September 2001 Call to Action News

Death penalty spurs regional CTAs to action

As U.S. public support for capital punishment is dropping perceptibly, regional CTA affiliates are part of the movement.

Fellowship of Southern Illinois Laity (FOSIL) has received grants from the Belleville diocese to run public forums and develop school programs against the death penalty. Across the river, Catholics for Renewal (CfR), the CTA affiliate in St. Louis, sponsored a forum that heard Lena Woltering of FOSIL and a speaker from Eastern Missouri Coalition against the Death Penalty. CfR members are part of prayer vigils the evening before every scheduled execution. So are members of Heart of America CTA in Kansas City. In the diocese where Timothy McVeigh was executed, CTA Indianapolis members are part of frequent prayer vigils. On the eve of state executions, there are vigils outside the governor's residence.

In the far West, CTA Northern California is working to get speakers and curricula on the death penalty into area high schools and middle schools. CTA Western Washington is sponsoring a large event Oct. 26 in Seattle where Bishop Tom Gumbleton will speak on "Forgiveness, Not Vengeance: The Death Penalty from a Gospel Perspective." CTA San Diego County will take its first steps on the issue by wearing CTA t-shirts at a public forum cosponsored by the diocesan social ministry office.

CTA Nebraska recently cosponsored a talk by Sr. Helen Prejean at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Prejean's Moratorium 2000 petition drive (www.moratorium2000.org) is collecting millions of signatures. Rachel Pokora of the CTA/NE board also sits on the board of Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty.

In the East, CTA units have concentrated on public education. CTA Upstate New York devoted its Spring New York Thruway Speaking Tour to the topic. In New Hampshire, CTA New England hosted a panel that included a state legislator, a criminal justice professor, and a member of Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation. This CTA group also voted to endorse the Moratorium Now campaign from Equal Justice USA at the Quixote Center in Maryland (www.quixote.org/ej). A panel organized by CTA Northern Virginia attracted a state legislator whose bill would soften Virginia's harsh death penalty rules. CTA New Jersey has members working with Pax Christi against capital punishment.

Federal legislation

The U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) has made "The Innocence Protection Act" (H.R. 912 and S. 486) a top priority. The bill addresses some of the worst problems with the death penalty: DNA evidence, competent legal counsel, informed juries, etc. The bishops believe it will further erode public support for executions and hasten their abolition. Meanwhile, other federal bills call for moratoria on, and abolition of, federal executions.

For further information, contact Dan Misleh at USCCB: dmisleh@nccbuscc.org For regional CTAs, call toll-free: 1-866- CTA-HOPE or check www.cta-usa.org