Pope Francis has changed the official stance of the Catholic Church to oppose the death penalty under all circumstances.<br />The Vatican said Thursday that its policy on capital punishment has been revised to reflect the changing times.<br />The Catholic Church's official doctrine had previously deemed the death penalty permissible in cases where human lives had to be defended against an "unjust aggressor."<br />With the change,... the Vatican now regards the death penalty inadmissible in all cases as it attacks a person's inherent dignity,... and endorses the abolition of the practice around the world. <br />
