The Diocese of Gallup was founded in order to minister to and among the Native American people, Wall said, which brings with it many challenges. Gallup is one of the poorest dioceses in the U.S.
Wall said the poverty and lack of resources in the area make the dioceses' work even more vital. The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the economic and health disparities in the Navajo Nation, as infection rates climb.
"So you don't have a lot of resources, and I think at times you don't draw a lot of attention to some of the things that are going on, as much as if it were a big city like Los Angeles, or Phoenix, or Chicago," he said.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls the death penalty "inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person."
The federal government resumed executions in July 2020, the first federal executions since 2003. The last scheduled execution this year is set for Aug. 28.
Several U.S. bishops, along with clergy and religious brothers and sisters from around the country, joined more than 1,000 faith leaders in calling for a stop to the scheduled executions.
The prison where the executions will take place fall within the archdiocese of Indianapolis. Archbishop Charles C. Thompson of Indianapolis opposed the executions on June 18, noting his jurisdiction with regard to the location of Terre Haute federal prison and stating that "the supreme law of the Church, the salvation of souls, demands that I speak out on this very grave matter at hand."
"Since the pontificate of Pope St. John Paul II, it has been the Catholic position that today's prison system is quite adequate to protect society from inmates escaping or being unlawfully set free," he said.
While the crimes of the federal inmates cannot be ignored, Thompson said, "humanity cannot allow the violent act of an individual to cause other members of humanity to react in violence."
Jonah McKeown is a staff writer and podcast producer for Catholic News Agency. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has worked as a writer, as a producer for public radio, and as a videographer. He is based in St. Louis.