Can a Catholic Governor Sign a Death Warrant?

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy is Executive Director of the Catholic Mobilizing Network, the leading Catholic organization in the United States working to end the death penalty and promote restorative justice. For nearly a decade she has been at the forefront of the Catholic movement against capital punishment, engaging with bishops, lawmakers, victims' families, and people on death row. Earlier this year, she briefed Pope Leo XIV on the state of capital punishment in the United States, including the realities of Ohio's death row.

In this conversation, Murphy examines the Catholic Church's development of teaching on the death penalty, why Pope Leo XIV has reaffirmed that every human person retains their dignity even after committing the gravest crimes, and how the resurgence of execution methods such as nitrogen gas and firing squads has renewed the urgency of the debate. She responds to the argument that execution can bring about repentance and salvation, explains why the Church's opposition to capital punishment naturally raises questions about life without parole, and argues that justice must always preserve a genuine possibility of redemption and hope.

Guest bio:

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy is Executive Director of the Catholic Mobilizing Network, a national organization that educates, organizes, and advocates to end the death penalty, advance restorative justice, and promote healing for all impacted by crime and violence. She has led the organization since 2016, working closely with Catholic dioceses, religious communities, policymakers, and the Vatican to advance the Church's teaching on the dignity of every human person. She recently met with Pope Leo XIV to discuss the state of capital punishment in the United States and the Church's ongoing witness against the death penalty.