Invitation to Pray the Novena to End the Death Penalty

During the month of September, the Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN) has invited you to join with Pope Francis as he prays for the abolition of the death penalty. The Pope has made a video for you to follow along, or you can find the English transcript here. The Holy Father invited us to pray “that the death penalty, which attacks the dignity of the human person, may be legally abolished in every country.” As the month of September draws to a close, we enter Respect Life Month, which is celebrated in October. On October 10, we celebrate World Day Against the Death Penalty.  

CMN invites you to continue the Holy Father’s invitation of prayer through the beginning of Respect Life Month by praying the Novena to End the Death Penalty. The Novena will begin on October 1 and conclude on October 9, the day before World Day Against the Death Penalty. October 10 is a time to reflect on the 144 countries that have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. Some of the countries that still have death penalty laws on the books include China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. CMN has developed a Mobilize Mercy Toolkit with resources to help you learn about the death penalty.