[madprof98]

It is this "Father Rutler" (whoever he is) who finds killing people to be an "intrinsic good." The UNrevised Catechism of the Catholic Church said that "bloodless means" of protecting the public "better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person."

I would also suggest that anyone who says Cardinal Avery Dulles is on the same page as "Father Rutler" should read the article in FIRST THINGS to which Cicero alluded.

What we have in this thread is a good example of right-wing "cafeteria Catholics" exactly like those Archbishop Chaput cricitized in the remarks I cited. They even claim the Holy Father is taking a stand against Church teachings! And they ignore the very clear sense of Scripture when it suits them--the very thing they denounce the Episcopalians for doing!

[ckca]

What we have in this thread is a good example of right-wing "cafeteria Catholics"

Spin it however you like, Rutler (and this author) is correct. You have not refuted the excerpt of Rutler's that I posted.

It is this "Father Rutler" (whoever he is)

You're just a little bit out of touch with important Catholic commentators in our age.

[ckca]

Fr. George Rutler

[stands2reason]

Two questions:

Are you a Catholic?

Are you against the death penalty?

[ninenot]

Fr. George Rutler is a convert from Episcopalianism; he appears now and then on EWTN.

Arguably one of the top intellectuals in the RCC in the States, he has written a number of books available from Ignatius Press and Christendom Press.

There's one out there which is no longer in print; a dazzling listing of the philosophies which are NOT Catholic and the reasons therefore.

The Pope may earnestly WISH that the West does not apply the penalty (and I agree with his WISH.) But the Pope cannot change the teaching of the Church regarding the liceity of such penalties (making all the usual assumptions about trial, gravity of the offense, etc., etc.)