Saturday, March 7, 2015
John 18, 33-40 + CSDC and CV
John 18, 33-40 +
CSDC and CV
CV 14 a. In his Apostolic Letter Octogesima
Adveniens of 1971, Paul VI reflected on the meaning of politics, and the
danger constituted by utopian and ideological visions that place its
ethical and human dimensions in jeopardy. These are matters closely connected
with development. Unfortunately the negative ideologies continue to flourish.
Paul VI had already warned against the technocratic ideology so prevalent today [26], fully aware of the great danger of entrusting the
entire process of development to technology alone, because in that way it would
lack direction.
Notes: [26] Cf. ibid., 34: loc. cit., 274.
CSDC 512. The use of children and adolescents as soldiers
in armed conflicts — despite the fact that their young age should bar them from
being recruited — must be condemned. Obliged by force to take part in combat or
choosing to do so on their own initiative without being fully aware of the
consequences, these children are not only deprived of an education and a normal
childhood, they are also trained to kill. This constitutes an intolerable
crime. The use of child soldiers in combat forces of any kind must be stopped
and, at the same time, every possible assistance must be given to the care,
education and rehabilitation of those children who have been involved in
combat[1077].
Notes: [1077] Cf. John Paul II,
Message for the 1999 World Day of Peace, 11: AAS 91 (1999), 385-386.
[33] So Pilate went back into the
praetorium and summoned Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the
Jews?" [34] Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own or have
others told you about me?" [35] Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am
I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you
done?" [36] Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this
world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants (would) be
fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my
kingdom is not here." [37] So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a
king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and
for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs
to the truth listens to my voice." [38] Pilate said to him, "What is
truth?" When he had said this, he again went out to the Jews and said to
them, "I find no guilt in him. [39] But you have a custom that I release
one prisoner to you at Passover. Do you want me to release to you the King of
the Jews?" [40] They cried out again, "Not this one but
Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.
CSDC 405. The
Church sees as a sign of hope “a growing public opposition to the death
penalty, even when such a penalty is seen as a kind of ‘legitimate defence' on
the part of society. Modern society in fact has the means of effectively
suppressing crime by rendering criminals harmless without definitively denying
them the chance to reform”.[833] Whereas, presuming the full ascertainment of
the identity and responsibility of the guilty party, the traditional teaching
of the Church does not exclude the death penalty “when this is the only
practicable way to defend the lives of human beings effectively against the
aggressor”.[834] Bloodless methods of deterrence and punishment are preferred
as “they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and
are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person”.[835] The growing
number of countries adopting provisions to abolish the death penalty or suspend
its application is also proof of the fact that cases in which it is absolutely
necessary to execute the offender “are very rare, if not practically
non-existent”.[836] The growing aversion of public opinion towards the death
penalty and the various provisions aimed at abolishing it or suspending its
application constitute visible manifestations of a heightened moral awareness.
Notes: [833] John Paul II, Encyclical
Letter Evangelium Vitae, 27: AAS 87 (1995), 432. [834]
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2267. [835] Catechism of the Catholic
Church, 2267. [836] John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae,
56: AAS 87 (1995), 464; cf. also John Paul II, Message for the 2001
World Day of Peace, 19: AAS 93 (2001), 244, where recourse to the death
penalty is described as “unnecessary”.
[Initials and
Abbreviations.- CSDC: Pontifical Council for Justice And Peace, Compendium of the Social
Doctrine of the Church; - SDC:
Social Doctrine of the Church; - CV: Benedict
XVI, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in truth)]
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