On October 10, marking World Day Against the Death Penalty, Pope Leo XIV ignited controversy when he posted the following on X:
The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment: effective systems of detention have been developed that protect citizens while at the same time do not completely deprive those who are guilty of the possibility of redemption. #NoDeathPenalty
BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler, a Catholic, dove into this heated debate on a recent episode of “The Liz Wheeler Show.”
“This entire conversation started with the announcement [on October 8] from the Trump administration that on December [3] of this year … a firing squad will execute former Major Nidal Hasan,” says Liz. “He's a former Army major who murdered 13 people at Fort Hood in the name of Islam. He is an Islamist terrorist.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that the execution would take place at Fort Hood, where Hasan carried out his crime, and would be livestreamed, although President Trump said he would make the final call on whether or not to publicize the event.
Liz, who believes the livestream is unlikely to happen and calls the desire to watch an execution “bloodlust,” believes that Pope Leo’s comments about the death penalty make sense.
She explains that for most of the Church’s history, popes affirmed that the state has the right to use capital punishment for grave crimes. Since the late 20th century, however, popes such as John Paul II and especially Francis (who revised the Catechism to call it “inadmissible” as an attack on human dignity) have taken a far more restrictive or abolitionist stance, which Leo XIV has continued — creating ongoing debate about whether this is a development of doctrine or a departure from prior teaching.
“[The death penalty] differs from what the Church declares to be an intrinsic evil. … Abortion would be the best example,” says Liz.
“But [intrinsically evil] is not the phrase that Pope Leo or Pope Francis before him used to describe the death penalty. ‘Inadmissible’ is the word used not only by Pope Leo but by Pope Francis,” she continues, explaining that the word “inadmissible” is a “synonym for unacceptable.”
Citing senior apologist at Catholic Answers Jimmy Akin, she explains that Pope Francis amended the Catechism because in light of society’s current circumstances (i.e. “modern prisons that were intended to hold large numbers of people”), there are no longer situations that require the death penalty.
“There may be societal circumstances where [the death penalty] is necessary or admissible, but not any more in our modern society,” Liz says.
“You can agree or disagree with this, but I have to say this does make sense. It's not inconsistent with the long-standing teaching of the Church, nor does it contradict the Bible,” she says.
But the question remains: “Is this pastoral teaching from Pope Leo, which we are respectfully free to disagree with, or is this authoritative teaching, which we are required to assent to our mind and will?”
To answer this question, Liz speaks with Catholic Answers staff apologist Joe Heschmeyer.
To hear their conversation, watch the episode above.
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