Cardinal Ratzinger in 2004 speaking officially as Pope St. John Paul II’s chief doctrinal officer. This remains the only position on capital punishment consistent with scripture, the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and papal teaching up to Benedict XVI. ewtn.com/catholicism/library…
Oct 1, 2025 · 2:52 PM UTC
Donum Veritatis 23 and Lumen Gentium 25 require religious submission of will and intellect to non-definitive papal teaching. In 2018 the Pope approved CCC 2267. It teaches “the death penalty is inadmissible” and directs the Church to work for abolition. This is ordinary papal magisterium and it binds.
Ratzinger’s 2004 note allowed legitimate diversity on applying the death penalty before the 2018 judgment. Later development narrows that space. Donum Veritatis 30 to 31 rejects public dissent and instructs private, respectful handling of difficulties.
Evangelium Vitae 62 teaches the condemnation of abortion in definitive terms. Treating pro–death-penalty as a protected viewpoint against CCC 2267 conflicts with the current magisterium.
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It seems there exists an ‘increasing awareness’ that the state can no longer reasonably claim recourse to the death penalty yet the same Catechism of the Catholic Church provides for in #2265 that a “Legitimate defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for one who is responsible for the lives of others. The defense of the common good requires that an unjust aggressor be rendered unable to cause harm. For this reason, those who legitimately hold authority also have the right to use arms to repel aggressors against the civil community entrusted to their responsibility.” The assumptions here are rooted in a supposed technocratic progress that is capable of stopping violent deadly offenders before killing again….
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