Pope Francis: 5 messages against the death penalty

Pope Francis has expressed on several occasions his forceful rejection of the death penalty. In fact, in 2018 it authorized the modification of the Catechism of the Catholic Church so that it would be considered “inadmissible” in any case.

The Holy Father usually directs his messages against this practice every year, especially on October 10 on the occasion of World Day against the Death Penalty, a date on which the aim is to raise awareness and mobilize civil society, public opinion, political leaders, etc., to support the call for the “universal abolition” of the death penalty.

1. On August 18, 2018, Pope Francis authorized the modification of article 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the death penalty, declaring the application of this sentence “inadmissible” in any case, and also called for its abolition in all cases. the world.

Between other changes, It was established that “the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that the death penalty is inadmissible, because it violates the inviolability and dignity of the person and is determinedly committed to its abolition throughout the world.”

2. On October 10, 2022, on the occasion of the aforementioned day, Pope Francis He asked through his official X account (formerly Twitter) “for all people of good will to mobilize to obtain the abolition of the death penalty throughout the world.”

“Society can repress crime without definitively depriving the person who committed it of the possibility of redemption,” he defended.

3. That same year, the Holy Father asked the faithful to pray for the cessation of this practice throughout the month of September. “Let us pray that the death penalty, which violates the inviolability and dignity of the person, is abolished in the laws of all countries in the world,” he asked.

In the Pope’s intention video, he warned that “every day the ‘no’ to the death penalty grows more around the world. For the Church this is a sign of hope.”

He indicated that “in the light of the Gospel, the death penalty is inadmissible” because “the commandment ‘thou shalt not kill’ refers to both the innocent and the guilty.”

Furthermore, the Holy Father pointed out that the death penalty “from a legal point of view, is not necessary,” because “society can effectively repress crime without definitively depriving the person who committed it of the possibility of redemption.”

4. In 2020, also through this social network, The Pontiff affirmed that all Christians “are called to fight not only for the abolition of the death penalty in all its forms, but also in order to improve prison conditions, with respect for the human dignity of people deprived of their rights.” freedom”.

5. Likewise, on February 27, 2019, encouraged the abolition of the death penalty worldwide through a video message addressed to the participants in the VII World Congress against the death penalty that was held in Brussels (Belgium).

The Pontiff remarked that “the goal of abolishing the death penalty worldwide represents a courageous affirmation of the principle of the dignity of the human person and the conviction that the human race can confront crime, as well as reject evil.” , offering the convicted person the possibility and time to repair the damage committed, think about his action and thus be able to change his life, at least internally.”

6.On August 27, 2024, the book “A Christian on Death Row” went on sale. My commitment to the condemned”, by lawyer Dale Racinella, who has spiritually accompanied the condemned in various Florida prisons since 1998.

The Holy Father wrote the prologue to this book published by the Vatican publishing house, in which he stated that the death penalty does not do justice, while ensuring that it is “a poison for society.”