Church "honoring" Bill Richardson?

The pro-choice Democratic--and Catholic--New Mexico governor is going to Rome next week with his archbishop, Michael Sheehan, to a special lighting ceremony at the Colosseum in honor of the state's decision to repeal the death penatly. The effort was a long slog, and one the Catholic bishops helped push it over the top.

According to the story below, Richardson and the delegation will also be part of the general audience with Pope Benedict XVI. No mention of an honorary degre, however.


Richardson, Sheehan to mark death-penalty repeal in Rome

Gov. Bill Richardson and Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan will travel to Rome next week as part of a New Mexico delegation attending a special ceremony at the Roman Coliseum in honor of the state repealing the death penalty.

The Coliseum in Rome — where once they threw Christians to the lions and held to-the-death gladiator fights — will be lit Wednesday night in recognition of the state's capital punishment repeal, passed into law and signed by the governor last month.

The Community of Sant'Egidio, a prominent Catholic peace organization, is hosting the ceremony. The group also lit the Coliseum after New Jersey banned the death penalty in 2007.

The New Mexico delegation will also be present for the Wednesday audience with Pope Benedict XVI.

Besides the governor and the archbishop, others in the delegation include Rep. Gail Chasey, Albuquerque — who for 10 years led the fight in the Legislature for ending capital punishment — and her husband, former state Attorney General David Norvell; Allen Sánchez, executive director of the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops, and his wife, Carolina Sanchez; VikiElky, director of the New Mexico Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty, and her husband, Thomas Elky; and Eric Witt, the governor's deputy chief of staff.

The state is paying the expenses of Richardson and Witt, governor spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said.


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