charlie, you are rationalizing. The word of the Pope is law within the Church and is not to be ignored by Catholics arbitrarily even if not spoken ex cathedra. Sorry, you’re simply wrong.
Here’s Pope John Paul II, speaking in St. Louis: “I renew the appeal I made most recently at Christmas for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary,” he said. “Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals the chance to reform.”
The St. Anthony Messenger bracketed that quote saying this: “The core of the homily was a challenge to America to heed this mercy and thus become unconditionally pro-life in every situation: abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, racism, poverty, even capital punishment.”
Pro-Life = no death penalty.
charlie, you are rationalizing. The word of the Pope is law within the Church and is not to be ignored by Catholics arbitrarily even if not spoken ex cathedra. Sorry, you’re simply wrong. Here’s Pope John Paul II, speaking in St. Louis: “I renew the appeal I made most recently at Christmas for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary,” he said. “Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals the chance to reform.” The St. Anthony Messenger bracketed that quote saying this: “The core of the homily was a challenge to America to heed this mercy and thus become unconditionally pro-life in every situation: abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, racism, poverty, even capital punishment.” Pro-Life = no death penalty.