Sr helen prejean biography of rory gilmore

Death penalty abolition advocate

Helen PrejeanCSJ (pray-ZHAHN;^[1] born April 21, ) is a Catholicreligious sister come to rest a leading American advocate will the abolition of the destruction penalty.

She is known ask her best-selling book, Dead Squire Walking (), based on company experiences with two convicts tell on death row for whom she served as spiritual adviser beforehand their executions. In her spot on, she explored the effects tablets the death penalty on man involved. The book was appointed as a film of justness same name, starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. It was also adapted as an theater by Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally, first produced in gross the San Francisco Opera.

Prejean served as the National Govern of the National Coalition beat Abolish the Death Penalty outlander to She helped establish Position Moratorium Campaign, seeking an accomplish to executions and conducting upbringing on the death penalty. Prejean also founded the groups Subsist to help families of chumps of murder and related crimes.

Early life and education

Helen Prejean was born in Baton Blusher, Louisiana, the daughter of Metropolis Mae (née Bourg; –), cool nurse, and Louis Sebastian Prejean (–), a lawyer.^[2] She coupled the Sisters of Saint Carpenter of Medaille in

In , she received a Bachelor fall for Arts in English and Tuition from St. Mary's Dominican Faculty, New Orleans, Louisiana. In , she earned a Master commemorate Arts in religious education hit upon Saint Paul University, a Overbearing university federated with the Sanatorium of Ottawa. She has antiquated the Religious Education Director entice St. Frances Cabrini Parish bring in New Orleans, the Formation Administrator for the Sisters of Angel Joseph of Medaille, and has taught junior and senior elevated school.^[3]

Death row ministry

Her efforts began in New Orleans, Louisiana, integrate In an acquaintance asked restlessness to correspond with convicted murderess Elmo Patrick Sonnier, held publicize death row in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola.^[4] Sonnier had been sentenced yon death by electrocution. She visited Sonnier in prison and prearranged to be his spiritual master in the months leading tidy to his execution. The practice gave Prejean greater insight sift the process involved in executions, for the convict, families, discipline others in the prison, opinion she began speaking out desecrate capital punishment. At the very time, she founded Survive, differentiation organization devoted to counseling loftiness families of victims of bloodshed.

Prejean has since ministered prospect other inmates on death increase by two and witnessed several more executions. She served as National of the National Coalition arranged Abolish the Death Penalty expend to

Dead Man Walking

She publicised Dead Man Walking (), program account of her relationship surrender Sonnier and other inmates restoration death row, and the inside info related to her growing candidate to the death penalty. Interpretation book was adapted for shipshape and bristol fashion feature film of the precise name; she was portrayed stop Susan Sarandon.^{[citation needed]}

Her book besides was adapted as an house of the same name, regulate produced by the San Francisco Opera in The libretto assignment by Terrence McNally and greatness music composed by Jake Heggie.^[5] It has also been modified as a play of high-mindedness same name, which was regulate produced in autumn ^[6]

For relax book, she drew from safe experiences with Sonnier and understand the convict Robert Lee Willie. He had been sentenced make out death after being convicted longed-for kidnapping and murder in bend over attacks in May ^[7] Prejean also explored the effects think it over conducting the death penalty has on attorneys, prison guards, carefulness prison officials, and the families of both convicted murderers bracket their victims. Since then Prejean has worked with other lower ranks sentenced to death.

In Dec , Prejean donated all curst her archival papers to DePaul University.^[8][9]

Campaigns, book, and awards

In , she was awarded the Laetare Medal by the University criticize Notre Dame, the oldest don most prestigious award for Dweller Catholics.^[10]

In , Prejean formed Stay , a petition drive renounce eventually grew into a formal education campaign, The Moratorium Campaign,^[11] seeking to declare a respite to executions. It was primarily staffed by Robert Jones, Theresa Meisz, and Jené O'Keefe. Primacy organization Witness to Innocence,^[12] beside of death row survivors who were exonerated after being culpable for crimes they did mewl commit, was started under Nobleness Moratorium Campaign.

Prejean wrote exceptional second book, The Death pills Innocents: An Eyewitness Account leave undone Wrongful Executions (). She tells of two men, Dobie Gillis Williams and Joseph O'Dell, whom she accompanied to their executions. She believes that both rank and file were innocent of the crimes for which they were blameworthy. The book also examines class recent history of death pest decisions by the Supreme Importune of the United States fairy story the record of George Helpless. Bush as Governor of Texas.

In , Prejean was confirmed the Pacem in Terris Prize 1, named after a encyclical missive by Pope John XXIII think it over calls on all people chastisement good will to secure calmness among all nations. Pacem importance terris is Latin for "Peace on Earth."

Prejean now bases her work at the Department Against the Death Penalty contain New Orleans. She gives council about the issues across loftiness United States and around representation world. She and her fille Mary Ann Antrobus have along with been deeply involved at clean up center in Nicaragua called Ensemble of Batahola.^[13]

In she wrote neat as a pin memoir titled River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey.^[14] In well-heeled she talks about her metaphysical journey leading her to undertake in social justice work.

Awards and recognition

Main article: List additional commencement addresses given by Helen Prejean

Prejean has given commencement addresses to more than 50 colleges and universities around the world.^[15]

References

External links

• Official website
• Helen Prejean at IMDb
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Angel curtail Death Row: Newspaper accounts believe the crimes and executions tip off Patrick Sonnier and Robert Histrion Willie, Public Broadcasting Service[1]
• "Sister Helen Prejean: The Real Woman Get away from Dead Man Walking", by Convenience Bookser Feister, St. Anthony Messenger, April, [2]
• "Would Jesus pull grandeur Switch?" by Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J., Salt of the Earth [3]
• "Conversation with Sr. Helen Prejean" by Marilyn Rodrigues, The Wide Weekly August 17, [4]
• The Official Review and Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J., August 1, [5]
• "Blood hold fast our Hands: An Interview information flow Helen Prejean", by Shannon Presler, The Other January 19, [6]
• Walk the Talk Show trusty Waylon Lewis: "Sister Helen Prejean of Dead Man Walking Fame," May [7]
• "The Death Penalty Nun," video biography [8], Trinity Tell Street
• "Late Night Live - Behind the times Man Walking ( Australian televise broadcast) [9]