In an unusu­al joint edi­to­r­i­al on March 5, four nation­al Catholic pub­li­ca­tions called for an end to the death penal­ty in the U.S. The edi­tors of America, National Catholic Register, National Catholic Reporter, and Our Sunday Visitor urged ​“the read­ers of our diverse pub­li­ca­tions and the whole U.S. Catholic com­mu­ni­ty and all peo­ple of faith to stand with us and say, ​‘Capital pun­ish­ment must end.’ ” Citing oppo­si­tion to the death penal­ty in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and state­ments by Popes John Paul II and Francis, the edi­to­r­i­al said, ​“The prac­tice is abhor­rent and unnec­es­sary. It is also insane­ly expen­sive, as court bat­tles soak up resources bet­ter deployed in pre­vent­ing crime in the first place and work­ing toward restora­tive jus­tice for those who com­mit less heinous crimes.” The pub­li­ca­tions con­clud­ed: ​“We join our bish­ops in hop­ing the [Supreme] court will reach the con­clu­sion that it is time for our nation to embody its com­mit­ment to the right to life by abol­ish­ing the death penal­ty once and for all.”

(Editorial, ​“National Catholic Journals Unite: ​‘Capital Punishment Must End,’” America, National Catholic Register, National Catholic Reporter, and Our Sunday Visitor, March 5, 2015). See Editorials and Religion.

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