And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again.”
John 8: 7-11
Every Monday, outside Central Prison in downtown Raleigh, peaceful silent protests against executions are carried out by people who’ve faithfully done so for more than 20 years. In the last four years, Catholics for Abolition in North Carolina, the Diocese of Raleigh’s anti-death penalty ministry has joined them. We stand up for all life, and we ask you to join us.
On September 30, 2025, Pope Leo XIV called out to all Catholics who struggle with what our Church considers Pro-Life. Some Catholics may not realize that Catechism 2267 was revised, in 2018, saying… in light of the Gospel, “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person, and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.”
The occasion of Jesus with the woman condemned to execution by stoning was one of the few times, according to Scripture, where the scribes and the Pharisees seemed to get the message the first time. In their realization of their own sins, they walked away from passing judgment and instead allowed the Merciful One, our Lord, to make the final decision.
As it should be, in all things involving life and death.
Please consider adding to our numbers outside Central Prison on any Monday of the year. If you’re unfamiliar with the location, the driveway to the prison entrance is on Raleigh’s Western Boulevard, directly across from Dix Park. A traffic light and crosswalk make it easy to leave your car at Dix Park and safely walk across Western Boulevard to join the peaceful protest.
During Daylight Saving Time, we gather each Monday from 5:00–6:00 p.m. When Standard Time begins on November 1, the vigil shifts to 4:00–5:00 p.m.
Please consider taking part in this visible act of advocacy on behalf of the 123 men and women on North Carolina’s death row. There is no sign-up sheet, no RSVP—just come as you are, with or without a sign. It is a family-friendly event! For questions, send an email to director@catholicsforabolitionnc.org. God bless you for remembering “the least of these” on death row for whom redemption is possible!
