2267. Recourse to the death penalty on the part of legitimate authority, following a fair trial, was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes and an acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good.
Today, however, there is an increasing awareness that the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes. In addition, a new understanding has emerged of the significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state. Lastly, more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption.
Consequently, the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person”, [Francis, Address to Participants in the Meeting organized by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, 11 October 2017] and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.
Aprofunde seus conhecimentos
438. What importance does the Church give to the Decalogue?
586. What does the phrase “Who art in heaven” mean?
31. Why are the formulas of faith important?
4. Is the light of reason alone sufficient to know the mystery of God?
346. What are the effects of the sacrament of Matrimony?
270. Who is the minister of Confirmation?
309. Is a confessor bound to secrecy?
Acesse nossos estudos biblicos:
What is the meaning of being “blameless” according to the 2 Peter 3:14 passage?
What does the Bible teach us about wisdom as a gift from God?
What does the mutual admiration between loved ones mean in the book of Songs?
What is the Blood Moon prophecy of Joel 2:30-31 in the Bible?
Who are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and what is their significance?
What does Jesus’ statement “I am the resurrection and the life” in John 11:25-26 mean?
