This has proven to be a controversial document, since it addresses the topics of abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty. What I find interesting about this latest encyclical is not particularly what he wrote against, but what he spent over half of the 194-page document writing about. The Pope was very consistent in his writings, speaking out against every form of the reduction of the value of human life. On abortion he is clear. Abortion is murder.
Birth control has some minor changes as well.
I am not a Catholic, and in fact I have several strong disagreements with Catholic theology. However, I view them as Christians, albeit misguided in some areas. Since there are an estimated 1 billion Catholics around the world, any action by the Vatican is still significant. The Pope's call for a revolution of life is significant. While I still support the concept of a death penalty as represented in the Bible, I understand completely the Pope's minimalization of it's justification.