History of the Catholic CHurch on the death penalty and how it has Research Paper

History of the Catholic CHurch on the death penalty and how it has changed over time - Research Paper Example Through the passage of time and with a firm decision of some governments to administer death sentence, it is notable to look at the history of how the Catholic Church has stood its ground. Are there instances when the Catholic Church has played soft on this opposition? What are the recent press releases done by the Catholic Church to support its stand? â€Å"Capital punishment has been practiced in virtually every society, and thus can be considered to be a cultural universal or close to it, excluding those with state religious proscriptions against it. It is a matter of active controversy in various countries and states, and positions can vary within a single political ideology or cultural region†¦Today, most countries are considered by Amnesty International as abolitionists, which allowed a vote on a nonbinding resolution to the UN to promote the abolition of the death penalty. But more than 60% of the worldwide population live in countries where executions take place insofar as the four most populous countries in the world (the Peoples Republic of China, India, United States and Indonesia) apply the death penalty and are unlikely to abolish it at any time soon† (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.). A memo from Pope Benedict XVI (then known as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger) to the US in 2004 says: ‘Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.’ (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.). The Catholic Church has traditionally submitted to the state’s decision of capital punishment as per theology of Thomas Aquinas, who accepted capital punishment as â€Å"a necessary deterrent and prevention method, but not a means of vengeance† (Wikimedia Foundation,