Birmingham, Ala., Mar 6, 2020 / 05:00 pm (CNA).- Following a controversial execution in Alabama on Thursday night, Catholics in the state have reiterated their opposition to the death penalty.
Late Thursday evening, the state of Alabama executed 43-year-old Nathan Woods by lethal injection.
Woods, who was black, was convicted in 2005 on four counts of capital murder and one count of attempted murder in the shootings of three white police officers in 2004 in Birmingham.
The three officers had arrived at a house where Woods and his co-defendant Kerry Spencer were believed to stash and sell drugs, and served Woods an arrest warrant for another misdemeanor offense.
As the officers tried to take Woods into custody, three of the officers were shot dead and a fourth survived.
The survivor, Officer Michael Collins, took cover behind the patrol car and testified that he saw Spencer shooting at him from inside the apartment.
The state conceded that Spencer shot the three officers, but argued that Woods was “an accomplice to the shootings,” according to local news KIRO 7. Woods, according to court records, allegedly threatened the officers if they were to enter the residence.
His co-defendant Kerry Spencer claimed that Woods was “100% innocent” in the killings of the officers, in a handwritten letter from prison.
Woods was sentenced to death by a jury, although not unanimously—Alabama is the only state where a death sentence does not require a unanimous vote by a jury.
A last-minute appeal to halt the execution was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday night.
Justice Clarence Thomas granted a temporary administrative stay to give the Court more time to fully consider the case. Later on Thursday evening, the application for a halt to the execution was denied by the full Court.
In response to Thursday night’s execution of Woods, the Diocese of Birmingham directed CNA to a joint statement of the bishops of Alabama and Mississippi on capital punishment.
“As Christians, we remember that wrongdoing, no matter how evil, deserves punishment but not vengeance,” the statement reads.
“God can touch and change even the most bitter and hardened heart. Mindful of this, we do not support the execution of criminals. When we execute someone, we take away any opportunity they have to repent and develop a relationship with God in this life,” the bishops stated.
The Archdiocese of Mobile referred to a column written by Archbishop Thomas Rodi in The Catholic Week in August of 2018.
“The death penalty is not a private matter,” the archbishop wrote in the column.
“It is not the grieving loved ones who execute those found guilty, it is not merely the governor who executes, it is not merely the warden of the prison who executes, it is all of us, the citizens of Alabama, since capital punishment is the law that we have enacted and enforce.”
“I remain convinced that we the citizens of Alabama need to end capital punishment in our civil courts,” he wrote.
The group Catholic Mobilizing Network, which advocates for an end to use of the death penalty, was following Woods’ case and asked supporters for prayers.
“At times like these we may feel at a loss of what to do in the face of such egregious acts of violence. These are the moments when we pray for God’s guidance and Grace. Please pray, on behalf of Nathaniel Woods that he may come to know God’s peace and ever-present mercy,” the group stated on its website.
Pope Francis in 2018 approved new language for the Catechism on the death penalty, calling it “inadmissible.”
The new language states that “the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,’ and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.”
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 31, 2022 / 13:26 pm (CNA).
More details are coming out in a Nebraska case where authorities are relying on private Facebook messages to claim that a mother helped her teenage daughter… […]
Washington D.C., Sep 11, 2019 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- On the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Catholic leaders in the United States has spoken in honor of those who lost their lives, and praised the country’s resolve and unity.
… […]
Legatus President Stephen Henley is pictured here speaking at the organization’s 2025 annual conference last month in Naples, Florida. / Credit: Courtesy of Legatus
Miami, Fla., Mar 13, 2025 / 07:20 am (CNA).
In today’s culture, often hostile to expressions of faith, many Catholics struggle with how to hold true to their values within the workplace. That’s why, in 1987, Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan started the Catholic organization Legatus.
From the Latin word for “ambassador,” Legatus aims to empower Catholic presidents, CEOs, and managing partners to become what St. Paul coined “ambassadors for Christ,” explained Stephen Henley, president of Legatus.
Offering peer support groups, networking, speakers, pilgrimages, and an annual international summit, Legatus’s goal is to “inspire members to live out their faith in all aspects of their life.” There are currently about 90 Legatus chapters in North America.
Chapter meetings are held once a month, providing the opportunity for members and their spouses to participate in confession and Mass, the recitation of the rosary, a cocktail reception dinner, and a speaker’s presentation.
“All of this is to help fortify the members’ marriage, the peer support group, the networking of this group, and then embolden them to go out and live their faith,” said Henley. “Tom felt that if we can bring together these Catholic CEOs, how much more can we change society with these people that have high impact and high influence?”
In interviews with Catholic News Agency, Hawkins, Dean Abela, and Henley covered three tips for bringing the Catholic worldview into the workplace.
Commit to your priorities
Dean Andrew Abela’s Catholic faith wasn’t always as important to him as it is now. As a teenager, he even stopped practicing.
“I came back in my mid-20s, funnily enough, while I was in business school,” he recalled. As a student in 1991, he encountered Pope John Paul II’s new encyclical letter Centesimus Annus, and the pope’s reflection on economics changed the trajectory of his life.
“Just a few months after, I returned to the Church,” he said. “When I reverted to the faith, I wanted to know what my newly rediscovered Catholic faith meant for a life in business.”
Andrew Abela is dean of the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America. Credit: Legatus
After working for companies including Procter & Gamble, McKinsey & Company, and the Corporate Executive Board, in 2002 Dean Abela eventually began teaching at the Catholic University of America. He is also a consultant to Fortune 100 corporations.
“The reason I left business and switched to academia was that I wanted to dedicate myself full-time to studying questions about what it means to be a faithful Catholic in the workplace,” he explained.
A member of Legatus since 2000, Dean Abela mentioned that members can follow what the organization terms a “spiritual plan” to attend daily Mass, recite the rosary daily, and do monthly confession.
Known as Tres Magna, or the “Big Three,” this plan was inspired by Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula, who “attributed the perfect season to him going to daily Mass,” explained Stephen Henley. “Tom [Monaghan] thought, well, if he can go, there’s no reason why I can’t go.”
“Daily Mass, daily rosary, and monthly confession will align your life and priorities,” added Henley.
Find a supportive community
When Kristan Hawkins first encountered Legatus, she was not a Catholic. Hawkins was raised an Evangelical. After Students for Life’s 2006 launch, she began speaking at Legatus events.
In 2014, Hawkins decided to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, “a pilgrimage Legatus had sponsored.” “I was the only Protestant there,” she recalled. “I decided there that I was going to enter RCIA.”
She became a full-fledged member of Legatus soon after becoming Catholic.
“As a pro-life activist who starts a pro-life organization, I want to save babies, I want to end abortion, I want to help as many families and women. You don’t start a non-profit because you’re necessarily a great business leader or have all these skills. You started this non-profit, this mission, because you want to see this mission accomplished,” Hawkins said. “For me, that’s one of the powerful benefits of being in Legatus, is having friends and mentors who were successful in the for-profit world who I can call on and ask questions.”
Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins. Credit: Legatus
“It’s very powerful and important to have those relationships. For me, in the work I’m doing, it’s a constant spiritual attack,” she added. “One of the best things about Legatus is I can call any of my Legatus friends at any moment, and they’ll be there for you. They know the power of the work we do and the resistance we face.”
Dean Abela also finds a sense of community in Legatus and also strives to build a supportive Catholic community at the Catholic University of America.
“We share with students the principles of Catholic social doctrine, things like human dignity and solidarity, and try to embed these principles into all of our classes,” he explained. “We’re also increasingly trying to give them opportunities to practice different virtues as part of their studies and schoolwork.”
For instance, Dean Abela explained, “To teach graduate students about decision-making, we go through a couple of survivor simulations, where you crash land in the north of Canada and you have to decide what you’re going to do. We have them go through decision-making exercises explicitly practicing the virtue of prudence or practical wisdom, the habit of making wise decisions. We break apart the components of practical wisdom, which include things like alertness, preparedness, and reasoning, and we have them try to exercise those as part of the decision-making process.”
These skills built in the classroom can be applied not only in business, but also in students’ personal lives.
Model the behavior you expect from others and celebrate your co-workers’ integrity
For Henley, giving authentic witness to the Catholic faith in the workplace can start with a simple “hello.”
“First, live the golden rule,” he said. “When you’re walking down the hall, say hello to the janitor, to the executive, and to everyone in between. It matters a lot.”
He added: “Another practical thing: take the opportunity to pray before meals. If you’re going on business lunches, you’ll be surprised at how many people say, ‘Yeah of course, let’s pray.’ It’s more common than not for people to pray before meals. The fact that you’re doing it shows that you’re a bold leader and that you’re spiritual.”
Dean Abela agrees that these types of habits make all the difference, and were the subject of the presentation he made of his book Superhabits: The Universal System for a Successful Life last month during the 2025 Legatus Summit.
“The main focus of the book is understanding that things like diligence, honesty, and resilience are not genetic characteristics. They are habits that anyone can acquire through practice,” Dean Abela explained. “Companies can focus on one of the most important virtues and give employees opportunities to practice those virtues.”
For instance, Dean Abela explained the GrowVirtue App, an AI-driven app “based on the work of the book,” which organizations can use to evaluate which virtues their company has already made a habit of, which virtues they might target, and tips for how to make progress.
“The important thing is that the company would choose a virtue that they think would be directly beneficial to the company right now,” said Dean Abela. “Although personal results are private, the whole company can see what employees as a whole are weakest in. So, if you’re trying to grow in customer service, you might encourage the virtue of friendship or friendliness.”
Dean Abela discussed the value of recognizing virtue both inside and outside the company.
“See examples in action or read about examples,” he suggested. “You can have employees watch videos or you can share articles that demonstrate examples of a particular virtue in action. And you can make sure senior folks are role models for junior employees.”
“Most importantly, give the employees the opportunity to practice the virtues, and give feedback,” he added. “When companies give awards, they tend to do this more with core values. They should shift to core virtues and give it to people who are exemplars of that virtue.”
Ultimately, the goal for Catholics is to live authentic lives that draw others to Christ.
“Stay true to who you are, don’t give in,” said Hawkins. “They’ll know you by your fruits. I think that’s very important. You don’t have to work in the pro-life movement or specifically in an apostolate to be a good Catholic, a faithful Christian in the workplace. You can do that in any job, in any position you have – in McDonald’s or in a Fortune 500 company.”
I’d mostly agree with the bishop but I think “virtually ” ending capital punishment is a better plan.
There’s always the possibility of an extraordinary case where someone is so dangerous to their community, including those who are incarcerated with them and prison employees, that execution may be the only remedy to protect the lives of others.
This particular case grieves me greatly. It did not seem necessary to execute him.
But a complete prohibition on capital punishment. No way. As stated by another poster, CP is retributive justice, not vengeance. It has always been such, despite what our politically correct pope and bishops want us to believe.
“Catholics react”, eh? And all, it appears from the article, with exactly the same reaction, even though this is an issue on which there can be legitimate disagreement and Catholics generally have disagreement even where none is permissible. Make the title “local bishops react” and you’re on the right track, but otherwise you are cherry-picking, or worse, suggesting that anyone who does not condemn this execution is “not really Catholic”.
Catholic priests upset about death penalty being done in Alabama March 11,2020. So y’all think this man was innocent? Were you there he had 16 years to live but the 3 police officers that was murderd did not have those years. They had children wife family that had to go on without him. N Woods had appeal after appeal and he was judged by his Peers. He didn’t give those police officers any sympathy he wrote rap songs in prison about killing them. So y’all stay in your LANE. N Woods had a choice to be at his friends house where his friend was the trigger man he was a part of the crime Murder!!!!!!
LN,
I don’t think anyone seriously believes that man to have been innocent. By the time most folks get incarcerated for a serious offense they’ve committed a string of other crimes that either weren’t detected, didn’t result in a conviction, or were plea bargained down.
I used to do background checks at my employment and I’m not naive about human nature. We encountered all kinds of criminal folk including a serial killer who probably should have been executed rather than let loose on the public. That’s how we learned that plea bargaining homicide down to manslaughter allows a clean employment background check. He later was arrested for having killed and mutilated several women out of state.
The question here was more did Nathan Woods deserve execution. If his death was the only remedy to protect society and others in prison with him, ok. If not,then from a Catholic perspective I would say no.
Surely you know that before the JPII and Francis innovations, capital punishment was upheld in Church teaching more on grounds of just retribution than the protection of society? The point has been made documented pretty exhaustively on this site over the last couple of years.
Not judging the correctness of this particular case, I would remind Archbishop Rodi that retributive justice is not vengeance.
I’d mostly agree with the bishop but I think “virtually ” ending capital punishment is a better plan.
There’s always the possibility of an extraordinary case where someone is so dangerous to their community, including those who are incarcerated with them and prison employees, that execution may be the only remedy to protect the lives of others.
This particular case grieves me greatly. It did not seem necessary to execute him.
But a complete prohibition on capital punishment. No way. As stated by another poster, CP is retributive justice, not vengeance. It has always been such, despite what our politically correct pope and bishops want us to believe.
“Catholics react”, eh? And all, it appears from the article, with exactly the same reaction, even though this is an issue on which there can be legitimate disagreement and Catholics generally have disagreement even where none is permissible. Make the title “local bishops react” and you’re on the right track, but otherwise you are cherry-picking, or worse, suggesting that anyone who does not condemn this execution is “not really Catholic”.
Catholic priests upset about death penalty being done in Alabama March 11,2020. So y’all think this man was innocent? Were you there he had 16 years to live but the 3 police officers that was murderd did not have those years. They had children wife family that had to go on without him. N Woods had appeal after appeal and he was judged by his Peers. He didn’t give those police officers any sympathy he wrote rap songs in prison about killing them. So y’all stay in your LANE. N Woods had a choice to be at his friends house where his friend was the trigger man he was a part of the crime Murder!!!!!!
LN,
I don’t think anyone seriously believes that man to have been innocent. By the time most folks get incarcerated for a serious offense they’ve committed a string of other crimes that either weren’t detected, didn’t result in a conviction, or were plea bargained down.
I used to do background checks at my employment and I’m not naive about human nature. We encountered all kinds of criminal folk including a serial killer who probably should have been executed rather than let loose on the public. That’s how we learned that plea bargaining homicide down to manslaughter allows a clean employment background check. He later was arrested for having killed and mutilated several women out of state.
The question here was more did Nathan Woods deserve execution. If his death was the only remedy to protect society and others in prison with him, ok. If not,then from a Catholic perspective I would say no.
Surely you know that before the JPII and Francis innovations, capital punishment was upheld in Church teaching more on grounds of just retribution than the protection of society? The point has been made documented pretty exhaustively on this site over the last couple of years.
Following a controversial execution in Alabama on Thursday night, Catholics(sic) in the state have reiterated their opposition to the death penalty.
Another CNA editorial masquerading as a news article.
CNA, we trust you about as much as CNN. Not much.