Probably for different reasons
From the transcript distributed to media of Pope Francis’ speech before Congress assembled:
“Let us remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt 7:12).
“This Rule points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us. The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.
This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty. I am convinced that this way is the best, since every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes. Recently my brother bishops here in the United States renewed their call for the abolition of the death penalty. Not only do I support them, but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.
You would think when he speaks of “human life at every stage of its development,” given the comparative carnage, Pope Francis would definitively talk of the unique evil of abortion, and actually use the word, especially given that the United States has the most wide open official abortion policy on the Western world.
Instead, Pope Francis spends much more words on his opposition to capital punishment!
It is hard not to conclude that he even believes that, regardless of the offense, however horrific it might be, rehabilitation is far preferable to either capital punishment or life in prison.
At best the Pope has regurgitated the ethically discredited threadbare “Seamless Garment” which equates large-scale state sanctioned direct assaults on innocent life with capital punishment and any number of social sequelae.
Over the last ten years there were an average of 45 instances of capital punishment in the United States per year. Each was after years of appeals. In 2013, the most recent year for a reported figure, there were 15000 legal abortions in the United States after 20 weeks gestation and millions more other abortions over the same ten year period. The law in America is that the only reason that need be given is that the women wants the abortion.
This Pope has no perspective on climate science, economics and now by his emphasis in his speech before Congress, we see a very disturbing lack of ethical perspective.
DLH and R Mall
More comments on the Pope’s speech to Congress to follow
