Throughout June our churches are displaying banners with the above wording. Our parish is participating in the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, sponsored by Pax Christi U.S.A. June is "Torture Awareness Month". Such a public display is rare for our parish. It is not to say that torture is the major issue of Catholic moral teaching - you can think of many others - but it is one of them.
Every June, human rights and faith organizations join together to mark Torture Awareness Month because on June 26, 1987, the nations of the world took a major step against the immoral and abhorrent practice of torture. On that day, the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT for short) entered into force and the United Nations later declared June 26th the “International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.”
During this month we ask ourselves what message faith communities might send to world leaders about employing torture as a principle of government policy. And, very importantly, to pray. In the words of the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" (#2298) "It is necessary to work for their [use of cruel practices] abolition, We must pray for the victims and their tormentors." Let us pray.