capital punishment

Pope Francis- has encouraged Catholics to campaign to end the death penalty as it violate the sanctity of life and can in some cases lead to the execution of innocent. Furthermore he said it is contrary to ‘Human Dignity’

St Augustine’s teaching – taught that we must ‘reform the criminal in this life’ or if not they are condemns to suffer eternal punishment in hell/

However the CCC allows for the use of Capital punishment in a case where there is no other way in which to protect society from a violent criminal.

In Evangelium Vitae John Paul II makes it very clear that there is almost no case in the modern world where Capital Punishment is necessary as all counties have the capability of keeping violent criminals confined in prison.