November 30 is World Day of Cities for Life - is Your City Participating?

On Monday, over 1000 cities around the world will participate in "World Day of Cities for Life," which honors the first time that the death penalty was abolished by a government -- on November 30, 1786, by the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.  Organized by the Catholic Community of Sant'Egidio of Rome, participation is growing steadily: in 2005, only 300 cities worldwide were participants and now, four years later, the total exceeds 1150. 

Cities for Life Day involves each community flooding lights upon a local monument that in some way symbolizes the effort to abolish the death penalty.  For example, in Rome the Colosseum is illuminated; in Barcelona they are lighting up the Cathedral Square. 

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The Catholic Perspective on the Death Penalty

Today, FloridaCatholic.org published on its website a 12-page synopsis of the Catholic position regarding the death penalty, and in doing so provides readers with a solid, easy read on why the Catholic Church is vehemously opposed to Capital Punishment.

I highly recommend that those interested in this issue take the time to read through this article, as well as the links it provides. It's not easy to take such a complicated issue and hone it down into a concise presentation such as this, and my hat's off to writers Laura Dobson and Denise O'Toole Kelly for their efforts.