Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has said that human dignity is never lost, even when a person has committed serious crimes, as he voiced strong support for efforts to abolish the death penalty around the world.
In a video message released on April 24 to mark 15 years since the abolition of capital punishment in the US state of Illinois, Pope addressed participants gathered at DePaul University. He praised the 2011 decision as an important step and encouraged continued advocacy for ending the death penalty.
Pope said he stands with those working to abolish capital punishment in the United States and globally. He expressed hope that such efforts would help people recognise the dignity of every human person and inspire wider support for this cause.
He explained that justice can be achieved without taking a life. According to him, modern detention systems can protect society while still allowing those who have committed crimes the chance for change and redemption.
Pope also recalled the teaching of Pope Francis and earlier Church leaders, who have consistently argued that the common good and justice can be upheld without the use of capital punishment. He referred to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that the death penalty is inadmissible because it violates the dignity and inviolability of the human person.
Reaffirming the Church’s broader teaching, he stressed that life must be protected from conception until natural death. He said the right to life is the foundation of all other human rights and warned that a society can only truly grow and flourish when it respects and safeguards human life.
The message comes as debates over the death penalty continue in different parts of the world, with increasing calls from human rights groups and religious leaders for its abolition.