Catholics Against the Death Penalty 
Southern Californ ia
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Pope Francis reaffirms the Catholic Church's opposition to the death penalty
June 21, 2016.  Click on his image for Vatican Radio link.
“ Thou shalt not kill has absolute value and applies both to the innocent and to the guilty.”
Pope Francis 6-21-2016
  The efforts of thousands of people of faith statewide ensured that death penalty abolition, Justice That Works, will be on the November 2016 ballot. 

As we await the actual initiative number from the California Secretary of State,
CADPSC remains grateful for both your prayers and for  
your participation in signature gathering campaigns.   

As you know, our Holy Father has repeatedly called for an end to the death penalty.
His recent video message  to the 6th World Congress Against the Death Penalty was strong, and affirms our resolve to end state-sponsored executions in
California during this Year of Mercy.   The complete text of his speech is listed below.

We need your help.  

In November 2012, California failed to abolish the death penalty by 3%.  Exit polls showed that Latino Catholics in Los Angeles were not as strong in opposing the death penalty as had been expected, although younger women of color,
fearing the execution of the innocent, were the strongest supporters.  

As a project of St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care,
CADPSC embraces our bishops’ pastoral, Faithful Citizenship,
and knows that the next immediate step is   voter registration .  

Can you help us in this next phase of the campaign?

We can provide training sessions for voter registration volunteers
in the the next few weeks if needed.  We currently have a training session planned on
Saturday, July 16th at St Camillus Center.
We are looking for dedicated people who are open to helping us and
recruiting others to advance a culture of life by
abolishing state-sponsored executions in keeping with Catholic social teaching. 

The deadline to register to vote is October 24.  

These parish liaisons will assist us in answering the call of Pope Francis and his predecessor, Saint John Paul II, in abolishing the death penalty.  

We can do it! Si Se Puede!  
CADPSC Leadership Council
Javier Stauring, Jane Argento, Annette Debs CSJ, David Evans, 
Anthony Fadale*, Sr. Mary Sean Hodges OP*, Sr. Patricia Krommer CSJ, 
Fr. Chris Ponnet*, Scott Wood, Franky Carrillo
Co-Chairs*

If you can join our team, please contact:
Jennifer Ayon
Bi-Lingual Educator
(323) 225-4461 x345
or
Christopher Stephan 
  (323) 225-4461 x111
on November 8th
Use the link above to register to vote in California  

Or you might like this site better:  TurboVote.org

Please share and help us register your community before the October 24th deadline, so we can all vote together to End the Death Penalty!

Thank you for your support!
“There is no humane way of killing another person.”
Pope Francis 6-21-2016

  • Message of His Holiness Pope Francis

    Sixth World Congress Against the Death Penalty

    Oslo, 21-23 June 2016

    I greet the organizers of this World Congress against the death penalty, the group of countries supporting it, particularly Norway as its host country, and all those representatives of governments, international organizations and civil society taking part in it. I likewise express my personal appreciation, along with that of men and women of goodwill, for your commitment to a world free of the death penalty.

    One sign of hope is that public opinion is manifesting a growing opposition to the death penalty, even as a means of legitimate social defense.  Indeed, nowadays the death penalty is unacceptable, however grave the crime of the convicted person. It is an offense to the inviolability of life and to the dignity of the human person; it likewise contradicts God’s plan for individuals and society, and his merciful justice.  Nor is it consonant with any just purpose of punishment. It does not render justice to victims, but instead fosters vengeance. The commandment “Thou shalt not kill” has absolute value and applies both to the innocent and to the guilty.
"Saludo a los organizadores de este Congreso mundial contra la pena de muerte, al grupo de países que lo apoyan, especialmente a Noruega, país que lo acoge, y a todos los participantes: representantes de los Gobiernos, de las Organizaciones Internacionales y de la sociedad civil. Quiero además expresar mi agradecimiento personal, y también el de los hombres de buena voluntad, por su compromiso con un mundo libre de la pena de muerte.

Un signo de esperanza es el desarrollo en la opinión pública de una creciente oposición a la pena de muerte, incluso como una herramienta de legítima defensa social. De hecho, hoy día la pena de muerte es inadmisible, por cuanto grave haya sido el delito del condenado. Es una ofensa a la inviolabilidad de la vida y a la dignidad de la persona humana que contradice el designio de Dios sobre el hombre y la sociedad y su justicia misericordiosa, e impide cumplir con cualquier finalidad justa de las penas. No hace justicia a las víctimas, sino que fomenta la venganza. El mandamiento «no matarás» tiene valor absoluto y abarca tanto a los inocentes como a los culpables.

El Jubileo Especial de la Misericordia es una ocasión propicia para promover en el mundo formas cada vez más maduras de respeto a la vida y la dignidad de cada persona. No hay que olvidar que el derecho inviolable a la vida, don de Dios, pertenece también al criminal.

Deseo hoy alentar a todos a trabajar no sólo por la abolición de la pena de muerte, sino también por la mejora de las condiciones de reclusión, para que respeten plenamente la dignidad humana de las personas privadas de libertad. “Hacer justicia” no significa que se deba buscar el castigo por sí mismo, sino que las penas tengan como finalidad fundamental la reeducación del delincuente. La cuestión debe ser encuadrada en la óptica de una justicia penal que sea abierta a la esperanza de reinserción del culpable en la sociedad. ¡No hay pena válida sin esperanza! Una pena clausurada en sí misma, que no dé lugar a la esperanza, es una tortura, no es una pena.

Espero que este Congreso pueda dar un nuevo impulso al compromiso con la abolición de la pena capital. Por eso mismo, animo a todos los participantes a continuar con esta gran iniciativa y les aseguro mí oración."   
The Death Penalty...
"inadmissible, no matter how serious the crime..."
Pope Francis 6-21-16
Catholics Against the Death Penalty - Southern California
A Project of St Camillus Center for Spiritual Care
323-225-4461 x345| E-mail | Website
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Affiliations:
Los Angeles Archdiocese,  Office of Restorative Justice,  US Conference of Catholic Bishops,  California Conference of Catholic Bishops,  Death Penalty Focus,  Catholic Mobilizing Network,  St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care,  Pax Christi