- Pope Francis says “You shall not kill” is valid for the guilty and the innocent
- He appeals for the worldwide abolishment of death penalty
- He proposes that no death sentence is executed in this Holy Year of Mercy
“The commandment ‘You shall not kill,’ has absolute value and applies to both the innocent and the guilty.”
These were the words Pope Francis uttered in front of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, February 21.
An article published by CNN disclosed that the Pope proposed to Catholic government leaders worldwide to make a courageous and exemplary gesture: that no death sentence is executed in this Holy Year of Mercy.
He launched the Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Catholic Church’s formal yearlong push for mercy and forgiveness on December 8 last year and will continue through November 20, when the feast of Christ the King will be celebrated.
Pope Francis also made an appeal to the conscience of all rulers, so that the world can achieve an international consensus for the abolition of the death penalty.
According to an article published by News.Va (Official Vatical Network), he expressed the strong opposition of the Catholic Church against death penalty.
March last year, he wrote a letter to the President of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty saying death penalty is an offence against the inviolability of life and the dignity of the human person and it contradicts God’s plan for man and society.
He added it is the opposite of divine mercy, which should be the model for our man-made legal systems. Furthermore, he emphasized that death penalty doesn’t fulfill any just objective because instead of rendering justice to the victims, it encourages revenge. It also denies any hope of repentance for the crime that has been committed.
He thanked those who support and work for a universal moratorium, with the goal of abolishing death penalty.
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