- The Catholic Thing - https://www.thecatholicthing.org -

Pope: Death penalty contrary to the Gospel

Despite centuries of teaching that the state may execute malefactors under certain circumstances, Pope Francis has said  that the death penalty “cannot be reduced to a mere memory of a historic teaching” without taking into account the works and teachings of recent popes, he said, adding that it must also consider the “mutual awareness of the Christian people, who refuse a consensual attitude toward a penalty which seriously undermines human dignity.” [1]