Posted on 10/23/2014 1:37:07 PM PDT by Gamecock
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis called for abolition of the death penalty as well as life imprisonment, and denounced what he called a "penal populism" that promises to solve society's problems by punishing crime instead of pursuing social justice.
"It is impossible to imagine that states today cannot make use of another means than capital punishment to defend peoples' lives from an unjust aggressor," the pope said Oct. 23 in a meeting with representatives of the International Association of Penal Law.
All Christians and people of good will are thus called today to struggle not only for abolition of the death penalty, whether it be legal or illegal and in all its forms, but also to improve prison conditions, out of respect for the human dignity of persons deprived of their liberty. And this, I connect with life imprisonment," he said. "Life imprisonment is a hidden death penalty."
The pope noted that the Vatican recently eliminated life inprisonment from its own penal code.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, cited by Pope Francis in his talk, "the traditional teaching of the church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor," but modern advances in protecting society from dangerous criminals mean that "cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity are very rare, if not practically nonexistent."
The pope said that, although a number of countries have formally abolished capital punishment, "the death penalty, illegally and to a varying extent, is applied all over the planet," because "extrajudicial executions" are often disguised as "clashes with offenders or presented as the undesired consequences of the reasonable, necessary and proportionate use of force to apply the law."
The pope denounced the detention of prisoners without trial, who he said account for more than 50 percent of all incarcerated people in some countries. He said maximum security prisons can be a form of torture, since their "principal characteristic is none other than external isolation," which can lead to "psychic and physical sufferings such as paranoia, anxiety, depression and weight loss and significantly increase the chance of suicide."
He also rebuked unspecified governments involved in kidnapping people for "illegal transportation to detention centers in which torture is practiced."
The pope said criminal penalties should not apply to children, and should be waived or limited for the elderly, who "on the basis of their very errors can offer lessons to the rest of society. We don't learn only from the virtues of saints but also from the failings and errors of sinners."
Pope Francis said contemporary societies overuse criminal punishment, partially out of a primitive tendency to offer up "sacrificial victims, accused of the disgraces that strike the community."
The pope said some politicians and members of the media promote "violence and revenge, public and private, not only against those responsible for crimes, but also against those under suspicion, justified or not."
He denounced a growing tendency to think that the "most varied social problems can be resolved through public punishment ... that by means of that punishment we can obtain benefits that would require the implementation of another type of social policy, economic policy and policy of social inclusion."
Using techniques similar to those of racist regimes of the past, the pope said, unspecified forces today create "stereotypical figures that sum up the characteristics that society perceives as threatening."
Pope Francis concluded his talk by denouncing human trafficking and corruption, both crimes he said "could never be committed without the complicity, active or passive, of public authorities."
The pope spoke scathingly about the mentality of the typical corrupt person, whom he described as conceited, unable to accept criticism, and prompt to insult and even persecute those who disagree with him.
"The corrupt one does not perceive his own corruption. It is a little like what happens with bad breath: someone who has it hardly ever realizes it; other people notice and have to tell him," the pope said. "Corruption is an evil greater than sin. More than forgiveness, this evil needs to be cured."
Right. Me either. His solution is to set free murderers and rapists? He is out of his mind. This is rather unfortunate as the Catholic Church really does not have much of a Pope at all. “Who made this guy Pope?” phrase comes to mind.
Yep, Mexico is a perfect example. Kill a few hundred people and get 10-15, possibly 30, years if you don’t bribe your way out after 1-2 years. In fact, Illinois is following Mexico’s lead in drug cartels and social justice.
What error? The pope is entitled to his personal opinion. He is not proclaiming this as infallible teachinng. He can't really, anyway. The matter of sentencing criminals is a matter of prudential judgement, since so much depends on circumstances. He didn't rule out the death penalty in principle.
Did you read the entire article?
I agree.
Paul advocated the Bible as the ultimate rule of faith? Where's that in the Bible?
I found this, though, FWIW.
"Listen to the church... If he won't listen to the church, treat him as a pagan or tax collector." --Jesus
Pope Benedict has served long enough. As much as I loved having him as Pope, he deserves some time away while nearing the end of his life. God bless him.
The Church will survive, as God has promised.
Well, which countries are the U.S. emulating with the death penalty? China and Iran?
(I support the death penalty, just for the record.)
It would be nice if things were simple and easy, but they aren’t.
Of course, the “Vicar of Christ”, the one in the seat of Peter, the leader of your entire organization, the Substitute for Jesus on Earth, just speaks his opinion...like pope pius IX in the Quanta Cura:
“These false and perverse opinions [of democracy and individual freedom] are so much the more detestable, by as much as they...hinder and banish that salutary influence with the Catholic Church, by the institution and command of Her Divine Author, ought freely to exercise, even to the consummation of the world, not only over individual men, but nations, peoples, and sovereigns.”
You gotta love these guys...
Francis rants and raves about the death penalty then says the Catholic Church believes in the death penalty in certain cases. That’s been the case for years now. Nothing new here. The entire speech was uncalled for and irrelevant.
But I just have to end with this.....
“The pope spoke scathingly about the mentality of the typical corrupt person, whom he described as conceited, unable to accept criticism, and prompt to insult and even persecute those who disagree with him”.
Cardinal Burke fired for speaking the truth, which is persecution. Kaspar hailed for speaking heresy. I might be Catholic but I speak the truth and it sounded to me like Francis describing himself. He can prove me wrong by standing up for the faith, but so far I’ve heard nothing but criticism from him for Catholics that try to live their life like Catholics are supposed to live it.
All violent criminals will now live in Vatican City.
Are you really THE St Thomas Aquinas? I thought you were dead and rotting.
Anyway, there was no "church" prior to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, my dead FRiend. That word is "assembly" and it would have to have been a Jewish gathering at the synagogue. Do the math...and revisit a basic hermeneutics class. From what I have read of you, you need a serious dose of hermeneutics.
Not nearly simple enough.
What color smoke comes out the Vatican chimney when the Pope is blazing dope all day?
“This is a very odd Pope”.
Quote of the week!
Left out a couple important steps there.
“God is God and I am not.” Whether Pope Francis or any other Pope is right or wrong about any practical issue doesn’t change that. Every single one of us is 100% dependent on God’s mercy to avoid eternal damnation.
“Pues nadie te ama, como Yo,
Pues nadie te ama, como Yo,
Mira la Cruz, este es mi mas grande prueba,
Nadie te ama, como Yo.
Pues nadie te ama, come Yo,
Pues nadie te ama, como Yo,
Mira la Cruz, fue for ti, fue porque te amo,
Nadie te ama, como Yo.”
Thanks, Tax-chick! :)
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