Pope Argues ‘Pro-Life’ Case Anew New Encyclical Includes Strengthened Denunciation Of Capital Punishment

Declaring the Roman Catholic Church “unconditionally prolife,” Pope John Paul II condemned all forms of abortion and euthanasia as immoral in a document released Thursday.

The pope similarly denounced the death penalty, saying it is a sin, except in cases where a society cannot defend itself. Such cases are “rare, if not practically non-existent.”

The remarks came in an encyclical titled “The Gospel of Life” (“Evangelium Vitae.”) Such letters are reserved for topics of church teaching and direction.

While the statements on abortion and euthanasia are unequivocal, they are not new to church teaching.

Pope John Paul also laid the groundwork for the church to issue a blanket condemnation of executions in the future.

“He is much stronger than he has ever been before in the area of capital punishment,” said Bishop William Skylstad, leader of the Spokane Diocese, home to about 75,000 Catholics. “Coming from a tradition where we have allowed capital punishment, we are seeing an evolution of church teaching.”

Skylstad had the only copy of the encyclical in the Inland Northwest on Thursday. The 300-page document will be circulated among Catholic leaders and teachers and will be available through on-line computer services next week.

Using the story of Cain and Abel, the original murder story in the Bible, Pope John Paul explains how and why violence thrives in the world.

Poverty, drugs, weapons, use of contraceptives, hunger, euthanasia and abortion are among elements that create a world of violence, the pope wrote.

“The reality is characterized by the emergence of a culture which denies solidarity and in many cases takes the form of a veritable ‘culture of death.”’

The pope calls on everyone from lawmakers to individuals to prevent abortions. He points out that some civil laws are immoral.

“Of course he’s taking a poke at, here in our own country, the Roe v. Wade decision,” Skylstad said.

Despite the strong words, antiabortion Catholics are not likely to change their immediate approach to life issues in this country.

In Boston, Cardinal Bernard F. Law said he would not change his call for a moratorium on abortion clinic demonstrations.

Nor will the political arm of the church attempt to pressure Catholic lawmakers who support abortion rights, Law said.

Much will stay the same in Olympia, too, said Ned Dolejsi, director of the Washington State Catholic Conference.

“The prospects of making abortion illegal in this state are slim and none,” he said. “The church focuses on doing all we can to lessen the number of abortions that do occur. We’re doing the best we can.”

Although the encyclical seemed to be directed at the United States, Skylstad said it was intended for all nations.

“It’s not zeroing in on us,” he said. “It very clearly resonated with bishops everywhere.”

Still, Pope John Paul accuses modern, secular nations of participating in a “conspiracy against life” by allowing and even promoting abortion, birth control and euthanasia.

Legalizing those three wrongs in the name of individual freedom is a “significant cause of grave moral decline,” he said.

“This view of freedom leads to a serious distortion of life in society,” Pope John Paul said. “Everything is negotiable, everything is open to bargaining: even the first of the fundamental rights, the right to life.”

In the same document, the pope was compassionate toward women.

He acknowledged that many women have abortions for non-selfish reasons, including the desire to protect their health or the standard of living for their other children.

“The church is aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision, and she does not doubt that in many cases it was a painful and even shattering decision,” he said. “Certainly what happened was and remains terribly wrong. But do not give into discouragement and do not lose hope.”

While Skylstad acknowledges that repentant women will not be returning to the church in droves and lawmakers are not going to rescind laws, there may be gradual change.

“It’s not a matter of great changes happening tomorrow,” he said. “People need not get so down about the terrible negative things we see in our country, and there are a lot of them.

“We have to ask, how can we change the direction. Because we have got to be a church of continuous conversion.”

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with story: ‘Gospel of Life’ Pope John Paul II’s encyclical to bishops of the Roman Catholic Church includes the following: Condemns abortion, euthanasia and exprimentation on human embryos. Refines the church’s stand on the death penalty, saying its justification is “very rare” if not “practically non-existent.” Restates the Vatican’s ban on birth control. Affirms the Vatican’s penalty of automatic excommunication for anyone “who actually procures an abortion.” States that euthanasia, even to end suffering, is condemned as a “grave violation of the law of God.”

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Kelly McBride staff writer Information from several wire services contributed to this report.