While the U.S. Catholic bishops have been calling for an end to the use of the death penalty for 25 years, this new Campaign was launched in March of 2005. The impetus for the Campaign was the anniversary of the first comprehensive U.S. Catholic bishops’ statement on the topic issued in 1980. Since that time, numerous individual bishops and state Catholic conferences have issued similar calls to end the use of the death penalty. This unique website has all of this information and more.

For an overview of the current campaign, we urge you to see view our Campaign Brochure

On March 21, the Campaign was formally launched at a press conference held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

At this event, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick , Archbishop of Washington and member of the bishops’ Committee on Domestic Policy, Mr. John Zogby , President of Zogby International Polling organization, Mr. Bud Welch , father of an Oklahoma City Bombing victim, and Mr. Kirk Bloodsworth , wrongfully convicted death row inmate, all gave impassioned statements calling for the United States to end the use of this punishment.