St. Augustine, Fla. – This month, Bishop Felipe Estévez releases his fifth pastoral letter to the faithful of the Diocese of St. Augustine. The 20-page teaching document is entitled, Standing Up for the Dignity of all Human Life: A Pastoral Letter on Capital Punishment in Florida, and it addresses the teachings of the church about the intrinsic value and God-given dignity of every human life from conception until natural death.

“We believe that God – and only God – is the author of every human being, and only God should determine the end of that life,” writes Bishop Estévez. He draws on the wisdom and experience of St. Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis, all of whom challenged the world to stand up against the death penalty.

He also looks to those whose lives were cut short because of their ministry and high regard for human life, such as St. Maximilian Kolbe, who voluntarily took the place of a condemned inmate in Auschwitz, and one of the Diocese of St. Augustine’s own priests, Father Rene Robert, who advocated against capital punishment from beyond the grave after his murder.

In this pastoral letter, Bishop Estévez highlights the effort of the Florida bishops, who have tirelessly worked towards a culture of life, and Dale Recinella, who has served for more than 20 years in the diocese ministering to death row inmates.

“Our system of incarceration needs to change from inhumane punishment to hopeful rehabilitation. Everyone must be concerned that not a single innocent human is condemned to deadly execution,” writes Bishop Estévez. To download a copy of the pastoral letter, visit www.dosafl.com/bishop-felipe-j-estevez/pastoral-letters/.