The Nobel Prize for Sister Helen
by Eileen Boyd
   

Sister Helen Prejean of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille has again been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The spiritual leader, activist, renowned lecturer and best-selling author of Dead Man Walking – An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States, the book that inspired the Academy Award Winning movie, is considered a “front-runner” for this most prestigious award. In her tireless campaigning for abolition of the Death Penalty Sister Helen has visited and lectured at hundreds of Churches and colleges and has been speaker to local, national and international human rights and social justice organizations. She has visited over thirty states, Canada and Italy as a much sought after speaker. She has rightly been credited with helping the Roman Catholic Church continue to refine its position on the Death Penalty.

We, the organizers of The Nobel Peace Prize for Sister Helen, have already written to the Nobel Committee and encouraged members of the committee to give Sister Helen's candidacy serious consideration. We respectfully ask that conscientious readers of this entreaty investigate what Sister Helen has accomplished (just type “Sister Helen Prejean” into any Internet search engine) and join this campaign for her to be awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

Participation in this campaign is easy. Just write or email the Nobel Committee. Tell them why you believe Sister Helen is a worthy recipient of this most prestigious award. Addresses appear below. The award is announced in October. If you wish, you may also let us know you've joined the campaign. In addition, please invite others, especially persons in your religious community, to join this human dignity-exalting initiative.

If Sister Helen were to receive this extraordinary award the movement to Abolish the death penalty in the United States would be substantially enhanced. The prestige and significance that attaches to this award are profound. The award symbolizes the respect that the most scholarly, civilized and spirit-led people of the world have for the recipient and his or her work.