For Whom the Bells Toll (Seamless Culture of Life – From Conception to Death)

School Sisters of Notre Dame are involved in many “seamless culture of life” issues addressing a variety of pro-life concerns ranging from abortion and cloning, to the treatment of the elderly and sick, to capital punishment. One such project many School Sisters of Notre Dame are involved in is For Whom the Bells Toll.

For Whom the Bells Toll is a national initiative to have religious and other organizations throughout the country toll their bells whenever there is an execution. Its origins can be traced to Jaime Cardinal Sin of the Philippines who asked that Catholic Churches in that country toll the bells to mourn the execution of a citizen of that country. In 1999 Bishop Walter Sullivan of Richmond, Virginia, learned of the practice in the Philippines, and wrote to all churches in his diocese, asking they toll their bells every day there is an execution until there is an end to this “inhumane practice.”

The School Sisters of Notre Dame Respond
At the Notre Dame Elm Grove Campus and elsewhere many sisters participate in the For Whom the Bells Toll initiative by gathering for prayer and tolling bells at 3 PM on the day of a scheduled execution in the US. In addition to prayer and study, many sisters write letters to their congressional and state representatives about capital punishment. Please view the list of scheduled executions.

What You Can Do
Learn More – What do the Catholic Church and other churches say about capital punishment? What does “seamless culture of life” mean and how does it relate to concerns with abortion, capital punishment, and other issues? Click on the Learn More / Resources button below to find out.

Pray
Add this Prayer (From Education for Justice Earth Day Prayer Service)