John Paul II in Evangelium Vitae expresses that there is a ineffable worth and beautiful treasure in human life, because “By the Incarnation the Son of God has united himself in some fashion with every human being.”
This is a development consistent with the principle of the dignity of life, because the Church has always affirmed and does insist on the sanctity of life, but in former times considered it possible through grievous sin that even this dignity was lost. “…yet it may be good to kill a man who has sinned, even as it is to kill a beast. For a bad man is worse than a beast, and is more harmful.” (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II, Q64).
JPII contradicts this opinion, saying in regards to Cain, "And yet God, who is always merciful even when he punishes, “put a mark on Cain, lest any who came upon him should kill him…Not even a murderer loses his personal dignity, and God himself pledges to guarantee this.”
Again, this development is consistent with the sanctity of life that Christianity has always and everywhere defended.
Pope Francis, now seeking to apply the consequences of the development of JPII on this point, says, “It [the death penalty] is per se contrary to the Gospel, because it entails the willful suppression of a human life that never ceases to be sacred in the eyes of its Creator and of which – ultimately – only God is the true judge and guarantor.”
This development of course is the crux of the issue. It relates the principle of justice and the severity of sin, for which reason Pope Pius XII said, “…depriving the offender of the good of life in expiation for his guilt, after he, through his crime, deprived himself of his own right to life.”
I do not want to put words in the Holy Father’s mouth. Indeed, I consider Pope Francis’ silence on the controversy intentional, because he knows that there are plenty of people willing to interpret whatever he might say to their own detriment. However, from the address I think it is reasonable to claim that Pope Francis is applying a principle that all Christians know, expressed beautifully by Christ, who said, “And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent.”
The expiation of the guilty for his crimes is most beautifully and perfectly expressed in his conversion and acts of hope and charity. Even St. Thomas Aquinas, on this point, confirms that “…punishments of this life are sought, not for their own sake, because this is not the final time of retribution, but in their character of medicine, conducing either to the amendment of the sinner, or to the good of the commonwealth whose calm is ensured by the punishment of evil.” Therefore what was imperfect in the punishment of death is made perfect by a hypothetical alternative that has as its principle aim the rehabilitation of the offender. This is made impossible by the death penalty, thus Pope Francis says “No one ought to be deprived not only of life, but also of the chance for a moral and existential redemption that in turn can benefit the community.”
