Pope Seeks End To Death Penalty

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI voiced support Wednesday for political actions around the world aimed at eliminating the death penalty, reflecting his stance as an opponent of capital punishment.

He made the comments during his weekly public audience to participants at a meeting being promoted by the Catholic Sant'Egidio Community on the theme "No Justice without Life."

He said he hopes "your deliberations will encourage the political and legislative initiatives being promoted in a growing number of countries to eliminate the death penalty."

Benedict, like his predecessor Pope John Paul II, has appealed for commutation in a number of death penalty cases, many in the United States.

In the late 1990s, the Roman Catholic church hardened its opposition to the death penalty in a revised statement of its teaching. It said the death penalty is permissible only in the narrowest of circumstances, and only when there is no other way to protect the public.

Comments

[chearn73]

02:22 PM on 01/01/2012

AIDS can be a death sentence to so many in Africa. What could help that? Condoms. What does the Pope rail against and spread lies about? You got it. Condoms.

[btboone8]

10:17 PM on 12/16/2011

You know I have heard and read that the Catholic church was more than complicit during ww2 while the Jews were being slaughtered by the millions. I wonder if this is true?

[yheardme]

11:05 AM on 12/18/2011

http://www.catholic.com/documents/how-pius-xii-protected-jews

[edwardandersons]

03:45 PM on 12/14/2011

I wonder how Perry and Bush who are so called Christians feel about the Pope denouncing the death penalty? I wonder if they will stop now that the Pope condemns it; nahhh they will still support it! Their faith only matters when they are running for office and need to cater to Christian voters.

[Travis Webster]

08:40 PM on 12/22/2011

Well, seeing as how Perry and Bush are not Catholics, anything the Pope says is not automatically representative of their religion.

[Happy Nataraj]

09:06 AM on 12/12/2011

I am grateful for this action.

[thesciguy]

09:33 AM on 12/08/2011

I agree with him, but for completely different reasons.

[iknowscottyknows]

05:36 PM on 12/07/2011

Some people need killin'.

[virpilosus]

02:35 AM on 12/06/2011

I notice in some interesting political news that some very wealthy and influential folks in California (businessmen, actually) are putting a lot of their personal money into a petition initiative to place a measure on the California ballot to eliminate the DP (and to replace it with a life sentence, no parole). That has not come up for a while in CA., and it will be most interesting, given the large percentage of Catholics in CA., to see if this new initiative gets any popular traction.

[mcmutter]

10:48 PM on 12/05/2011

STOP the child sexual abuse first .....

TOSS out the bishops who cover up the crimes .... and move the criminals to new parishes ...

Clean up your RCC first ..... its filth ....

[sonjasmom]

05:22 PM on 12/05/2011

A companion article in the Religion section states that Newt Gingrich is a great admirer of this pope. Why do I think Newt won't be following the Pope on this issue?

[Edward Hampton]

03:31 PM on 12/05/2011

The death penalty is a very controversial issue, the public always gets emotional when anyone talks of getting rid of it. Peter remarked that men will always power over other men, even unto death.

[MagicManDoneIt]

12:58 AM on 12/04/2011

It would be nice if ol' Ratzi would seek an end to decades long criminal conspiracies covering up child rape. That might help his credibility out a little bit.

[dvglass3]

06:53 PM on 12/05/2011

Good idea...he should work on each of these terrible things at the same time. No more killing AND stop rape!!!

[john rajah]

05:25 PM on 12/03/2011

The Pope is SO unAmerican

Recall the cheers at the GOP debate when the moderator referred to the 69 executions in Texas since Rick Perry became Governor

[rsttho557949]

10:38 AM on 12/03/2011

I have a problem with a man of God wanting to go against what is written in the Bible about the Death Penalty. If the Pope truly believes in God and Jesus, he would understand that "death" on earth is not the end of one's life; the Second Death is the worst thing that can happen to a person. The Death Penalty is simply penalty where one is totally removed from society and brought in the presence of God for such an egregious act. In some states, a person can get just as much time in jail for having a gun at a robbery where a person wasn't killed. To me that is simply not fair and just that a person can rot in jail for having but not using a gun at a robbery- while he is cell mates with a person that is a serial killer. I know the RCC wants to do a lot of damage control but going against what is written in the Bible makes the Pope look " double minded".

[RedIvan88]

03:31 PM on 12/03/2011

The death penalty is okay in the Old Testament, not the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus. Jesus teaches mercy and respect for life, not executing people for the crimes they commit. Remember the whole "Blessed are the merciful" thing?

The Catholic Church (and myself) take the teachings of Jesus on life with more salt than the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy which say the death penalty is okay. We as Christians have no responsibility whatsoever to follow the Jewish laws, except those given by Christ (Love God, love your neighbor; basically the 10 Commandments). The Old Testament's only purpose is to prove that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, not to make just certain social problems.

To execute criminals is immoral because although they have committed horrible crimes, they are still human beings with dignity and should be treated and respected as such.

[rsttho557949]

10:50 PM on 12/03/2011

Sorry it took so long to reply- I was enjoying a nice Saturday off with the family. I like your response but let me clarify just a few things;
1. Genesis 9:6 concerns God's black and white position on the Death Penalty was written before Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; in fact there were no "Jews" even "invented" at the time of this decree by God. Again this isn't a "gray area" for debate, this is His position.
2. No "Jew" has had any part of writing the Bible. ). "The Old Testament'­s only purpose is to prove that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, not to make just certain social problems." This is your quote about the Old Testament and I agree with you 100%. If you study your quote you will see that what I have just said makes perfect sense,
3. Please study Matthew 26:52 which is another black and white issue (By Jesus) on the Death Penalty. He said, ""for all who take the sword will perish by the sword".
Recall that Jesus when He came to earth in human form, was not to change any laws or civil laws that were in place(Matthew 5:17). If Peter had killed the guy after he cut his ear off, Jesus would have allowed Peter to "die" (he eventually did in Rome); He decreed it in Genesis 9;6 and as a Just God, He would not have saved Peter. Follow? Peace to you.

[gemmax]

12:27 PM on 12/04/2011

Thee is more to this man than meets the eye. Watch and wait.

[majesticjkr]

06:35 AM on 12/03/2011

yes end the death pen, killers and perverts get it to easy just being put to death, they should be punished for the rest of their lives,

[mrld20]

01:47 PM on 12/02/2011

YESSSSS :DDDD