‘Violence begets more violence:’ US Catholics seek abolition of death penalty

By Devin Watkins

In 2025, US states executed 47 men and women on death row, more than double the average number of executions over the past 10 years.

“This is a marked, tragic increase in executions, especially at a time when the American public is finding the death penalty unacceptable and movement toward abolition is growing,” according to Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy.

Ms. Vaillancourt Murphy serves as Executive Director of Catholic Mobilizing Network, an advocacy group working to abolish the death penalty in the United States and promote restorative justice.

“The death penalty is an easy conduit to perhaps communicate that someone is tough on crime,” she told Vatican News during a visit to Rome. “And it also wins political points in some cases in certain states.”

Death penalty and Catholic teaching

A closer look at the numbers reveals a sharp divide among states, with only 11 carrying out the 47 executions in 2025 and none in the other 39 states. Right now, 23 states have abolished the death penalty.

In Florida, 19 executions meant the state was putting someone to death every two weeks in 2025. Every death sentence brings more collateral damage and more broken families, noted Ms. Vaillancourt Murphy.

“For victims, it does not bring a sense of closure; it doesn't bring healing; it brings more violence and more hurt,” she said. “It just creates more harm and more hurt and more victims in a system of violence where violence begets more violence.”

The death penalty also goes against Catholic teaching. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC, 2267) states clearly that “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.”

Pope Leo XIV expressed his explicit support for the abolition of the death penalty in a video message on April 24, 2026, as Illinois marked the 15th anniversary of its abolition in the US state.

“I offer my support to those who advocate for the abolition of the death penalty in the United States of America and around the world,” said the Pope. “I pray that your efforts will lead to a greater acknowledgement of the dignity of every person, and will inspire others to work for the same just cause.”

Besides undermining human dignity, the death penalty is also no longer needed to hold people who cause harm accountable and keep them from committing further crimes, said Ms. Vaillancourt Murphy.

Unique opportunity for mercy

Currently, 114 people sit on death row in Ohio, 28 of whom have exhausted their appeals process.

According to Ms. Vaillancourt Murphy, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has the unique opportunity to commute the death sentences of all 114 people, of whom 2 are women, before his term ends in January 2027.

A practicing Catholic, Governor DeWine has publicly expressed his opposition to the death penalty and created a moratorium in Ohio during his 8-year tenure.

“Human life matters,” said Ms. Vaillancourt Murphy. “Even when harm has been caused, we can create opportunities for redemption and again keep society safe and keep wrongdoers accountable. It's a tremendous opportunity for Governor DeWine.”

Ending cycle of violence with respect for life

Commutation spares the person on death row from execution, typically meaning they will serve life in prison without parole, not walk free.

From a Christian perspective, this offers the offender a chance to repent from their sin and stop the cycle of violence, rather than perpetuate it.

“We need to take victims seriously, and we need to try to address their hurt and the harm that has been caused and to try to bring pathways towards healing and maybe even create opportunities where forgiveness might be possible,” said Ms. Vaillancourt Murphy.

As capital punishment gradually falls out of favor in polling, she said, Catholics can offer the world a strong moral beacon of respect for life from conception to natural death.

“Pope Leo has made it very clear,” she concluded, “that he is encouraging the Church to move forward and to be that hope to show the United States and the world that we can respect life at all stages and the death penalty is contrary to our faith.”