The Sisters of Providence send letters to lawmakers and government leaders, such as the governor of Indiana, to protest capital punishment. The letters are sent near the date of an execution to remind the leaders that their actions affect the lives of others. In many cases, the letters are personalized with facts about how the specific case may have been mismanaged or about the competency of the person facing execution. In all cases, the person facing execution is mentioned by name to remind leaders that a human life is at stake.

Please join the Sisters of Providence in this effort by adapting this letter for your personal use.

Governor Mitch Daniels
Office of the Governor
Statehouse
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2797

Dear Governor Daniels:

The General Council of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, believes in the sacredness and dignity of life. As women of faith, we believe we are to love our neighbor, not to kill; to forgive one another, not to seek retribution with vengeance for the evil done to us.

We, therefore, oppose the use of capital punishment in all cases. We urge you to commute the sentence of __________ to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole.

We believe capital punishment degrades and brutalizes the society which practices it. We believe capital punishment does not deter crime, but may, in fact, give sanction to the climate of violence already so prevalent in our society.

Capital punishment falls especially on the underprivileged of our society. We believe the death penalty punishes those who lack the resources for the best possible legal representation.

As Sisters of Providence we have committed ourselves to “works of love, mercy and justice in service among God’s people.” In addition to asking you to commute the death sentence of __________, we invite other citizens to join us in our efforts to abolish the death penalty and to eradicate the social factors that foster crime and violence.

As we pray and work for an end to the death penalty, we continue our prayers for __________ and for all prisoners on Death Row. We also pray for all victims of violence, including __________’s family. And, we pray for you, Governor Daniels, as you weigh the decision of __________’s life or death.

{Signed by the General Officers of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana}