Archived News Stories
Franciscan Sisters of Mary Voice Opposition to the Death Penalty
December 27, 2007
In light of our commitment to the value and dignity of human life, we join our voices with those who oppose the use of the death penalty. Jesus Christ provides a guiding moral vision for us. He urged the disciples and us to abandon the law of retaliation, to love our enemies, to confront evil without violence, and to forgive our persecutors. As followers of Christ, we stand for justice without vengeance.
The rage, grief and anguish of victims and loved ones are understandable. Our prayers remain with them in their grief, but we believe that publicly legitimized killing is not a solution to pain or even to grave injustices.
As Franciscan Sisters of Mary, we reject the death penalty and support other more appropriate means to assure justice and administer punishment more in keeping with the dignity of the human person, the Gospel vision of respect for life and Christ's message of reconciling love.