U.S. Federation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph
World Day Against the Death Penalty
On this World Day Against the Death Penalty, the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph joins the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and the Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN) in responding to the U.S. Department of Defense’s pronounced intention to publicly execute Mr. Nidal Hasan.
The announcement itself is a weapon of calculated escalation of violence against human beings, intended to stir up hatred and fear. Let us see clearly and name publicly that the current administration’s multi-faceted unleashing of governmental power to do violence is a comprehensive and direct assault against the Catholic ethic of protecting life in all its forms. This is also true of the violence recently committed against Ms. Christa Pike by the State of Tennessee in its failed attempt to end her life.
The Gospel call to follow the nonviolent Jesus is an invitation to center God’s active, inclusive love everywhere and in all circumstances, without exception. This unconditional love is the prophetic core of Christianity which underlies the Catholic sacraments and beckons us to, like Jesus, denounce and resist violence. This includes the death penalty and all manner of government-perpetrated killing.
From His solidarity with the woman accused of adultery all the way to forgiving those who crucified Him, Jesus witnessed to God’s unconditional love and the sacramental mystery of reconciliation. We must do our best to do the same.
From the LCWR statement:
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.
At the same time that we publicly denounce the death penalty, we must also take concrete actions as companions of Jesus in our own circumstances. Our CSSJ spirituality can be a guide in this. For example, Maxim 66, a touchstone during this our 60th anniversary year, encourages us in this brave Gospel loving: “Be courageous to undertake what God asks of you, and constant to persevere in what you undertake…” What will be your personal act of Courageous Communion, of turning toward fear with love in this moment, as Jesus modeled for us in the Gospels and invites us to today?
As we continue this journey together:
- May our prayer and actions bear bold witness to the God of life and love.
- May God bless those military service members who are currently discerning their moral responsibilities with wisdom, courage, and peace.
- May Saint Joseph’s humble obedience to the Holy Spirit throughout his life stir up our own willingness to foster God’s unconditional love in the world today. Amen
Your sister in Christ,
Deirdre Griffin, CSSJ, Esq.
Executive Director
Some resources for your own ongoing reflection and action:
- LCWR Statement
- USCCB Statement
- CMN Statement
- Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ – CMN Message for World Day Against the Death Penalty
- Recording of Federation Program on The CSSJ Charism and Nonviolence
- 60th Anniversary Reflection on Courageous Communion
- Lent 2026 Book Recommendation: Jesus and Justice: Organizing for God’s Reign on Earth
- The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast – Rev. John Dear
