Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of an event in Rome dedicated to the Doctor of the Church and saint celebrated today, John Henry Newman, Cardinal Pietro Parolin indicated that the Holy See would make a statement about the US government’s announcement that an execution later this year will be live-streamed. The Pope’s Secretary of State called the plan “incomprehensible” and said that it is “certainly unacceptable to turn death into a spectacle.” An announcement from what is now known as the US Department of War was made October 8. It said that the execution by firing squad of the man convicted of killing 13 people and injuring 32 at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009, would be live-streamed. The execution of Major Nidal Malik Hasan by firing squad is currently set for December 3. Cardinal Parolin noted that the president of the US conference of bishops has already spoken out about the decision and said Read More…

Pope’s No. 2 on US public execution plan: “incomprehensible”