P R A Y I N G W I T H T H E C H U R C H
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INTENTION : |
That the right to religious freedom may be respected by the governments of all peoples.
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The principle of religious freedom is the corner-stone of human rights. The Second Vatican Council states that: "The human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom means that all men and women are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that in matters religious no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs. Freedom is the most noble prerogative of the human person and one of the principle demands of freedom is the free exercise of religion in society." (The Second Vatican Council, Dignitatis Humanae, Religious Freedom, n. 3).
The principle of religious freedom undoubtedly brings credibility to all efforts in favour of interreligious dialogue. It also contributes decisively to producing citizens who are genuinely free; it also makes them take up their duties with greater responsibility. An essential condition for peace is people's strong moral integrity and religious freedom. The Pope also suggests some specific responsibilities for all believers in the context of religious freedom: "The State's duties regarding the exercise of the right of religious freedom are matched by the precise and grave responsibilities of men and women for both their individual religious profession and the organization and life of the communities to which they belong.
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