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Helen Prejean

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1168: 1156: 340: 41: 1144: 401:. He had been sentenced to death after being convicted of kidnapping and murder in two attacks in May 1980. Prejean also explored the effects that conducting the death penalty has on attorneys, prison guards, other prison officials, and the families of both convicted murderers and their victims. Since then Prejean has worked with other men sentenced to death. 431:
In 1999, Prejean formed Moratorium 2000, a petition drive that eventually grew into a national education campaign, The Moratorium Campaign, seeking to declare a moratorium to executions. It was initially staffed by Robert Jones, Theresa Meisz, and Jené O'Keefe. The organization
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Prejean now bases her work at the Ministry Against the Death Penalty in New Orleans. She gives talks about the issues across the United States and around the world. She and her sister Mary Ann Antrobus have also been deeply involved at a center in
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from 1993 to 1995. She helped establish The Moratorium Campaign, seeking an end to executions and conducting education on the death penalty. Prejean also founded the groups SURVIVE to help families of victims of murder and related crimes.
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and Joseph O'Dell, whom she accompanied to their executions. She believes that both men were innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted. The book also examines the recent history of death penalty decisions by the
1117: 798: 1238: 363:(1993), an account of her relationship with Sonnier and other inmates on death row, and the factors related to her growing opposition to the death penalty. The book was adapted for a 178:
for whom she served as spiritual adviser before their executions. In her book, she explored the effects of the death penalty on everyone involved. The book was adapted as a 1995
317:. The experience gave Prejean greater insight into the process involved in executions, for the convict, families, and others in the prison, and she began speaking out against 526: 520: 575: 1258: 1253: 1213: 436:, composed of death row survivors who were exonerated after being convicted for crimes they did not commit, was started under The Moratorium Campaign. 821: 333: 210: 1128: 1223: 504: 938: 1203: 270: 162: 1088: 1218: 743: 1243: 106: 31: 1096: 453: 231: 1233: 912: 449: 1248: 1228: 1198: 540: 142: 1208: 693:
It was at St Thomas in 1982 that an acquaintance asked her to write to Elmo "Pat" Sonnier, a stranger on Death Row.
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in New Orleans, the Formation Director for the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Medaille, and has taught
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Bourg; 1911–1993), a nurse, and Louis Sebastian Prejean (1893–1974), a lawyer. She joined the
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Newspaper accounts of the crimes and executions of Patrick Sonnier and Robert Lee Willie,
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and witnessed several more executions. She served as National Chairperson of the
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For her book, she drew from her experiences with Sonnier and with the convict
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that calls on all people of good will to secure peace among all nations.
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The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions
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In December 2010, Prejean donated all of her archival papers to
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2013: Robert M. Holstein "Faith Doing Justice" Award from the
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DePaul University Special Collections and Archives holdings
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of the same name, which was first produced in autumn 2003.
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Prejean has given commencement addresses to more than
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List of commencement addresses given by Helen Prejean
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Pax Christi USA Pope Paul VI Teacher of Peace Award
269:. She has been the Religious Education Director at 125: 765: 209:Prejean served as the National Chairperson of the 910: 328:Prejean has since ministered to other inmates on 309:, known as Angola. Sonnier had been sentenced to 1180: 539:2016: Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Award from the 334:National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty 211:National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty 1121:"The Death Penalty Nun," 2006 video biography 1095:and Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J., August 1, 2006 979:. Catholic Theological Union. December 6, 2022 822:"DePaul gets papers of 'Dead Man Walking' nun" 411: 1061:"Sister Helen Prejean: The Real Woman Behind 533:2019: Blessed are the Peacemakers Award from 1112:with Waylon Lewis: "Sister Helen Prejean of 955: 813: 424:, the oldest and most prestigious award for 1001:. Catholic Theological Union. June 29, 2016 797:. DePaul University Library. Archived from 217: 963:"FINDING AID FOR Sr. Helen Prejean Papers" 861: 39: 1259:21st-century American Roman Catholic nuns 1254:20th-century American Roman Catholic nuns 915:. University of Minnesota. Archived from 911:Victorin-Vangerud, Aaron (June 1, 2011). 744:"Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project" 630:. University of Louisiana. Archived from 514: 904: 820:Brachear, Manya A. (February 10, 2011). 819: 668: 378:of the same name, first produced by the 338: 168:She is known for her best-selling book, 882: 792: 600: 1181: 999:"2016 Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Award" 786: 721: 1214:American anti–death penalty activists 793:DeGraff, Kathryn (February 7, 2011). 674: 284: 656:. Ministry Against the Death Penalty 722:Faires, Robert (December 6, 2002). 646: 505:River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey 350: 232:Sisters of Saint Joseph of Medaille 13: 1224:People from Baton Rouge, Louisiana 767:"Louisiana Killer Is Put to Death" 620: 503:In 2019 she wrote a memoir titled 450:Supreme Court of the United States 365:1995 feature film of the same name 161:advocate for the abolition of the 14: 1270: 1017: 675:Nolan, Bruce (January 19, 1996). 541:Catholic Common Ground Initiative 346:, where Sonnier was incarcerated. 1204:American anti-abortion activists 1166: 1154: 1142: 847:"Recipients | The Laetare Medal" 321:. At the same time, she founded 202:, first produced in 2000 by the 112: 16:Death penalty abolition advocate 991: 969: 931: 839: 601:Prejean, Helen (May 15, 2014). 467:In 1998, Prejean was given the 390:. It has also been adapted as 226:, the daughter of Augusta Mae ( 758: 736: 715: 698: 594: 443:(2004). She tells of two men, 241:in English and Education from 1: 977:"Blessed are the Peacemakers" 587: 439:Prejean wrote a second book, 416:In 1996, she was awarded the 374:Her book also was adapted as 1219:Saint Paul University alumni 1065:", by John Bookser Feister, 603:"How to pronounce 'Prejean'" 527:50 colleges and universities 500:called Friends of Batahola. 382:in 2000. The libretto is by 344:Louisiana State Penitentiary 307:Louisiana State Penitentiary 243:St. Mary's Dominican College 190:. It was also adapted as an 150:; born April 21, 1939) is a 80:St. Mary's Dominican College 7: 1244:University of Ottawa alumni 1055:Public Broadcasting Service 748:Catholic Mobilizing Network 551:Ignatian Solidarity Network 412:Campaigns, book, and awards 10: 1275: 849:. University of Notre Dame 545:Catholic Theological Union 535:Catholic Theological Union 518: 386:and the music composed by 271:St. Frances Cabrini Parish 222:Helen Prejean was born in 1234:American prison reformers 869:"The Moratorium Campaign" 683:. p. Metro Chicago 8 89: 75: 50: 38: 21: 1249:Catholics from Louisiana 1229:Laetare Medal recipients 1199:Roman Catholic activists 565:Honorary Doctorate (LLD) 422:University of Notre Dame 249:. In 1973, she earned a 237:In 1962, she received a 218:Early life and education 1209:Sisters of Saint Joseph 367:; she was portrayed by 943:PenguinRandomhouse.com 892:. Witness to Innocence 890:"Witness to Innocence" 754:on September 11, 2011. 724:"Arias From Death Row" 628:"Sister Helen Prejean" 515:Awards and recognition 492:for "Peace on Earth." 347: 311:death by electrocution 247:New Orleans, Louisiana 224:Baton Rouge, Louisiana 68:Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1124:, Trinity Wall Street 1102:The Other Journal.com 1067:St. Anthony Messenger 570:Pacem in Terris Award 474:, named after a 1963 445:Dobie Gillis Williams 342: 289:Her efforts began in 263:Pontifical university 259:Saint Paul University 180:film of the same name 84:Saint Paul University 919:on February 13, 2013 729:The Austin Chronicle 434:Witness to Innocence 299:Elmo Patrick Sonnier 267:University of Ottawa 1093:The National Review 1085:The Catholic Weekly 1051:Angel on Death Row: 774:. December 28, 1984 380:San Francisco Opera 336:from 1993 to 1995. 265:federated with the 255:religious education 204:San Francisco Opera 1110:Walk the Talk Show 772:The New York Times 529:around the world. 426:American Catholics 348: 319:capital punishment 285:Death row ministry 279:senior high school 1104:January 19, 2009 1076:Salt of the Earth 557:Christopher Award 462:Governor of Texas 406:DePaul University 399:Robert Lee Willie 100: 99: 1266: 1171: 1170: 1169: 1159: 1158: 1147: 1146: 1145: 1138: 1116:Fame," May 2009 1114:Dead Man Walking 1087:August 17, 2003 1063:Dead Man Walking 1029: 1028: 1026:Official website 1011: 1010: 1008: 1006: 995: 989: 988: 986: 984: 973: 967: 966: 959: 953: 952: 950: 949: 935: 929: 928: 926: 924: 908: 902: 901: 899: 897: 886: 880: 879: 877: 875: 865: 859: 858: 856: 854: 843: 837: 836: 834: 832: 817: 811: 810: 808: 806: 790: 784: 783: 781: 779: 769: 762: 756: 755: 750:. 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Bush 413: 410: 369:Susan Sarandon 357:She published 354: 349: 286: 283: 251:Master of Arts 219: 216: 184:Susan Sarandon 157:and a leading 98: 97: 91: 87: 86: 77: 73: 72: 66: 61:April 21, 1939 52: 48: 47: 44: 36: 35: 30: 27: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1271: 1260: 1257: 1255: 1252: 1250: 1247: 1245: 1242: 1240: 1237: 1235: 1232: 1230: 1227: 1225: 1222: 1220: 1217: 1215: 1212: 1210: 1207: 1205: 1202: 1200: 1197: 1195: 1194:Living people 1192: 1190: 1187: 1186: 1184: 1174: 1173:United States 1164: 1162: 1157: 1152: 1150: 1140: 1139: 1136: 1129: 1126: 1123: 1120: 1118: 1115: 1111: 1108: 1106: 1103: 1099: 1097: 1094: 1091: 1089: 1086: 1082: 1080: 1077: 1073: 1071: 1068: 1064: 1060: 1058: 1056: 1052: 1049: 1047: 1043: 1040: 1038: 1034: 1033:Helen Prejean 1031: 1027: 1022: 1021: 1000: 994: 978: 972: 964: 958: 944: 940: 934: 918: 914: 907: 891: 885: 870: 864: 848: 842: 827: 823: 816: 800: 796: 789: 773: 768: 761: 753: 749: 745: 739: 731: 730: 725: 718: 712: 708: 707: 701: 694: 682: 678: 671: 655: 649: 633: 629: 623: 608: 604: 597: 593: 583: 582:Laetare Medal 579: 577: 573: 571: 567: 564: 560: 558: 554: 552: 548: 546: 542: 538: 536: 532: 531: 530: 528: 522: 512: 510: 506: 501: 499: 493: 491: 487: 486: 481: 477: 473: 471: 465: 463: 459: 455: 451: 446: 442: 437: 435: 429: 427: 423: 419: 418:Laetare Medal 409: 407: 402: 400: 395: 393: 389: 385: 381: 377: 372: 370: 366: 362: 361: 353: 345: 341: 337: 335: 331: 326: 324: 320: 316: 312: 308: 304: 300: 296: 292: 282: 280: 276: 272: 268: 264: 260: 256: 252: 248: 244: 240: 235: 233: 229: 225: 215: 212: 207: 205: 201: 197: 193: 189: 185: 181: 177: 173: 172: 166: 164: 163:death penalty 160: 156: 153: 149: 148: 139: 108: 104: 103:Helen Prejean 95: 92: 90:Occupation(s) 88: 85: 81: 78: 74: 69: 63:(age 85) 53: 49: 42: 37: 33: 28:Helen Prejean 25: 20: 1113: 1109: 1101: 1092: 1084: 1075: 1066: 1062: 1050: 1003:. 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Index

Sister
CSJ

Baton Rouge, Louisiana
St. Mary's Dominican College
Saint Paul University
Sister
CSJ
/prˈʒɑːn/
pray-ZHAHN
Catholic
religious sister
American
death penalty
Dead Man Walking
death row
film of the same name
Susan Sarandon
Sean Penn
opera
Jake Heggie
Terrence McNally
San Francisco Opera
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
née
Sisters of Saint Joseph of Medaille
Bachelor of Arts
St. Mary's Dominican College
New Orleans, Louisiana

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