Sept. 21, 2000

Calvin College is partnering with the Criminal Justice Chaplaincy (CJC) for two public talks by Sister Helen Prejean, whose work with death row inmates was depicted in the award-winning film Dead Man Walking.

Prejean will speak on Thursday, November 2 at 3:30 p.m. in the Calvin Chapel in a talk titled "Dead man Walking: The Journey." That talk is free and open to the public.

She also will speak that evening at a dinner at the Crowne Plaza Holiday Inn, sponsored by the CJC. That dinner is also free and open to the public, but reservations must be made by calling 454-4925.

Prejean is the author of "Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the U.S." That 1993 book was on the New York Times bestseller list for 31 weeks and nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. It then was made into a motion picture which netted an Academy Award for Susan Sarandon, who played Prejean.

Sister Helen was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998 and 1999. She has been featured on such shows as Prime Time Live, Frontline, 60 Minutes, Oprah and Larry King Live.

She was born April 21, 1939 in Baton Rouge, La., where she has lived and worked her entire life. She joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille in 1957. She has a BA in English from St. Mary's Dominican College in New Orleans. In 1981 she began counseling death row inmates at Louisiana State Penitentiary and continues this ministry today. She has accompanied five men to execution. She also works with the families of murder victims.

Contact Phil de Haan.