The Felician Sisters of North America continue to pray for the 13 people killed and the 32 injured in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, as well as their families and all those whose lives were changed by this tragedy. While the planned livestream of Nidal Hasan’s execution was cancelled and attendance was limited to the immediate family members of the victims, we remain deeply troubled by support for the death penalty. We recognize the pain and loss these families have endured. Nothing can undo what happened, but we believe taking another human life does not bring healing.
The Felician Sisters oppose the death penalty. The Catholic Church teaches that the death penalty is inadmissible because it violates the dignity of the human person. We believe every life has dignity, even when a person has committed terrible acts. This belief does not lessen the seriousness of the crime or the suffering of the victims and their families. It calls us to seek justice while continuing to respect the value of every human life.
This commitment to the dignity of the human person is rooted in our Felician history. Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska sent the first Felician Sisters to care for wounded soldiers, including those who may have harmed members of their own families. The sisters responded to suffering with compassion, even when doing so was difficult. Their example continues to guide us in caring for others and recognizing the dignity of every person.
We continue to pray for the victims of violence and their loved ones, for all those affected by violence and for a world where justice does not come at the cost of another human life.
As Felician Sisters, we are called to cooperate with Christ in the spiritual renewal of the world. We strive to live out that call by choosing life, showing compassion and working for justice and peace.
