Ten years ago, Pope Francis spoke out against the death penalty. Addressing a delegation from the International Association of Penal Law, the Pope said this: “All Christians and men of good faith are therefore called upon today to fight . . . for the abolition of the death penalty–whether it is legal or illegal, and in all its forms . . . .”
In speaking out against capital punishment, Pope Francis followed the example of Pope John Paul II, who condemned the death penalty as “both cruel and unnecessary.”
Surely, as Catholics, we are called upon to oppose any kind of execution by the instruments of government, whether by hanging, firing squad, electrocution, or lethal injection. In the way that he died, our Savior calls on us to respect the dignity of life–every life, even the life of the most hardened criminal. After all, Christ reassured St. Dismas on the cross that he would join Christ in paradise on the day of his death.
Catholic opposition to capital punishment is also a way of honoring all our saints and martyrs who died horrible deaths for their faith. Indeed, some of them died deaths by methods even more cruel than the cross. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Catholics were publicly hanged, drawn, and quartered, which meant that they were first hanged by the neck, taken down while still conscious, and then eviscerated and sometimes even castrated while still alive. Their bodies were then pulled apart (quartered) to the delight of watching crowds. St. Edward Campion was executed in just this way.
Those of us who are Catholic should follow the examples of Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II and speak out publicly against the death penalty. Let us be guided by Catechism, which clarifies that capital punishment is contrary to our Catholic faith.
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| Pope Francis opposes the death penalty. |