Bending the Arc references a quote by Rev. Dr. King who said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” This digital newsletter from the CSA Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation office showcases the work of changemakers, opportunities to learn, and opportunities for you to help “bend the arc” toward justice. Full contents of the newsletter are published on this page.
Subscribe to get Bending the Arc in your inbox.
Archive for the "Death Penalty & Restorative Justice" Category
Bipartisan Bill Marks Significant Milestone
July 25, 2024
You are encouraged to contact your senator and ask them to co-sponsor S.1723 and vote yes when it comes to the Senate floor for a vote.
By supporting this legislation, we are taking a momentous step as a Nation toward recognizing and honoring boarding school survivors, descendents and those who never had the chance to return home. Survivors and their descendants deserve the opportunity to heal from historical injustices in a way that is meaningful and aligned with their cultural values.
This federal commission will:
- Locate church and government records
- Examine the location of children forcibly placed in U.S. Indian boarding schools
- Hold culturally-appropriate public hearings to collect testimony from survivors and descendants
- Gather institutional knowledge from subject matter experts
- Document the boarding schools’ ongoing impacts
- Tell the truth by sharing findings publicly with cultural sensitivity
- Provide a final report with a list of recommendations for healing
For your reference, the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) U.S. Truth & Healing Commission Bill advocacy toolkit is available here.
Follow Senate floor schedules and webcasts here: https://www.senate.gov/legislative/floor_activity_pail.htm
Posted in
Death Penalty & Restorative Justice
Execute Justice, Not People
June 14, 2024
A select number of US states demonstrate a chilling commitment to the death penalty with at least seven scheduled executions this summer.
The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes opposes the death penalty. In Pope Francis’ revised Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph number 2267, he reminds us: “The Church teaches, in light of the Gospel, that the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person, and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.”
Still, the death penalty is legal in 27 U.S. states with Texas being responsible for the most executions over the years. The vast majority of states with capital punishment continue on a downward trend of executions, but Texas and Alabama have continued to go against the trend by carrying on with scheduled execution dates. Oklahoma, Florida, and Missouri have also executed people in the past year.
Polling indicates that public skepticism of the fairness and propriety of the death penalty continues to increase. And increasingly, bipartisan coalitions in legislatures are pushing to abolish it in states that haven’t already.
Advocates know that when we come together, we’re powerful. Women religious have always led the way in ensuring the dignity of persons, human rights, and justice are served.
Please consider calling or writing the governors or Boards of Pardons and Petitions in states that have scheduled executions to ask that they do everything within their power to stop the up to seven executions scheduled in their states this summer. For more information and resources, visit csasisters.org/dignity
Additionally, please sign any of the several petitions that Action Network has created for cases that have unique circumstances that must be considered before taking another life. They are:
Ramiro Gonzalez scheduled for execution June 26 in Texas.
Richard Rojem scheduled for execution June 27 in Oklahoma
Ruben Gutierrez scheduled for execution on July 16 in Texas
Keith Gavin scheduled for execution on July 18 in Alabama
Arthur Burton scheduled for execution on August 7 in Texas
Follow all execution petitions here: https://deathpenaltyaction.org/take-action/execution-petitions/
Lastly, please join Amnesty International and remind President Biden of his promise to work to eliminate the death penalty at the federal level.
Posted in
Death Penalty & Restorative Justice
Execution Petitions
May 09, 2024
Created in God’s image, humans have inherent dignity and worth. This belief of the Catholic Church lays the foundation for all its other teachings. The Sisters of St. Agnes and their Associates honor the sacredness of human life from conception to natural death. The sisters’ actions demonstrate their reverence for life and their commitment to a consistent ethic of life.
An execution calendar is maintained on the CSA website: www.csasisters.org/dignity Updates are provided from groups like Death Penalty Action. CSA Sisters and Associates participate in letter writing to inmates on death row; letter writing is always encouraged and directions can also be found on the website.
New and revised dates are being added to the execution schedule and new and current petitions await your signature. Please click to sign and share these petitions.
Additionally, please join Death Penalty Action to Demand Absolute Standards to stop profiting from executions!
Wear the Message with Abolition Gear - ORDER HERE.
Posted in
Death Penalty & Restorative Justice
Justice & Mercy Poetry Contest
February 22, 2024
Young adults can write an original poem about the death penalty for a chance to win $1,000.
Our Catholic faith teaches that all people are created in the image and likeness of God, instilled with dignity and worth that can never be taken away, even when someone commits a serious crime. The Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly states that the death penalty is "inadmissible" and an attack on the dignity of life. Inspired by our faith and Church teaching, we are called to work for the abolition of capital punishment.
Know a young adult between the ages of 18-30 who would be passionate about ending the death penalty? Are they inspired by faith to work for justice solutions that are rooted in mercy and redemption? Encourage them to submit an original poem to Catholic Mobilizing Network before the contest deadline of March 25, 2024. Winners announced in April.
Posted in
Death Penalty & Restorative Justice
Death Penalty via Nitrogen Hypoxia
January 25, 2024
There is no true justice being served, or an ounce of humanity being considered, in what the state of Alabama is planning.
Kenneth Smith is scheduled for execution on January 25, 2024 for the 1988 murder of Elizabeth Sennett. Mr. Smith’s case is unusual in several respects. First, he has already survived one execution attempt, which left him with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a clinical psychologist and trauma expert who examined him. On November 17, 2022, the state tried and failed to execute Mr. Smith using lethal injection but abandoned its efforts after four hours when staff were unable to access a vein.
Second, Mr. Smith would likely not be sentenced to death today. In 1996, a jury recommended that he receive a sentence of life in prison by a vote of 11 to 1, but the judge overrode its recommendation and sentenced him to death. Alabama judges no longer have the ability to override jury sentencing recommendations, so if sentenced today, Mr. Smith would not be facing execution.
Third, unless an appeals court intervenes, Mr. Smith will be the first human being executed using nitrogen gas. The consequences of using this protocol are completely unknown, even to Alabama officials. Read the full story.
You can be sure groups such as Death Penalty Action have been working diligently to prevent this. But if the execution is not halted, please join Death Penalty Action, Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty and a variety of experts and special guests for an informative and prayerful vigil to protest the execution of Kenneth Smith. They’ll be live from Atmore, Alabama on Thursday, January 25 starting 5pm CT and will continue until after the execution is either stayed or completed, at which time they will be joined by Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood, Kenny's spiritual advisor, to hear his first-hand experiences and observations of the first-ever nitrogen hypoxia prisoner-extermination. Register here to be a part of the live audience, or watch on the Death Penalty Action Facebook or YouTube platforms.
Should this horrific event happen, you can still take action in preventing it from happening again. Sign this letter and tell state governors to Say NO to the Gas Chamber.
Posted in
Death Penalty & Restorative Justice