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Archbishop Coakley Receives Award for Anti-Death Penalty Advocacy
· Confirmed
In Short: Coakley's advocacy against the death penalty includes his condemnation of the Pentagon's plan to livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter.
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, was honored with an award for his anti-death penalty advocacy at the CMN Justice Reimagined Awards & Celebration.
Coakley, who has been a vocal critic of capital punishment, shared that his commitment to advocating for death row inmates was strengthened by his experiences in the United States.
The Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (OK-CADP) congratulated Coakley, noting his 'unceasing focus on ending the death penalty.'
In a statement, Coakley called the Pentagon's decision a 'barbaric promotion of a culture of death.' He emphasized that 'Our God is the God of life,' underscoring his religious convictions.
Coakley's work extends beyond death penalty advocacy. He has also urged the Trump administration to halt mass deportations to Haiti, citing the potential harm to families and critical sectors like healthcare.
Coakley's efforts have garnered support from fellow religious leaders, including Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York, who joined in prayers for the Holy Father.
Coakley's advocacy has been recognized by various religious and secular publications, highlighting his role in promoting justice and human dignity.
Coakley's commitment to life advocacy began in 1973, the year of the Roe v. Wade decision, and has continued to grow over the years.
Coakley's work has also been recognized by other religious leaders, such as Cardinal Daniel Sturla of Montevideo, Uruguay, and Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, who have expressed their support for his efforts.
Coakley's advocacy has been recognized by fellow religious leaders, including Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York, who joined in prayers for the Holy Father.
What this adds
Coakley's advocacy has been recognized by fellow religious leaders, including Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York, who joined in prayers for the Holy Father.
Background
Archbishop Coakley's advocacy has been recognized by fellow religious leaders, including Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York, who joined in prayers for the Holy Father.
What's confirmed
- 11, 2025, Archbishop Coakley was elected to serve as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
- “Our God is the God of life,” Coakley’s statement read.
- PICTURE: AP Photo/LM Otero Coakley railed against the news in a statement Friday morning.
What's still developing
- Coakley said living in the U.S. has deepened his commitment to advocating for death row inmates and urging the Church and the nation to see the inhumanity of executions carried out in their name.
- He also asked Jesus, “the divine physician,” to care for the pope and guide “the hands of his surgeons, nurses, and other health professionals.” Cardinal Daniel Sturla, archbishop of Montevideo, Uruguay, also wrote about the news.
- “In a time of deep political division, the temptation is to be discouraged and to not participate in the election process. But discouragement is not a Christian virtue,” Archbishop Coakley of Oklahoma City said.
- The archbishop, who leads the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, expressed “shock and great sorrow” over the announcement, according to a statement published by Vatican News on Oct.
- Archbishop Coakley acknowledged that while “individual Haitians could still be disqualified from this relief on a case-by-case basis,” indiscriminate mass deportations of this population would create employment gaps in “critical areas such as health care,” as well as separating families of mixed legal status.
- WASHINGTON (OSV News) — A few weeks after Temporary Protected Status for Haiti was terminated, Archbishop Paul S.
- Coakley and other religious leaders are joining evangelical faith leaders in condemning the Pentagon’s plan, urging officials to reconsider the decision.
- Vice President JD Vance cast doubt on whether the Pentagon will livestream the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan in December, telling reporters, 'I’m not going to be watching it if it is livestreamed.' Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S.
- Bishop Erik Varden, for example, will represent the Nordic bishops’ conference, and Archbishop Richard Moth, the bishops’ conference of England and Wales.
- Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk will represent the war-ravaged Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and Patriarch Ignace Youssif III Younan is also scheduled to attend amid upheaval in the Syriac Catholic Church.
- He noted that during his time as an archbishop in Oklahoma, he was struck by the notion that his home state, like Florida and Texas, “was very solidly pro-life in terms of supporting the right to life of the unborn” but was “unforgiving” in its embrace of capital punishment.
- Elizabeth Bruening, a Catholic and two-time Pulitzer-Prize finalist and writer for The Atlantic, also received a Reimagining Justice Award at the event.