A Christian On Death Row: My Commitment to Those Condemned

by Dale Recinella

Dale Recinella, with a law degree from the University of Notre Dame in hand, achieved worldly money, power, prestige. Then came an intense spiritual awakening that led him from the corner office to the cell block. His new spiritual guardian to those condemned to die. Dale's stories, written with striking evangelical simplicity, testify to the boundless power of faith in Christ. Pope Francis, in the preface to the book, "This book touches the heart. Dale Recinella's witness is a tenacious and passionate adherence to the mercy of God."

Published in Italian by The Vatican Publishing House, Libreria Editrice Vaticana (LEV) in 2024, now available in English from Incendio Press.

196 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2026

About the author

Dale Recinella is a longtime death row chaplain in Florida. He is the author of several books, including When We Visit Jesus in Prison: A Resource Guide for Catholic Prison Ministry, Now I Walk on Death Row: A Wall Street Finance Lawyer Stumbles into the Arms of a Loving God, and The Biblical Truth about America’s Death Penalty. In 2021, Brother Dale became the first-ever recipient of the Guardian of Life Award from the Pontifical Academy for Life. Mr. Recinella has served for over 20 years as a spiritual counselor and Catholic lay chaplain in Florida’s prisons. On behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Florida, in 1998 he began ministering cell-to-cell to the approximately 400 men on Florida’s death row and the approximately 2,000 men in Florida’s long-term solitary confinement. Mr. Recinella, who received a Masters in Theological Studies (M.T.S.) summa cum laude from Ave Maria University’s Institute for Pastoral Theology (2009) and law degree magna cum laude from Notre Dame University Law School (1976), is a licensed Florida lawyer and has taught international law/business ethics in Europe at St. John’s University at the Vatican (Oratorio) and at Temple University in Rome.

Reviews

[Marieke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another biased review from me because Bro Dale was Jim Daileys spiritual advisor on death row and his solid friend since 1998... and henwrites about that in here and before Catch the Devil was out this was the only article on his warrant that showed my friend and not his case. This book highlights not just the injustuce happening on the row and closed mangement but also the trauma of the people touched by the system including the officers working there.... Highly recommended!

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful stories that will impact you.
Highly recommended.