis, Missouri
3/11/2008 5 We oppose capital punishment not just for what it does to those guilty of horrible crimes but for what it does to all of us as a society. Increasing reliance on the death penalty diminishes all of us and is a sign of growing disrespect for human life. We cannot overcome crime by simply executing criminals, nor can we restore the lives of the innocent by ending the lives of those convicted of their murders. The death penalty offers the tragic illusion that we can defend life by taking life.
--USCCB, A Good Friday Appeal to End the Death Penalty, 1999
Capital punishment is cruel, unnecessary, and arbitrary; it often has racial overtones; and it fails to live up to our deep conviction that all human life is sacred. Our witness to respect for life shines most brightly when we demand respect for each and every human life, including the lives of those who fail to show that respect for others. The antidote to violence is love, not more violence.
--USCCB, Responsibility, Rehabilitation and Restoration, 2001
Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, each person’s life and dignity must be respected, whether that person is an innocent unborn child in a mother’s womb, whether that person worked in the World Trade Center or a market in Baghdad, or even whether that person is a convicted criminal on death row. We believe that every human life is sacred from conception to natural death.
--USCCB, Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, p.13; November 2003
Today, there is a serious re-examination of the death penalty—its fairness and effective- ness, its social and moral dimensions. We renew our common conviction that it is time for our nation to abandon the illusion that we can protect life by taking life. Ending the use of the death penalty would be one important step away from a culture of death toward a culture of life. -USCCB, A Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death, 2005
In Ohio and elsewhere, offenders who kill a white person are twice as likely to be sentenced to death than if they kill a person of color. Additionally, the death penalty is more expensive than life imprisonment. The cost of a single death penalty case from arrest to execution ranges from $1 million to $7 million. The average cost for life imprisonment in Ohio is around $500,000. --Catholic Conference of Ohio, 2006 Fact Sheet
Instead of extending the “culture of death” further across our society, we urge our fellow citizens to heed the words of Jesus, who ordered His follower to return his sword to its sheath (John 18:12). --Wisconsin Catholic Conference, A Letter to Catholics in Wisconsin on the Death Penalty from Most Rev. Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of Milwaukee, Most Rev. Robert Morlino, Bishop of Madison; Most Rev. Raphael M. Fliss, Bishop of Superior; Most Rev. David Zubik, Bishop of Green Bay; Most Rev. Jerome Listecki, Bishop of LaCrosse, November 2006.
3/11/2008 6
IDEAS FOR USE IN INITIATION, PREACHING, OR
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
In their document Communities of Salt and Light: Reflection on the Social Mission of the Parish, the U.S. Bishops state:
The Church teaches that social justice is an integral part of evangelization, a constitutive dimension of preaching the Gospel, and an essential part of the Church’s mission.
Mary Birmingham, in Word and Worship Workbook for Year A writes, "If this is true, it follows that justice is at the very heart of the Gospel. The Hebrew understanding of justice (hesed) is right relationship. To be in right relationship with God means that one must show care and concern for God’s anawim—the poor, the powerless, widows, orphans, and the marginalized” (p. 3).
We invite you to examine the attached Scripture references through the lens of the death penalty issue. Admittedly, the death penalty is a hard thing to look at, because for many people it is a very emotionally charged issue. Others may be uncertain where they stand on this issue. Our culture takes us in one direction, but Christ calls us in another direction.
The following notes are some reflections on Scripture that can be used for ministry in the initiation process, in preaching, and in religious education. As we begin to read the scriptures in light of the social teachings of the Church we are sure to find many more passages that challenge our view of the world and our relationship with God, others and creation.
Communities of Salt and Light: Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish. Washington: NCCB, 1993, 1-3
3/11/2008 7 YEAR A
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (A)
Summary and questions for reflection:
Mt 5:1-12a The Beatitudes We are called to be like God. We are to love our enemy because that is what God does. The need to control our world often keeps us from encountering the God Who cares for us. (Vol. A, p. 374) When we demand the life of another person as punishment for some crime committed, are we not trying to control our world and control God Himself? The opposite of meekness is violence (p. 374). Even when carried out by the State, is not the taking of a human life an act of violence? We are to love one another with the love that God bestows on us. God demands this justice. Every human being is created in God’s image (p. 374). [No exceptions.] Does not justice insist that all be treated with basic human dignity? Is there anyone who is not created in God’s image? Mercy demands that we as Christians offer to every living creature the same compassion and love that Jesus offers. Mercy begets mercy (p.374, f). If we believe that Jesus forgives us, how can we refuse to forgive a brother or sister who has sinned against us? Jesus lived His life by the Beatitudes. We are to imitate His life. He lived a life of love and extended that love to those in the culture seen as unlovable (p. 375). Whom does our culture see as unlovable? How would Jesus have us extend love to those on death row? Those serving a life sentence? How can we bring peace to the family of someone on death row?
General intercession:
For those who in our society are seen as unlovable, that we will treat them as Jesus would, we pray to the Lord.
3/11/2008 8 SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER (A)
Summary and questions for reflection:
Jn 20:19-31 Jesus reveals Himself to Thomas Jesus said to Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Where can it be difficult to see Jesus? Is it hard to see him in the poor, the foreigner, or the criminal? Can we still believe that He is present in every person and treat them accordingly?
General intercession:
For those whom society has rejected, that we will see Christ in them, we pray.
TENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)
Summary and questions for reflection: Mt 9:9-13 The call of Matthew Matthew, a tax collector and sinner, followed the Lord immediately when the Lord called him. He did not hesitate. There was no demand for a sign of his sincerity or repentance (p. 418).
Christians are also called to follow Christ. All people are sinners, but Jesus dines with everyone. He calls, invites, and challenges. Is Christ perhaps calling you to welcome the sinner? Are you being invited to reach out to the homeless or the migrant worker? Are you being challenged to forgive the person who sits on death row?
General intercession: That we may forgive as Jesus forgives us, we pray to the Lord.
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)
Summary and questions for reflection:
1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 The Wisdom of Solomon “Because you did not ask for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right -- I give you a wise heart.” Rather than ask for the death of a criminal, wouldn’t it be better if we asked God for understanding so that we may know what is right?
General intercession:
That, like Solomon, we ask for wise and understanding hearts, rather than the life of our enemies, we pray to the Lord.
Birmingham, Mary. Word and Worship Workbook for Year A. New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1999.
3/11/2008 9 YEAR B
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (B)
Summary and questions for reflection:
Ex 20:1-17 The Commandments God is the One who inflicts punishment and rewards faithfulness. Fifth commandment: You shall not kill. Does God make any exceptions to this commandment? Does He say, “You shall not kill unless the person you are killing has killed someone else”? 1Cor 1:22-25 The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom. You can probably think of numerous examples in which our culture says one thing is wise, but our faith says something quite different: Outsource your company’s work so you can have a wider profit margin, vs. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Keep the illegal aliens out of our country, vs. “When I was a stranger you welcomed me.” Get tough on crime by killing those who kill others, vs. “Let he who is sinless cast the first stone.”
General intercessions:
For legislators, that their laws reflect the dignity of God’s presence in all creation, we pray to the Lord.
For those without work, and those whose work or salary is unfair, that they receive just employment and a fair wage, we pray to the Lord.
SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (B)
Summary and questions for reflection:
1 Jn 4:7-10 “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God.” Love of one another is the sure test of a person’s love for God (Vol. B, p.395). What would be a test of your love for God? Loving the coworker who is disrespectful to you? Loving the relative or neighbor whose religious or political views are the opposite of yours? Forgiving the person who sits on death row for the murder of a child?
Jn 15:9-17 Today’s gospel is a strong word of encouragement to martyrs and disciples of all ages who suffer and struggle to live the Gospel and the command to love selflessly (p. 399). Do you have the courage and selflessness to really forgive someone from the heart?
General intercession: That this Christian community be a living sign of God’s love for all people, we pray to the Lord.
3/11/2008 10
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)
Summary and questions for reflection:
Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24 God does not rejoice in the destruction of the living. Does God want the death of a young soldier in another country? Does God want His beloved children to suffer spiritual death as a result of abuse or neglect? Does God want the earth and all that is living and good to be destroyed by selfishness and greed? Does God want innocent people to die as a result of poverty, famine, genocide and war? Does God want the death of a person who has committed a capital crime? Shouldn’t we want what God wants?
General intercessions:
For an end to all actions that destroy creation, we pray to the Lord.
That the people of God give an example of gospel values, we pray to the Lord.
Birmingham, Mary. Word and Worship Workbook for Year B. New Jersey: Paulist Press, 2000
3/11/2008 11 YEAR C
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (C)
Summary and questions for reflection: Lk 3:1-3 God’s salvation is inclusive of all people. John the Baptist called for nothing less than a complete metanoia, a turning away from sin and a turning toward the God who transforms and heals (Vol. C, p. 54). Do I truly believe that God came to save all people? the people I do not get along with at work? those I fundamentally disagree with? those living with disabilities or mental illness? those in prison, including those on death row?
General intercession: That we will accept all people, including those in prison and on death row, as being saved by God, we pray to the Lord.
MARY, MOTHER OF GOD (January 1)
Summary and questions for reflection:
LK 2:16-21 Peace is offered freely for all people, equally. Peace implies wholeness, all things in right relationship, harmony. This is understood in terms of our relationship to the human race, to one another, to the stranger, the lost, the alien, the misfit, and the outcast (p. 95). Who is considered lost, alien, misfit and outcast today? Is it the couple who endangered their own children’s lives by manufacturing drugs in their own home? Is it those who stand up for justice and who are silenced? Is it the illegal immigrant who only wants to provide for his family? Is it the prisoner who sits on death row?
General intercession:
For wholeness for the lost, the foreigner, the misfit, and the outcast, especially those who sit on death row, that they will know peace and wholeness, we pray to the Lord.
3/11/2008 12 FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT (C)
Summary and questions for reflection:
John 8:1-11 Jesus forgives the woman caught in adultery. The situation at hand concerned a married woman caught in adultery and the law’s demand that she be stoned, but Jesus forgave her (p. 172). Who are the people in God’s family that we judge? Our siblings? Our neighbors? Someone we read about in the newspaper? Perhaps people who have committed certain crimes and await the death penalty?
Today, if Jesus were to pardon someone, would He be accused of being soft on crime?
General intercession:
For those convicted of a crime punishable by death, that we will forgive as Jesus did, we pray to the Lord.
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (C)
Summary and questions for reflection:
Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35 The final sentence is for all Christians in every age: “This is how all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” It is ultimate challenge and ultimate comfort (Rosser, p. 178). We are called to love as God loves. How are we doing when it comes to: The unborn? The elderly? Our gay sisters and brothers? The immigrant? The criminal? People who live in countries that oppose our American “values”?
General intercession:
That by our love for those who are least loved in society, everyone will know us as disciples of Jesus, we pray to the Lord.
3/11/2008 13 SEVENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (C)
Summary and questions for reflection:
1 Sam 26 David could have killed his enemy, Saul, but realized instead that the Lord will reward each man for his justice and faithfulness. David was not about to usurp Yahweh’s right to vengeance (p. 371). Often in our society vengeance is seen as our right. When a classmate says or does something I don’t like. When a person commits a capital crime. When a country does not act in the way that the world’s power brokers want.
Luke 6:27-38 Today’s passage includes a series of sayings of Jesus that ultimately emphasize two points: Christians are to love their enemies and are to be generous in their response to others. Jesus articulates a need to go beyond what is expected. Even sinners love those who love them in return. There is nothing heroic in that. However, it is truly heroic to love when love is not returned.
Jesus exhorts the people against "getting even." Rather than retaliate for wrongdoing they are to respond in a non-violent way. They are to love and pray for their enemy (p. 373). Whom do I view as my enemy? Is it a fellow parishioner with a different vision of Church and parish? Is it the neighbor released from jail or prison? Is it the neighbor whose son or daughter is on death row?
General Intercession:
That we as Christians will resist the universal urge to retaliate, and instead respond in non- violent ways, we pray to the Lord.
Birmingham, Mary. Word and Worship Workbook for Year C. New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1998
3/11/2008 14
PRAYER RESOURCES
The following prayer services are included for parishes to use as resources. Each is copyrighted and used here with permission. If your parish would like to reprint them for distribution, you must contact the publisher for permission.
There are many prayer resources available; the ones contained in this packet are intended to give you a sampling. Feel free to contact the Human Rights Commission members if you would like assistance with planning a prayer vigil in your parish.
3/11/2008 15 Litany for an End to the Death Penalty
“We oppose capital punishment not just for what it does to those guilty of horrible crimes, but for what it does to all of us as a society. Increasing reliance on the death penalty diminishes all of us and is a sign of growing disrespect for human life. We cannot overcome crime by simply executing criminals, nor can we restore the lives of the innocent by ending the lives of those convicted of their murders. The death penalty offers the tragic illusion that we can defend life by taking life.” (USCCB, Good Friday Appeal to End the Death Penalty, April 2, 1999)
Leader: God of Life, we come before you recognizing that our acquiescence to the death penalty has degraded all of society. By allowing the disrespect of the human life of one criminal, we have weakened our respect for the dignity of the lives of all people.
By infringing on the right to life of one of your children, we have infringed on the rights of all human citizens of this world.
We are a broken society. The fabric of our society is pulled and torn from all directions as the voices of the world tempt us to give in to hate, to seek revenge, and to disrespect human life. Let us stand with the Catholic Bishops and Popes, past and present, and defend life by preserving it in all its forms.
We pray for our society, that it may be transformed to truly respect the dignity of the human person, and in doing so, respect the dignity of life in all of society. We pray to the Lord… All: God of Life, hear our prayer. Leader: We pray for all elected officials, that they may govern with compassion and create policies that promote life instead of death and reconciliation instead of hate. We pray to the Lord… All: God of Life, hear our prayer. Leader: For all victims of terrible crimes and their families, that they may experience healing and God’s love during a very difficult time. We pray to the Lord… All: God of Life, hear our prayer. Leader: For the prison system, that we might work to transform it into a system of restoration and healing. We pray to the Lord… All: God of Life, hear our prayer. Leader: For all prison employees, that they may respect prisoners as fellow human beings and encourage them on their journey of transformation and growth. We pray to the Lord… All: God of Life, hear our prayer.
3/11/2008 16 Leader: For all prisoners, that they may have the courage not to become embittered or hopeless, and that they may seek what is life-giving. We pray to the Lord… All: God of Life, hear our prayer. Leader: For all on death row, that they might find comfort in God and in the work of so many to prevent future killings of criminals. We pray to the Lord… All: God of Life, hear our prayer. Leader: That all may be saved from cruel and unusual punishment, and that this treatment may be seen as incompatible with the dignity of human persons and be finally abolished. We pray to the Lord. All: God of Life, hear our prayer. Leader: We pray for the strength, in the midst of many societal voices that encourage us to seek revenge, that we will instead follow the Catholic Bishops, who stated, “we must commit ourselves to a persistent and principled witness against the death penalty, against a culture of death, and for the Gospel of Life.” We pray to the Lord… All: God of Life, hear our prayer. Leader: God of Life, transform our spirits and melt the hardness in our hearts. Inspire us to work for justice. Inspire us to be healers of society and reconcilers of people. Help us to uphold life. All: Amen.
Used with permission from the Education for Justice explicitly for this packet created by the Human Rights Commission Diocese of Toledo. All others must secure own permission for use of material from Education for Justice, Education for Justice Project, Center of Concern, 1225 Otis St NE, Washington DC 20017, Tel: 202-635-2757 x131 or www.educationforjustice.org.
3/11/2008 17 A Service of Hope: A Prayer Service on the Occasion of an Execution
One large Candle of Life should be lit at the beginning of the prayer service. There should be six smaller unlit candles nearby.
Welcome (Informally welcome people, including presiders and musicians, invite and set the (Leader 1) tone for the service. If it is a small group, you may want to invite people to introduce themselves to one another.)
Suggested Opening Hymn: “World Peace Prayer” Verses and tune by Marty Haugen; Refrain by Satish Kumas. Found in Gather by GIA Publications, Inc., 1994, #732.
Call to Prayer Leader 1: Loving God, be with us tonight as we gather to pray for all those affected by violence.
We pray for (name the victim/s of the person to be executed) and all victims of violence. (Light one candle from the Candle of Life.)
We pray for healing for their families and friends. Comfort and heal all those whose loved ones have died through violence. (Light one candle from the Candle of Life.)
We pray for (name person to be executed) who, himself/herself, will die a violent death through execution. (Light one candle from the Candle of Life.)
We pray for his/her family and friends, for their comfort and consolation. (Light one candle from the Candle of Life.)
We pray especially for all others on death row across the country. (Light one candle from the Candle of Life.)
Help our nation and each of us to turn from revenge to forgiveness and unconditional love. Bring an end to the death penalty in this country. We ask this in the name of our loving and forgiving God. (Light one candle from the Candle of Life.)
All: Amen.
Prayer of Confession Leader 2: We recognize that the death penalty is part of the violence in our society. We beg forgiveness for state-sanctioned killings by execution and for all acts of violence. We acknowledge the violence we perpetuate in our world: providing weapons, imposing crushing debt payments, withholding food from governments we call “enemies.”
All: Forgive us our sin.
3/11/2008 18 Leader 2: We acknowledge the violence within our country: allowing millions of children and elderly to live in hunger and without homes or shelter, depriving the sick of adequate health care, imprisoning and executing racial minorities in disproportionate numbers.
All: Forgive us our sin.
Leader 2: We acknowledge the violence in our communities and homes: battering and neglecting children and abusing women, discriminating against minorities, destroying our environment, building walls of anger and hatred.
All: Forgive us our sin.
Leader 2: We invite you to name the acts of violence that lie heavy on your heart.
(After all have had a chance to respond, leader leads response.)
All: Forgive us our sinfulness, O God. Heal us of the wounds that afflict our society and us. Empower us to erase the hatred and violence that continue to scourge people and creation. Empower those of us gathered here to continue our efforts to work for an end to the death penalty.
Leader 2: (Invite all to be seated).
Reader 1: In their statement, A Culture of Life and the Death Penalty (November 2005), the U.S. Catholic Bishops proclaimed: “As leaders of a community of faith and as participants in our democracy, we are committed to contribute to a growing civil dialogue and reassessment of the use of this ultimate punishment. The death penalty arouses deep passions and strong convictions. People of goodwill disagree. In these reflections, we offer neither judgment nor condemnation but instead encourage engagement and dialogue, which we hope may lead to re-examination and conversion. Our goal is not just to proclaim a position, but to persuade Catholics and others to join us in working to end the use of the death penalty. We seek to help build a culture of life in which our nation will no longer try to teach that killing is wrong by killing those who kill. This cycle of violence diminishes all of us.” (Silence)
Suggested Sung Response: “World Peace Prayer” refrain only
Reader 2: Bud Welch, advocate against the death penalty, notes: “On the morning of April 19, 1995, my daughter, Julie Marie, went to St. Charles Borromeo for Mass at seven o’clock. At eight o’clock, she went to work at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, where a 5,000-pound fertilizer bomb was detonated, killing Julie. “My conviction is simple: More violence is not what Julie would have wanted. More violence will not bring Julie back. More violence only makes our society more violent.” (Silence)
Suggested Sung Response: “World Peace Prayer” refrain only
3/11/2008 19 Reader 3: In their 1998 statement, Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics, the U.S. Bishops wrote:
“Our witness to respect for life shines most brightly when we demand respect for each and every human life, including the lives of those who fail to show respect for others. The antidote to violence is love, not more violence.” (Silence)
Suggested Sung Response: “World Peace Prayer” refrain only
Reader 4: Matthew 5:43-48
You have learned how it was said, “You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way, you will be children of your Father in heaven, for He causes His sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and His rain to fall on the honest and dishonest alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greeting for your sisters and brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Silence)
Suggested Sung Response: “World Peace Prayer” refrain only
Closing Prayer: Leader 1: We live in a time of darkness. Many lives have been ended violently and senselessly. We remember the victims, especially (name victim), and those executed in retaliation, especially (Name person who is to be executed), since the restitution of the death penalty.
(Two candles are extinguished. The Candle of Life remains burning.)
Leader 2: But darkness has not triumphed. Death and suffering are not to triumph over life. Revenge and anger shall not triumph over forgiveness and love. We pray that God will bless us, and go before us in the flame of these candles that we carry in our hearts as reminders of our burning desire to be co-creators of peace and justice in our world.
All depart in silence.
This prayer was adapted from a prayer service in Our Prayers Rise like Incense: Liturgies for Peace, published by Pax Christi USA, 532 W. 8th Street, Erie PA 16502, 814-453-4955, www.paxchristiusa.org. Used with permission explicitly for this packet created by the Human Rights Commission Diocese of Toledo. All others must secure their own permission for use of material.
3/11/2008 20 Prayer Vigil for Victims of Gun Violence
Call to Prayer Leader: By gathering for a brief prayer vigil, we will stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers against those who destroy our city by destroying its citizens. Whenever someone is killed, we are all affected. Whenever the life of one member of our body is extinguished, we all suffer.
Opening Scripture: Romans 8: 31-39
Response: Psalm 23 All: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; He refreshes my soul. He guides me in the right paths For His name’s sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff That give me courage.
You spread a table before me In the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; My cup overflows. Only goodness and kindness follow me All the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord For years to come.
Prayers of the Gathered Community Leader: I invite you now to offer any prayers that are in your heart.
(After each prayer, the leader closes with “God in your Mercy” to which the group responds “Hear our prayer.”
Suggested “We Shall Overcome” Song: Found in Journeysongs, Second Edition, OCP Publications, 2003; #842 – text and music: Traditional. Found in Glory & Praise, Second Edition, OCP Publications, 1997; #556 – text and music: Spiritual. Found in Gather Comprehensive, GIA Publications, 1994; #724 – text and tune adapted by Zilphia Horton, Frank Hamilton, Guy Carawan and Pete Seeger.
Suggested We shall overcome (someday) verses: We shall live in peace (someday) We shall live in hope (today)
3/11/2008 21 Closing Ritual Leader: As we listen to the words of the one who saw the coming of a new heaven and a new earth, a new Jerusalem, a new (name your city), let us bless this spot which has been so desecrated – and sanctify it to God and to God’s desire for healing and love, for justice and peace. Let us sanctify it as a sign of hope for our city and all its citizens, and for our world.
(During the reading, someone blesses the ground with holy water.)
Reader 2: Revelations 21: 1-6
Closing Prayer Leader: May the God of Peace and Mercy and Infinite Love be with you.
All: And also with you.
Leader: Let us go forth now remembering in sorrow the death of (name of victim) and carrying his/her memory with us as we pledge ourselves anew to work for peace in our world, in his/her name and in the name of our God who desires Life for all.
All: Amen.
This prayer was adapted from a prayer service in Our Prayers Rise like Incense: Liturgies for Peace, published by Pax Christi USA, 532 W. 8th Street, Erie PA 16502, 814-453-4955, www.paxchristiusa.org. Used with permission explicitly for this packet created by the Human Rights Commission Diocese of Toledo, 2008. All others must secure their own permission for use of material.
3/11/2008 22 A Vigil of Witness against Capital Punishment:
Signing the Declaration of Life
Available in English and Spanish, this non-legally binding document is to be signed and notarized before witnesses and filed with appropriate papers: property wills, living will, organ donor cards. In the event of death by murder, those closest to the deceased would be expected to provide the document for the court’s consideration. A copy of the Declaration should also be sent to your federal prosecutor and your district attorney. Please send a copy to Pax Christi as well so that they can monitor national support for this document. Send your copy to: Pax Christi USA, 532 West 8th Street, Erie, PA. 16502.
Copies of the Declaration of Life are available from: Cherish Life Circle, Convent of Mercy, 273 Willoughby Ave. Brooklyn, NY. 11205-1487. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with the request.
Once a person has signed the Declaration of Life, a wallet card attesting to the conviction recorded in the document is available from our Cherish Life Circle. It is provided in exchange for the signer’s name and address. A dollar to cover costs is requested for each recipient. People who sign as a group may send a list of names, and one self-addressed envelope of appropriate size. A name added to our listing gives us some clue of how many have signed on to this document.
Set up a table at the front where copies of the “Declaration of Life” and pens are placed for the signing that will take place at the end of the service.
Opening Leader: Jesus was a victim of the death penalty.
Reader 1: Luke 23: 32-34
A Prayer to Abolish the Death Penalty by Helen Prejean, C.S.J. Leader: Let us pray
All: God of Compassion, You let your rain fall on the just and the unjust. Expand and deepen our hearts So that we may love as you love, Even those among us Who have caused the greatest pain by taking life. For there is in our land a great cry for vengeance As we fill up death row and kill the killers
3/11/2008 23 In the name of justice, in the name of peace. Jesus, our brother, You suffered execution at the hands of the State But you did not let hatred overcome you. Help us to reach out to victims of violence So that our enduring love may help them heal. Holy Spirit of God, You strengthen us in the struggle for justice. Help us to work tirelessly For the abolition of state-sanctioned death And to renew our society in its very heart So that violence will be no more. Amen.
Suggested “Peace Is Flowing Like a River” – verse 1 Song: . Glory and Praise, Second Edition, OCP Publications, 1997, #648 – text and music by Carey Landry . Journeysong, Second Edition, OCP Publications. 2003, #745 – text and music by Carey Landry . Gather Comprehensive, GIA Publications, 1994, #728 – text and tune unknown . Breaking Bread with Readings 2008, OCP, 2007, #484 – by Carey Landry, text and music adaptation. . We Celebrate, World Library Publications, division of J.S. Paluch Co., Inc. 2001, #853 – traditional. Reader 2: In January, 1999, Pope John Paul II proclaimed:
A sign of hope is the increasing recognition that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals a chance to reform. I renew the appeal I made most recently at Christmas for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary.
Reader 3: Statement by Bud Welch, whose daughter, Julie, was killed in the Oklahoma City bombing:
The day my daughter, Julie, was killed, I joined a “club” that I wish had no members. The price of admission is too high. I know the pain of losing a loved one because of a senseless act of violence.
The execution of Timothy McVeigh will not bring back Julie or her colleagues, nor will it end the grieving for any one of the victims of the bombing. Revenge and hate are the reasons 168 people died that day in 1995. I oppose the death penalty absolutely, in all cases, because in all cases it is an act of revenge and hatred.
Suggested sung response: “Peace is Flowing Like a River” – verse 2
Reader 4: Statement by Marietta Jaeger Lane, whose 7-year old daughter, Susie, was murdered:
The capacity for mercy and compassion is what sets us apart from the rest of
3/11/2008 24 creation. Our laws should call us to higher moral principles than the practice of primitive acts of more murder to resolve our conflicts, hatreds, fears and frustrations. We violate our own honor and dignity by unabashedly killing a chained, restrained defenseless person, however deserving of death we deem that person to be. We become what we deplore – people who kill people – as an insult to the memory of our beloved victims. Believe me, there are no numbers of retaliatory acts that will compensate for the loss of my little girl or restore her to my arms. Even to say that the death of one malfunctioning person is going to be just retribution is an insult to her immeasurable worth to me.
Reader 5: Statement by Coretta Scott King:
As one whose husband and mother-in-law have both died as victims of assassination/murder, I stand firmly and unequivocally opposed to the death penalty for those convicted of capital offenses. An evil deed is not redeemed by an evil deed in retaliation. Justice is never advanced in the taking of human life. Morality is never upheld by legalized murder.
Suggested sung response: “Peace is Flowing Like a River” – verse 3
Reader 6: Excerpt from the 1980 Statement on Capital Punishment, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:
Abolition of the death penalty would promote values that are important to us as citizens and as Christians … It is a manifestation of our freedom as moral persons striving for a just society. It is also a challenge to us as a people to find ways of dealing with criminals that manifest intelligence and compassion rather than power and vengeance …We urge our brothers and sisters in Christ to remember the teaching of Jesus who called us to be reconciled with those who have injured us (Mt 5:43-45) and pray for forgiveness for our sins “as we forgive those who have sinned against us” (Mt 6:12). We call on you to contemplate the crucified Christ Who set us the supreme example of forgiveness and of the triumph of compassionate love. (silent reflection)
Suggested sung response: “Peace is Flowing Like a River” – verse 4
Prayers of Petition Leader: We have heard God’s call in the dark of a night filled with hatred, fear and revenge. We have the heard the cry of God’s people. We have heard the cry of the families of the victims of senseless crimes: The cry for healing, for wholeness, for an end to the bloodshed. Let us now respond to these cries and to God’s call to be instruments of healing and love, instruments of true peace. Let us respond in prayer and deed.
Reader 7: God of Life and Compassion, we stand before you, members of a society needing your healing. We are confident that You will hear the prayers of our hearts. And so we ask that Your compassion be poured out on our world …
3/11/2008 25 All: O God, hear our prayer.
Reader 8: God of Compassion, we pray for victims of crime and their families. May they know Your healing presence that transforms pain and anger in ways never thought possible, we pray …
All: O God, hear our prayer.
Reader 7: God of Compassion, we pray for the victims of capital punishment and their families. May they be comforted in Your love, we pray …
All: O God, hear our prayer.
Reader 8: God of Compassion, we pray for those who participate in executions and in all executions done in our name. May they, and we, be open to the ways You minister grace and conversion in the least likely places, we pray …
All: O God, hear our prayer.
Reader 7: God of Compassion, we pray for those caught in the web of violence of our time, violence against one another from the womb to the tomb. May they come to know your breath of life, we pray …
All: O God, hear our prayer.
Reader 8: God of Compassion, we pray for those oppressed by structures and policies that perpetuate violence and injustices. May we be inspirited with the courage to speak and act nonviolently for justice, peace and social transformation, that Your reign may come, we pray…
All: O God, hear our prayer.
Reader 7: God of Compassion, we pray for each of us suffering the effects of estrangement and polarization. May we open our hearts to Your gifts of forgiveness, reconciliation and unconditional love, we pray…
All: O God, hear our prayer.
Signing of the Declaration of Life
Leader: As a sign of our willingness not only to pray for an end to capital punishment, but to work for its abolition as well. As a sign of our willingness to embody in our lives, to proclaim with our very bodies, the forgiveness of which Jesus spoke, I invite any of you who so desire to come forward now and sign the “Declaration of Life,” a document which states that if we are murdered, we do not want the perpetrators of such a crime to receive the death penalty. We want the spiral of violence to end with us.
3/11/2008 26 (As people come forward to sign the document, play “Peace is Flowing Like a River” in the background.)
Closing Prayer
Leader: And so we go forward now, knowing that the violence stops with us. Bless us, O Compassionate One, and give us strength for the journey. Fill us with that amazing grace which breaks down walls of hatred and fear, and allows your love and mercy to enter in, that the process of healing and reconciliation may begin. Amen.
Suggested Closing Song: “Amazing Grace” 1. Journeysongs, OCP Publications, 2003, #713 – vss. 1-4 John Newton, vs. 5 anon; from A Collection of Sacred Ballads, 1790; music: New Britain; Columbian Harmony, 1829. 2. Glory and Praise, Second Edition, OCP Publications, 1998 - #615 – vss.1-4 John Newton, vs. 5 anon; from A Collection of Sacred Ballads, 1790; music: New Britain; Columbian Harmony, 1829. 3. Breaking Bread with Readings 2008, OCP Publications, 2007 - #436 – vss. 1-4 John Newton, vs. 5 anon; from A Collection of Sacred Ballads, 1790; music: New Britain: Columbian Harmony, 1829. 4. Gather Comprehension, GIA Publications, Inc., 1994 - #612 – text: st.1-4 – John Newton 1725- 1807; st. 5 attributed to John Rees, fl.1859; tune: New Britain, CM; Virginia Harmony, 1831. 5. RitualSong, GIA Publications, Inc., 1996, #737 – text: st.1-4 John Newton, st. 5 attributed to John Rees; tune: New Britain, CM; Virginia Harmony, 1831. 6. We Celebrate, World Library Publications, division of J.S. Paluch Co., Inc. , 2001, vss.1-4 John Newton, vs. 5 anon; traditional American melody.
This prayer was adapted from a prayer service in Our Prayers Rise like Incense: Liturgies for Peace, published by Pax Christi USA, 532 W. 8th Street, Erie PA 16502,| 814-453-4955, www.paxchristiusa.org. Used with permission explicitly for this packet. All others must secure their own permission for use.
Prayer cards of “A Prayer to Abolish the Death Penalty” by Helen Prejean, CSJ are available through Pax Christi USA – same address as above.
3/11/2008 27 A Declaration of Life
I, the undersigned, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do hereby in the presence of witnesses make this Declaration of Life,
I believe that the killing of one human being by another is morally wrong.
I believe it is morally wrong for any state or other governmental entity to take the life of a human being for any reason.
I believe that capital punishment is not a deterrent to crime and serves only the purpose of revenge.
THEREFORE, I hereby declare that should I die as a result of a violent crime, I request that the person or persons found guilty of homicide for my killing not be subject to or put in jeopardy of the death penalty under any circumstances, no matter how heinous their crime or how much I may have suffered. The death penalty would only increase my suffering.
I request that the Prosecutor or District Attorney having the jurisdiction of the person or persons alleged to have committed my homicide not file or prosecute an action for capital punishment as a result of my homicide.
I request that this Declaration be made admissible in any trial of any person charged with my homicide, and read and delivered to the jury. I also request the Court to allow this Declaration to be admissible as a statement of the victim at the sentencing of the person or persons charged and convicted of my homicide; and, to pass sentence in accordance with my wishes.
I request that the Governor or other executive officer(s) grant pardon, clemency or take whatever action is necessary to stay and prohibit the carrying out of the execution of any person or persons found guilty of my homicide.
This Declaration is not meant to be, and should not be taken as, a statement that the person or persons who have committed my homicide should go unpunished.
I request that my family and friends take whatever actions are necessary to carry out the intent and purpose of this Declaration; and I further request them to take no action contrary to this Declaration.
I request that, should I die under the circumstances as set forth in the Declaration and the death penalty is requested, my family, friends and personal representative deliver copies of this Declaration as follows: to the Prosecutor or District Attorney having jurisdiction over the person or persons charged with my homicide; to the Attorney representing the person or persons charged with my homicide; to the judge presiding over the case involving my homicide; for recording, to the Recorder of the County in which my homicide took place and to the recorder of the County in which the person or persons charged with my homicide are to be tried; to all newspapers, radio and television stations of general circulation in the County in which my
3/11/2008 28 homicide took place and the County in which the person or persons charged with my homicide are to be tried; and, to any other person, persons or entities my family, friends or personal representative deem appropriate in order to carry out my wishes as set forth herein.
I affirm under the pains and penalties for perjury that the above Declaration of Life is true.
WITNESS
______printed name
DECLARANT
______printed name
STATE OF ______
COUNTY OF ______
Before me, a Notary Public in and for said county and state, personally appeared the Declarant and acknowledged the execution of the foregoing instrument this ______day of ______20___.
WITNESS my hand and notarial seal.
______NOTARY PUBLIC
______Printed Name
My commission expires: ______
County of Residence: ______
Original filed with ______(property will, living will, etc.)
Please file a copy with your living will / property will and send a copy of this notarized form to:
Cherish Life Circle, Convent of Mercy, 273 Willoughby Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205 (as of January 2008)
3/11/2008 29
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
. Catholic Resources . Books . Videos . Speakers . Websites
3/11/2008 30 Catholic Teaching Resources USCCB. The Leader’s Guide to Catholic Social Teaching. Washington, D.C.: USCCB, 2000.
USCCB. Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death. Washington, D.C.: USCCB, 2005.
Thompson, J. Milburn. Justice and Peace, A Christian Primer. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2003.
Mich, Marvin L. Krier. The Challenge and Spirituality of Catholic Social Teaching. Louisville, KY: Sowers Books, 2005.
Deberri, Edward and James E. Hug et.al. Catholic Social Teaching: Our Best Kept Secret 4th Ed. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2003.
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. Washington, D.C.: USCCB, 2004.
O’Brien, David, and Thomas A. Shannon. Catholic Social Thought, The Documentary Heritage. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2003.
High School Age Appropriate Pennock, Michael. Catholic Social Teaching, Learning and Living Justice. Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2000.
Books Michael DiSalle. Power of Life or Death. New York: Random House, 1965.
John Grisham. The Innocent Man. New York: Random House, 2006. John Grisham’s first non-fiction book. The true story of Ron Williamson, a former hometown baseball hero of Ada, OK who was convicted of raping and murdering Debbie Carter in 1999 and was exonerated of the crime after serving eleven years on death row. In the context of the case, Grisham addresses many of the fundamental issues that surround the death penalty in the United States.
Robert Perske. Unequal Justice. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1991. What can happen when persons with retardation and other developmental disabilities encounter the criminal justice system.
Robert Perske. Deadly Innocence. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1991. An investigative history of Joe Arridy, a “feebleminded” man who was executed in 1939, and the warden who fought to save him.
Helen Prejean. Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States. New York, NY: Vintage, 1994. A Catholic nun’s impassioned memoir of her friendship with two death-row inmates, coupled with a plea for the abolition of capital punishment.
Helen Prejean. The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions. New York, NY: Vintage, 2006. In her second book, Sister Helen focuses her argument against the death penalty on the ways in which an unjust system may be killing innocent people, telling the story of two inmates and detailing how the legal process, “the machinery of death,” worked against them.
3/11/2008 31 Videos I. Catholic Resources A Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death (Video/DVD, 15 min.) by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. Based on the U.S. Bishops’ 2005 statement of the same name. USCCB Publishing, 2006. ISBN 9781574557572. Accompanying discussion guide available at www.usccbpublishing.org. Click on Video/ DVD Study Guides.
Talking About the Death Penalty (Video, 13 min., available in both English and Spanish) by Florida Catholic Conference. Video features introductions by the state’s bishops; seeks to provide “an opportunity for Catholics and others to come together and talk” about the Death Penalty. Can be viewed and downloaded from FCC’s web site, www.flacathconf.org.
Our Faith, Our Case Against the Death Penalty (Video, 10 min.) by Diocese of Beaumont, Texas. Video includes footage filmed inside the Texas death row and comments by Dead Man Walking author Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ, Beaumont Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, SVD, and Deacon Al O’Brien, director of the diocese’s Office of Criminal Justice Ministry. It has an 8-page study guide. This is available from the Diocese of Beaumont, TX, Office of Criminal Justice Ministry, P.O. Box 3948, Beaumont TX 77704. www.dioceseofbmt.org.
II. Videos available from Mennonite Media, 1251 Virginia Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA 22802, 800-999-3534. [email protected] or www.thirdway.com/Resources.
Beyond the News: Murder Close Up (Introductory film) Is the death penalty ever right? This video invites viewers to listen to the stories of how hearts of victims’ families have changed from a desire for revenge to forgiveness. Sr. Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, speaks on some of the issues. Excellent views on death penalty. 35 minutes VHS $24.95
Victims Find a Voice (Introductory film) A moving account of a life-shattering event that resulted in healing and forgiveness. Wilma and Cliff Derksen’s experience of losing their 13 year old daughter, Candace, through murder led to the development of Victim’s Voice, a program in which victims have the chance to talk with pri- soners. The video gives insight into events surrounding Candace’s murder. 22 minutes VHS $19.95
Changing Hearts and Minds (Introductory film) Speaking out against the death penalty. Bud Welch describes his journey from a time of rage to his work today, speaking out against the death penalty. Bud’s story moves the debate over capital punishment from a philosophical discussion to a real life level. 15 minutes VHS $14.95
Journey Toward Forgiveness (Comprehensive video) Produced as a documentary for ABC-TV. Demonstrates the stories of family survivors of violent and wrongful death. Segments include: a family whose daughter was abducted and murdered, a family dealing with their daughter’s death by a drunken driver, a social worker who tells how stories help people heal, a couple facing husband’s terminal illness, racial injustice and healing, a Native American massacre, and one man’s journey from rage to forgiveness after the Oklahoma city bombing. 58 minutes VHS $19.95
I’ll Give You the Gettin’ A real-life story that will grab your heart. Rev. Walter Wangerin, Jr., master storyteller, author and Lutheran pastor, tells the story of Elijah, a much-loved and soft-hearted African American school
3/11/2008 32 principal, and his wife, Mary, a strong and independent third-grade school teacher, as they come to terms with his death. 22 minutes VHS $14.95
III. Other Videos available through a local video store, Netflix, or ordered directly from the production company.
After Innocence This documentary tells the true and compelling stories of exonerated prisoners. It examines the trials and tribulations waiting for them upon their release from prison. It also examines the U.S. justice system and the flaws that led to the wrongful conviction of these men. 2005. Check www.afterinnocence.com for screenings in your area. Available through Blockbuster or Netflix.
The Closure Myth This film traces one woman’s dramatic transformation from being consumed by desire to seek the death penalty as revenge for her daughter’s murderer to her realization that only in forgiveness would she find closure. 2007. 43 minutes.
Dead Man Walking This acclaimed film traces the relationship between a death row inmate and the nun to whom he turns for spiritual guidance in the days leading up to his scheduled execution. 1995. 122 min. This film is available through Blockbuster or Netflix.
Deadline This documentary explores two of the most significant, yet unexamined, events in the history of American capital punishment - the abolition of the death penalty in 1972 and the momentous debate in Illinois in 2002 over clemency for all of the state’s death row inmates. The film reveals the inner workings of these events and leads to profound questions about America’s approach to crime and punishment. To purchase the DVD or to set up a screening, log onto www.deadlinethemovie.com. You can also download a discussion guide from the website. 2004. 90 min. This film is also available through Blockbuster or Netflix.
The Empty Chair Four stories of families of murder victim reliving the crimes and confronting the loss of loved ones. Reactions range from revenge and desire for punishment to searching for forgiveness and healing. With commentary by Sister Helen Prejean. 2003. 52 min. www.justiceproductions.org.
The Execution of Wanda Jean An unflinching investigation of the role that poverty, mental health, race, and sexuality play within the criminal justice system. Wanda Jean Allen was an attractive young woman with what many considered to be an appealing personality. She was also an African-American lesbian whose low IQ indicated borderline retardation. By the age of 29, Wanda Jean had killed twice - and would become one of the most controversial death-row inmates in recent history. 2004. 90 minutes. www.hbo.com/docs/programs/wanda/. Available through Blockbuster or Netflix.
The Exonerated Susan Sarandon and Danny Glover star in this film based upon the stage play of the same name. Actual court depositions, transcripts, letters, and interviews comprise the chilling and moving script that chronicles the stories of six wrongly convicted death row inmates. 2005. 90 minutes. This film can be purchased directly from AIUSA at www.amnestyusa.org/abolish. It is also available through Blockbuster or Netflix.
The Green Mile Set on Death Row in a Southern prison in 1935, this is the story of the cellblock’s head guard, who develops a poignant, unusual relationship with one inmate who possesses a magical gift that
3/11/2008 33 is both mysterious and miraculous. 1999. 188 min. This film is available through Blockbuster or Netflix.
Interview with an Executioner This documentary goes behind the scenes in a Mississippi Penitentiary during the 14 days leading up to the execution of Edward Earl Johnson. Don Cabana, the executioner, recounts the chilling experience of the execution of Johnson, who maintained his innocence until the end with his final words - “I want you to know exactly what you are doing when you execute me. I want you to remember every last detail, ‘cause I am innocent.” Copies of the video may be obtained from Terry McCaffrey, 11154 La Paloma Dr., Cupertino, CA 95014. Price is $12, which includes postage.
The Life of David Gale A respected death penalty opponent finds himself on death row for the rape and murder of fellow activist Constance Hallaway. With only three days before his scheduled execution, Gale, in an effort to reveal the truth, agrees to give reporter Bitsey Bloom an exclusive interview that ends with a terrible discovery. 2003. 131 min. This film is available through Blockbuster or Netflix.
Monster Actress Charlize Theron stars as serial killer Aileen Wuornos, who was executed in Florida on October 9, 2002. Director Patty Jenkins chronicles the love story between Wuornos and Selby Wall, played by Christina Ricci, and the transformation Wuornos undergoes from being a prostitute and victim of abuse, to contemplating suicide, to becoming a cold-blooded murderer. 2003. 109 min. This film is available through Blockbuster or Netflix.
Not In Our Name: Dead Man Walking – The Concert This special edition DVD/CD includes never-before-seen footage from the award-winning concert featuring artists such as Eddie Vedder and Steve Earle. Included is the soundtrack CD for the Dead Man Walking film (see above). 2006. Available from http://activemusic.org/. This film is available through Blockbuster or Netflix.
Race to Execution By Rachel Lyon, this film follows the stories of two death row inmates and exposes how race infects America’s death penalty system. Much more information at public television’s website, www.pbs.org/independentlens/racetoexecution/. 2006.
The Religious Community Speaks Against the Death Penalty Produced by the American Friends Service Committee’s Religious Organizing Against the Death Penalty Project, this video includes Dennis Brutus, South African poet and activist; Rev. Bernice King, daughter of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and author of Hard Questions, Heart Answers; Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, author of Dead Man Walking; Millard Fuller, Founder and President, Habitat for Humanity International; Rev. Kobutsu Malone, Zen Buddhist Priest; Marshall Dayan, Jewish activist against the death penalty; and Marietta Jeagar-Lane, with Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation. 2002. 31 min.
The Thin Blue Line Through the use of reenactments of the crime, photo montages, film clips, and interviews, this is a reconstruction and investigation of the 1976 murder of a Dallas policeman and the subsequent arrest and sentencing to death of a man who claims to be innocent. 1988. 101 min. This film is available through Blockbuster or Netflix.
Too Flawed to Fix A powerful documentary that explores and exposes the irreparable flaws in the criminal justice system by examining the 13 individuals who were wrongfully convicted and released from Illinois’ death row. 2002. 1 hr. and 15 min. versions available. To order this video, email: [email protected]. A study guide is also available.
3/11/2008 34
The Trials of Daryl Hunt This documentary offers a deeply personal story of a wrongfully convicted man who spent twenty years in prison in North Carolina for a crime he did not commit. 2006. 106 minutes. http://www.breakthrufilms.org/ This film will soon be available through Blockbuster or Netflix.
3/11/2008 35 SPEAKERS ON THE DEATH PENALTY
Journey of Hope
The Journey of Hope group has a speaker’s bureau on the topic of the death penalty, including: Murder victim family members Murder victim family members by state execution Death Row family members Exonerated Death Penalty activists
They also have on their website a section on Hosting a Speaking Event, which gives step-by-step guidelines as to how to set up an event.
Journey of Hope P.O. Box 210390 Anchorage, AK 99521-0390 1-877-924-GIVE (4483) www.journeyofhope.com
Speakers available
Members of the Human Rights Commission are available to speak in Northwestern Ohio; they can be contacted through Germaine Kirk, Social Ministry Program Coordinator, Toledo Catholic Charities office, 419-244-6711.
3/11/2008 36 Web-Related Death Penalty Resources
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Printed Resources DVD’s Bulletin Inserts/Brochures for parishes
http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/deathpenalty/
Ohio Catholic Conference Contact Jim Tobin, 614-224-7147 http://www.ohiocathconf.org/I/DP/deathpenalty.htm
Tools and Resources from OH Catholic Conference http://www.ohiocathconf.org/I/DP/shortdptools.pdf
Diocese of Cleveland Social Action Office Prayer services and informational packets http://www.csnmail.net/~dsao/dsaohome.htm
Diocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis – Office for Social Justice Information on Catholic Social Teaching Parish Resources www.osjspm.org
Interfaith Coalition to Stop the Death Penalty Interfaith Coalition to Stop Executions 3400 Kenny Road, Columbus, OH 43221 Phone: 614-224-7147 http://www.stopexecutions.org
American Friends Service Committee Free print resources available http://www.deathpenaltyreligious.org
The Moratorium Campaign – Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ http://www.moratoriumcampaign.org
National Coalition Against The Death Penalty http://www.ncadp.org
Ohioans to Stop Executions http://www.otse.org
3/11/2008 37