Los Angeles auxiliary bishop honored for anti-death penalty efforts

Published: 2004-05-12

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (CNS) -- Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala of Los Angeles called for reform of the criminal justice system and an end to the death penalty at a dinner where he was honored for his efforts against capital punishment. "Violence is not our way, it is not God's way," said the bishop after accepting the 2004 Abolition Award during the 13th annual awards dinner of Death Penalty Focus held in April at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. "My religious formation supports my belief and conviction that all have the right to life -- life with dignity that should be accorded to children of a gracious, merciful and loving Creator," he added. Bishop Zavala serves as the episcopal liaison to prisons and corrections for the California Catholic Conference. In that role he has promoted the church's involvement in providing pastoral care to crime victims and to prisoners and showing support for their families.

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