As announced last week, the revised text of the Catholic catechism states: “The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and the dignity of the person.” As noted in the October 11th, 2017, online America posting, Pope Francis called for the revisions because the death penalty’,”… is, of itself, contrary to the Gospel, because it is freely decided to suppress a human life that is always sacred in the eyes of the Creator,…”. Admitting that in times past both society and the church accepted the death penalty in certain cases as the only way to keep society safe, Pope Francis argued that since this is no longer true we need to work to abolish capital punishment. Surely the Blessed Mother can be our advocate in this cause, for she witnessed the state-ordered execution of her innocent son; she also witnessed her son’s granting forgiveness and redemption to the guilty man who from his own cross acknowledged his guilt and Christ’s innocence. Let us then pray for and work toward a society where justice and mercy prevail.