Monday, November 19, 2007

UN Death Penalty Decision

On Thursday the United Nations approved recommendation a moratorium (suspension) of the death penalty by all countries. The vote ended with 99 in favor, 52 against, and 33 not voting.

The resolution urges countries that apply this punishment to "establish a moratorium on executions, looking to abolish them."

Although countries are not required to follow the recommendations of the UN, Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and former Holy See representative at the United Nations (yes the Vatican has a UN rep), sees this as "a relevant step" towards ending the death penalty.

Continue to pray for an end to the culture of death throughout the world.

Read the Church's teaching on the Death Penalty in Catechism paragraph 2267.

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