Rockville Centre, N.Y., Mar 17, 2009 / 01:05 am
Writing on behalf of the U.S. bishops, Bishop of Rockville Centre William F. Murphy has appealed to New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, urging him to sign H.B. 285, the New Mexico legislation which would repeal the death penalty.
Bishop Murphy is the Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
“On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I join the Catholic bishops of New Mexico and urge you to sign HB 285, ending the use of the death penalty in New Mexico,” his March 16 letter begins.
“Pope Benedict XVI and his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, have called for the end to the use of the death penalty as a sign of greater respect for all human life,” Bishop Murphy continued.