Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 10, 2020 / 16:00 pm
Indiana's Catholic bishops are calling for an end to the death penalty, as two federal death row inmates are scheduled to be executed Thursday and Friday.
"The Indiana Catholic Conference recognizes the pain and evil caused by those on death row. We pray that the families and victims of these crimes have comfort and healing," the state's Catholic conference said in a statement to CNA on the scheduled execution of Brandon Bernard on Dec. 10.
"However, teaching that murder is wrong by allowing the government to commit murder is not only wrong, but irrational," the conference said. "The most recent encyclical from the Holy Father, Pope Francis, reaffirms the Church's commitment to calling for the abolition of the death penalty around the world."
The state Catholic conference speaks for Indiana's five Catholic dioceses on state and national policy matters.