--- title: Pope Francis Wants the Catholic Church to Change Doctrine on Death Penalty | TIME description: Pope Francis said the death penalty is "inadmissible" and called for changes to church doctrine to prohibit it, the church's strongest comments yet on the controversial issue. canonical: https://time.com/video/kGuBKwQ6/ og:title: Pope Francis Wants the Catholic Church to Change Doctrine on Death Penalty og:description: Pope Francis said the death penalty is "inadmissible" and called for changes to church doctrine to prohibit it, the church's strongest comments yet on the controversial issue. og:url: https://time.com/video/kGuBKwQ6/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/kGuBKwQ6/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Pope Francis Wants the Catholic Church to Change Doctrine on Death Penalty twitter:description: Pope Francis said the death penalty is "inadmissible" and called for changes to church doctrine to prohibit it, the church's strongest comments yet on the controversial issue. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/kGuBKwQ6/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Pope Francis Wants the Catholic Church to Change Doctrine on Death Penalty > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Pope Francis Wants the Catholic Church to Change Doctrine on Death Penalty [Watch (HLS stream): Pope Francis Wants the Catholic Church to Change Doctrine on Death Penalty](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/kGuBKwQ6.m3u8) (1:58)  _Published 2017-10-13. Pope Francis said the death penalty is "inadmissible" and called for changes to church doctrine to prohibit it, the church's strongest comments yet on the controversial issue._ --- Jul 27, 2023 10:47 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Pope Francis Publicly Acknowledges Nuns Are Also Victims of Sexual Abuse by Priests](/video/RYH5M07y/) ### Pope Francis Publicly Acknowledges Nuns Are Also Victims of Sexual Abuse by Priests [Pope Francis Visits New Homeless Shelter in the Vatican](/video/z17qFj8v/) ### Pope Francis Visits New Homeless Shelter in the Vatican [Pope Francis Discusses Sexual Abuse: ](/video/0V9wGkZZ/) ### Pope Francis Discusses Sexual Abuse: --- ## Transcript The golden rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development. [ APPLAUSE ] This conviction Have has led me from the beginning of my ministry to advocate at different levels, the global abolition of the death penalty. [ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ] I am convinced that this way is the best. Since every life is sacred. Every human person is endowed with an individual identity. And society. Can only benefit from the realization of those whom are victims of crime. Presently, my brother bishops here in the United States [ INAUDIBLE ] the goal For the abolition of their penalty. [ APPLAUSE ] Not only do I support them but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced. That are just unnecessary punishment, must never exclude the dimension of hope, and the goal of rehabilitation. 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