Helen Prejean

i think this was probably really important at the time. maybe it's even still important, because i doubt that much has changed around the general statistics (even if executions are less common - although i really don't know if they are or not). certainly the issues of racial and economic inequality in capital punishment (and in the legal system in general) remain the same.

i really appreciate that she hasn't chosen as examples men on death row who are actually innocent (although how specifically guilty i suppose is in question). because her point isn't that innocent people are killed by the government (although it's true, they are), or that rehabilitation is possible (although it is). her point is simply that if it's wrong for these men to have killed (and of course it is), then it's also wrong for the state or the government to do the same (and of course it is). she shows the humanity of both sides, of the victims' families as well as the murderers and their families. she is also really honest about how she felt and the assumptions and mistakes she made along the way.

i wish the telling was a bit more polished. it's disjointed at times and inconsistent with tenses, but shows potential for a really compelling narrative. that said, the more i write about it, the more i think this was well done, even though it didn't feel particularly so as i was reading it.

"The mandate [for the Catholic Church] to practice social justice is unsettling because taking on the struggles of the poor invariably means challenging the wealthy and those who serve their [the Church's] interests."

"She pointed out that to claim to be apolitical or neutral in the face of such injustices would be, in actuality, to uphold the status quo - a very political position to take, and on the side of the oppressors."… (mehr)

I missed this back in the 90s when it was a blockbuster film, but read it recently to prepare to see the opera version. I'm glad I'm in the loop now. Sr. Helen's personal account of spiritually advising men on death row in Louisiana was eye-opening and inspirational. For those who espouse the pro-life movement, this book challenges the dignity and worth of every life. It also exposes flaws in the judicial and prison system where death row inmates are disproportionately poor and of color. What I liked best though was how personal Prejean made this and how willing she was to enter into the darkest moments of another's life and try to lead them to light, not conversion per se, but to understanding and to right relationships. I know she has faced criticism for her role in this issue, but she is a much-needed voice of personal experience and humanity. What is most admirable was how she "fell" into this calling and didn't turn away from it, ultimately changing her life's course and focus. Her strength, faith and love are amazing.… (mehr)