Leaders from the Catholic Mobilizing Network to End the Use of the Death Penalty came from Washington, D.C., to meet with the members of Atlanta’s Death Penalty Task Force.

Director of Justice and Peace Ministries Kat Doyle, Deacon Richard Tolcher and Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory met with the group’s leaders to set goals and priorities.

Doyle said the purpose was to learn how the local group could strengthen its advocacy for the church’s position against executions.

Deacon Tolcher said the visiting organization complimented the local group’s efforts but also had some helpful observations on improvements.

On a good note, he said that few organizations have thought to act like the Atlanta effort to enlist permanent deacons to spread the news about the church’s opposition to the death penalty.

Catholic Mobilizing Network said the Atlanta task force should consider expanding its task force to include a young adult, an Hispanic community member and a person who had suffered and lost a loved one because of crime.