Annual Weekend of Faith in Action on the Death Penalty

CPF hosted a Weekend of Faith in Action Against the Death Penalty on November 7 – 9, 2008.

Interfaith Prayer Vigil to End the Death Penalty
As part of CPF’s Weekend of Faith in Action on the Death Penalty, Father Michael Carson, Pastor at Queen of Apostles Church, led an Interfaith Prayer Service at Cesar Chavez Park in San Jose. Participants remembered the families members of victims of violence, those on death row from Santa Clara County and the families of those who are caught up in the cycle of violence.


Weekend of Faith in Palo Alto on November 11, 2008
Music was led by Chris Lundin, Parishioner of St. Thomas Aquinas Church
Interfaith Service for Weekend of Faith in Palo Alto on November 11, 2008
As part of the Weekend of Faith in Action on the Death Penalty, Rev. Diana Gibson Co-Executive Director of the Santa Clara Council of Churches, assisted by Fr. Michael Carson, Pastor of Queen of Apostles Church led an Interfaith Service for Healing and Justice on the Death Penalty at Lytton Plaza. The service included Christians, Jews and Buddhist, who prayed for healing of family members of victims of violence and those caught up in the cycle of violence. The service included a reading of “A Prayer to Abolish the Death
Penalty” by Sr. Helen Prejean. Music was led by Chris Lundin, Parishioner of St. Thomas Aquinas Church. The service was sponsored by California People of Faith Working Against the Death Penalty and the Santa Clara Council of Churches.

Screening of "Empty Chair"
As part of the Weekend of Faith, CPF's Catherine Huston hosted a screening of “The Empty Chair” at the Burlingame Library November 6. The video features four family members who lost loved ones to violence. In this poignant film each family member talks about how the murder of their loved ones has impacted their lives. Three of these persons oppose the death penalty and one advocates for capital punishment. Over 30 attended the event. Judy Kerr from Crime Victims for Alternatives to the Death Penalty was a guest speaker for the event. Judy’s brother in law was murdered in 2005. The perpetrator has not been found. Judy spoke of her journey to healing.

Death Penalty Sermon for Weekend of Faith
Deacon Carl Bunje delivered Whose Concern is it? (pdf), a homily on the death penalty at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, as part of Weekend of Faith on November 16, 2008.