Pope Leo XIV demands global end to death penalty in bold new appeal
"Human dignity is not lost even after the most serious crimes," declared the American pope in a video message addressed to participants at an event at DePaul University in Chicago.
He added: "Effective detention systems can—and have been—developed that protect citizens while not completely depriving the offender of the possibility of redemption."
He also recalled that the Church consistently teaches that all human life, "from conception to natural death, is sacred and deserves protection."
Pope Leo XIV noted that both Pope Francis and his predecessors "have repeatedly insisted that the common good can be safeguarded and the demands of justice met without resorting to the death penalty."
He further cited the Catechism of the Catholic Church to emphasize that capital punishment is "inadmissible because it violates the inviolability and dignity of the person."
In closing his message, Leo XIV celebrated the historic decision made by Illinois' governor in 2011 and offered his support to those working to abolish the death penalty "in the United States of America and around the world."
"The death penalty is legal in 27 U.S. states, though four have moratoriums blocking executions, and has been abolished in 23 states and the District of Columbia," according to the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center.
The organization's data shows that 47 executions were carried out nationwide in 2025, with a record 19 in Florida alone, while 32 executions are scheduled for 2026, eight of which have already taken place.
"I pray that your efforts will lead to greater recognition of the dignity of every person and inspire others to work for this just cause," the American pope concluded in his message.
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