As followers of the nonviolent Jesus and Saint Francis of Assisi who saw the face of Christ in everyone he encountered, the Felician Sisters of North America strongly support the abolition of the death penalty. We believe that the death penalty embodies the culture of violence and death in the United States today.
Studies have proven that the death penalty does not deter crime and discriminates among races and against the economically poor and uneducated. Moreover, evidence supports that innocent people have been wrongfully executed.
We prayerfully stand with the families and loved ones of victims, promote action to address the roots of violent behavior and endorse alternatives to the death penalty. We look forward to the day when the human dignity of each person is observed in the dispensing of justice and punishment.