Death Penalty

Pope Leo XIV sent a message of support to participants at a Catholic university event marking 15 years since the abolition of the death penalty in Illinois.

(OSV News) — Gov. Kay Ivey, R-Ala., announced March 10 she commuted the death sentence of Charles L. “Sonny” Burton to life in prison, a move lauded by Catholic death penalty …

“From the teaching of Our Lord, we must conclude that the death penalty is inappropriate because it attacks the inviolability and dignity of the human person”

“To oppose the death penalty is to affirm hope — that no one, even a person who has committed a grave crime, is beyond the reach of grace.”

An October 2025 Gallup poll found that a slim majority of Americans (52%) said they favor the death penalty for people convicted of murder.

Florida’s Catholic bishops have urged Gov. Ron DeSantis to stay executions scheduled for Dec. 9 and Dec. 18.

“It is more important than ever that we shine a light on capital punishment’s failures and come together to show growing bipartisan support for ending executions,” said the director of …

Florida’s Catholic bishops wrote to Gov. Ron DeSantis, urging the state’s Catholic governor to stay the scheduled Oct. 14 execution of Samuel “Sammy” Smithers.

The Sept. 25 memo said to seek “the death penalty in all appropriate cases where, following full examination of the evidence and other relevant information, the applicable factors justify a …

President Donald Trump said at an Aug. 26 Cabinet meeting that capital punishment will be sought for all murders in Washington, D.C.