Pope Francis has declared the death penalty wrong in all cases, marking one of the biggest shifts ever in the 2,000 year old history of the Roman Catholic Church.

Francis said executions were unacceptable in all cases because they are “an attack” on human dignity, and the Vatican added that it will work “with determination” to abolish capital punishment worldwide.

Many Catholics across our country have already determined that the death penalty fails to value the sanctity of human life, deter violence, or disrupt cycles of trauma. For them, this change in the Church’s teaching is a reassuring and encouraging move. For others who may be on the fence about their stance, we hope this action causes them to research the death penalty in more depth.