Archbishop John F. Donoghue baptized Joshua Bishop into the Catholic faith on Oct. 6, 1999, at a Mass at the prison in Jackson.

SMYRNA—The execution of death row inmate Joshua Bishop is scheduled for Thursday, March 31, at 7 p.m. As part of an effort to increase the Catholic presence at death penalty prayer vigils, organizers have scheduled a bus trip that day for those who want to participate in a prayer vigil on the grounds of the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison in Jackson. All are welcome to participate.

On March 31, the evening will begin with a prayer service in the Chancery of the Archdiocese, 2401 Lake Park Drive, SE, Smyrna, at 4:15 p.m. The bus, sponsored by the archdiocesan Prison and Jail Ministry will depart at 4:30 p.m. from the Chancery and will return at approximately 10 p.m. A light snack and water bottles will be available. The ride is free.

The late Archbishop John F. Donoghue baptized Bishop in 1999 on death row. Since his baptism, Bishop has faithfully attended Mass every Thursday and has been a frequent participant in the sacraments.

Bishop is a talented artist and a leader in the death row Catholic community. He wrote an article for the Georgia Bulletin in 2014 about his friend, the late Father Austin Fogarty, and he was the subject of a second article later that year. He is well known by clergy and lay volunteers alike.

To register to participate in the vigil, contact Deacon Richard Tolcher, coordinator of Prison and Jail Ministry, at rtolcher@archatl.com or Imelda Richárd at irichard@archatl.com or 404-920-7350, no later than March 25.