Daughter of Charity to accompany Texas man to his execution

Published: 2007-03-15

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (CNS) -- Sister Doris Moore has experienced the personal side of the death penalty. While some people are against capital punishment for legal reasons, the Daughter of Charity is against the state killing inmates for personal and religious reasons. Her friend, Vincent Gutierrez, is on death row in Texas and is scheduled to be executed March 28. Sister Doris plans to be there. "I've been with him on the whole journey," said Sister Doris, who began corresponding with Gutierrez in 1998 when he had just arrived on death row at age 19. After an initial letter to introduce herself, Sister Doris -- then working at one of her order's wellness centers in San Antonio -- committed to driving four hours to Livingston, Texas, to visit Gutierrez at least twice a year. The distance has become even greater in the years since. Sister Doris now works as the community development coordinator at the Helping Hand food pantry in Little Rock, but she has remained a consistent presence in Gutierrez's life.

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