Bishop Quinn's Grace

                                                                    At the Capitol Awards Banquet on March 26, 2010 at joint celebration of Death Penalty Focus and Friends Committee on Legislation (CA), Bishop Francis A Quinn gave this beautiful invocation:

Loving God:  We ask you to bless our honorees this evening: Christine Thomas, Sister Catherine Connell, SSS and Pat Hardy.

 We believe that through evolution you have brought into existence the highest form of creation----the human being.

 Lately, we have begun to treasure and protect our environment---all nature surrounding us.

 But we confess that, in anger and in fear, in law enforcement and in war, in the name of public safety we still destroy the pinnacle of your creation---humans made in your image and likeness.

 With minds that comprehend quantum physics, black holes and parallel universes, in detention policy we have not yet found the way or the will to rehabilitate rather than kill.

 Gentle God, give us the wisdom to understand the authentic reasons and causes of criminal behavior, and the courage to join other developed nations of the world in employing more enlightened methods of dealing with crime.

 In the Quaker tradition, we will now have a moment of silence……….

 Lord, we ask your blessing on all those gathered here who are working toward the abolition of the death penalty.  Amen.