The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) stands against violence in all its forms, including the death penalty. Rooted in our Gospel values and our Declaration of Commitment, we remain steadfast in upholding the inherent right to life of every human being and the dignity of each person. We affirm the importance of due process and accountability for those who have committed grave offenses, while rejecting the taking of human life as a response to wrongdoing.
Life is God’s sacred gift. God is the author of life, and we are called to be co-creators with God, entrusted with nurturing and protecting life, never with bringing it to an end. Even in the face of grave wrongdoing, human dignity remains sacred.
As stated in our Declaration of Commitment, we are called to stand against violence in all its forms and to proclaim the urgent necessity of nonviolence in both word and action. This commitment challenges us to examine how violence is practiced, witnessed, and sometimes normalized in our society.
LCWR strongly opposes the use of public media and social media to broadcast, distribute, or sensationalize the execution of any person. We believe that turning the taking of human life into a public spectacle violates the values we hold in trust and the Gospel that women religious have dedicated their lives to proclaiming. We call upon all people to refuse to watch, share, or circulate such content, recognizing that our participation, even as spectators, can contribute to a culture that diminishes human dignity.
Our commitment to nonviolence also calls us to consider the impact of our daily choices, the words we speak, the images we share, and the ways we respond to the suffering of others. Respect for life requires us to recognize the humanity of every person, including those who have caused great harm, while never forgetting the suffering of victims and their families.
During this Respect Life Month, especially on the World Day Against the Death Penalty, we invite our members, associates, partners in mission, and all people of goodwill to renew their commitment to protecting life, respecting human dignity, and rejecting violence in both word and action.
We invite you to gather in prayer for all those facing execution, for victims of violence and their families, and for the transformation of hearts and systems that perpetuate violence. May our shared prayer deepen our commitment to the Gospel and strengthen our witness to a world in which justice, mercy, and the dignity of every human being are upheld
Let us pray
God of life and mercy,
You breathed life into each of us
and entrusted us with the care of one another.
Open our eyes to the dignity of every person,
especially those whom society has rejected,
those who have suffered violence,
and those who await execution.
When justice becomes punishment without mercy,
awaken our hearts.
When suffering is met with more suffering,
teach us another way.
Forgive us for the times we have remained silent
in the face of violence, hatred, and humiliation.
Help us recognize how our words,
our actions, and even the images we share
can either wound or protect the dignity of others.
May our hands never become instruments of death,
but vessels of healing.
May our voices speak for those whose voices are silenced,
and may our hearts never forget
that every life carries Your breath.
Teach us to be faithful co-creators with You,
protecting the life we did not give
and have no right to take away.
Give us the courage to reject violence
in both word and action,
the wisdom to choose what nourishes life,
and the compassion to recognize Your presence
in every human being.
May our commitment to justice
always be guided by mercy,
and may our lives bear witness
to the dignity and sacredness of every human life. Amen
