Here is good news to help further galvanize the Catholic troops who number 67 million strong in the US. Speaking in Mexico, the Pope issued a clear statement against the death penalty:
One cannot insist enough on the fact that the right to life must be recognized fully. [Governments must enact laws and public policies that] take into account the high value that a human being has at every moment of existence. In this regard, I welcome with joy the initiative of Mexico, which in 2005 eliminated its capital punishment legislation, as well as the recent actions some Mexican states have taken to protect human life from its beginning.
Meanwhile, here in the US the Catholic Mobilizing Network to End the Use of the Death Penalty is doing great work, educating Catholics about the death penalty. This group was launched this year under the leadership of my good friend, Karen Clifton, with a coordinating committee that rocks.
The Catholic Mobilizers welcome new members and volunteers as well as your feedback about their programs. Their website is bristling with useful resources, so I urge you to take a look.
