CAPITAL PUNISHMENT CAN BE JUST

My mother, Kathrin du Fresne, a stout opponent of capital punishment before that position became de rigueur, would have conniptions but here's a statement from 'a consecrated person of private vows in the Diocese of Rome' defending capital punishment, and compellingly so.

This 'consecrated person of private vows' is Br Alexis Bugnolo, and he's all fired up by Pope Francis' proposed alteration to the Catechism of the Catholic Church on this subject. In fact he says the Pope needs to repent, be corrected and publicly recant. If he does not, no Catholic should regard him any longer as the Vicar of Christ or Bishop of Rome."

Hmmm. Here, in a nutshell, are Brother Bugnolo's grounds:

In John 19: 11 Jesus Christ Himself confirmed publicly that Pontius Pilate had authority to impose capital punishment. 

This is the express teaching of the Apostle St Paul in Romans 13: 4 where he declares that Almighty God has given the temporal authority to wield the sword, that is, impose the ultimate punishment of death upon malefactors. 

This has ever been the Faith of the Fathers of the Church. ... Capital punishment can be justly imposed. St Alphonsus de Liguori, Doctor of the Church, teaches this. This is the teaching of the Catechism of the Council of Trent and of the new Catechism published by John Paul II.

Let us not imagine that this is not a de Fide Dogma of the Faith.

Sounds to me like a pretty convincing argument.

Sorry, Mum.