On this traditional feast day of the "Good Thief" who was crucified alongside of Jesus, we pray for those in prisons, for their families, and especially for the condemned on death row.
The above icon of St. Dismas by Lu Bro (and an explanation of its symbols) is from the Bridge Building Images website, a unique source of icons and prayer cards.
Some suggestions for St. Dismas's day:
- Learn more about the Church's official teaching on the Death Penalty at the US Bishops' Pro-Life Activities Capital Punishment website.
- Get involved in the U.S. Bishops' Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty
- Read the Catholic Update by Fr. Ken Overberg, S.J. on The Death Penalty: Why the Church Speaks a Countercultural Message.
- Consider getting involved in Catholic Community Services' Detention Ministry for the Diocese of Tucson. To learn more, see this article from June 2007 in The New Vision When I was in Prison, You Came to Me CCS Detention Ministry Brings Faith and Hope to Prison Inmates [pdf]
These and a few other related links can be found at the OMOS Circle of Life Jouney webpage on: Respect for All, Both Victim and Detained.
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