Catholic Church and capital punishment

Catholic social teaching on the death penalty condemns the practice in any circumstance. In 2018, the Catechism of the Catholic Church was revised to read that "in the light of the Gospel" the death penalty is "inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person" and that the Catholic Church "works with determination for its abolition worldwide." The predominant view of present Catholic theologians and philosophers is that the death penalty is intrinsically evil, although others have given other interpretations. Development of church doctrine led to increasing criticism of the practice during the 20th century.

Historic opposition dates back to Early Christianity through figures such as Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Origen, and Cyprian of Carthage.

Modern Church figures such as Pope John Paul II and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops actively discouraged the imposition of the death penalty and advocated for its abolition. Since the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church became staunchly opposed to the death penalty. John Paul II appealed for a consensus to end the death penalty on the ground that it is "both cruel and unnecessary".

In the 21st century, Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV strengthened opposition to the practice. The 2024 declaration Dignitas Infinita cites Vatican II’s Gaudium et Spes list of crimes against human dignity to describe the death penalty, comparing it to "genocide, abortion, euthanasia, and willful suicide" while stating that it "violates the inalienable dignity of every person, regardless of the circumstances". In September 2025, Leo XIV described supporters of the practice as not being truly "pro-life".