Respect Life Month Coincides With Executions: Catholic Church Urges Compassion
October marks Respect Life Month in the U.S. Catholic Church, a time to reflect on the dignity of all human life. This year, it coincides with a grim schedule: eight men are set to be executed across seven states. Among them is Lance Shockley, scheduled for execution in Missouri on October 14.
Shockley, convicted of murdering a police officer in 2005, was sentenced to death after a jury deadlock. The Catholic Mobilizing Network is hosting a Novena to End the Death Penalty from October 1-9, coinciding with Respect Life Month. Archbishop Mark Rivituso, Archbishop of Mobile, has advocated for clemency for Shockley and others on death row, encouraging Catholics to show compassion and advocate for an end to the death penalty.
Emmjolee Mendoza Waters, Director of Death Penalty Abolition at Catholic Mobilizing Network, finds Shockley's faith inspiring after meeting him. Other executions scheduled during Respect Life Month include Roy Ward in Indiana on October 10, and Samuel Smithers, Charles Crawford, Robert Roberson, Richard Djerf, Anthony Boyd, and Norman Grim in Florida, Mississippi, Texas, Arizona, and Alabama respectively.
As Respect Life Month begins, so does the countdown to these executions. The Catholic Church, through its advocacy and prayer, urges respect for life in all its forms, challenging the use of the death penalty. The fate of these men hangs in the balance, a stark reminder of the value the Church places on human life.
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