Sister Helen Prejean

On Wednesday, March 16, 2011, St. Mark's will hear from Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, the real life Sister of Dead Man Walking fame. 

An autobiographical account of her relationship with convicted murderer Elmo Sonnier and other inmates on death row served as the basis for the feature film and opera Dead Man Walking. In the film, she was portrayed by Susan Sarandon, who won an Academy Award. Sister Helen Prejean has since ministered to many other inmates on death row and witnessed several more executions. She served as National Chairperson of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty from 1993 to 1995. The organization Witness to Innocence, composed of innocent death row survivors who were convicted for crimes they did not commit, started under Sister Helen's own Moratorium Campaign. In 1998, Prejean was awarded the Pacem in Terris Award. It was named after a 1963 encyclical letter by Pope John XXIII that calls upon all people of good will to secure peace among all nations. Prejean now bases her work at the Death Penalty Discourse Network in New Orleans and spends her time giving talks across the United States and around the world. http://www.prejean.org/

Tickets are available only at the door.