Religious Freedom: Truth and Conscience

"15. The fact is that men of the present day want to be able freely to profess their religion in private and in public. Indeed, religious freedom has already been declared to be a civil right in most constitutions, and it is solemnly recognized in international documents. The further fact is that forms of government still exist under which, even though freedom of religious worship receives constitutional recognition, the powers of government are engaged in the effort to deter citizens from the profession of religion and to make life very difficult and dangerous for religious communities.

This council greets with joy the first of these two facts as among the signs of the times. With sorrow, however, it denounces the other fact, as only to be deplored. The council exhorts Catholics, and it directs a plea to all men, most carefully to consider how greatly necessary religious freedom is, especially in the present condition of the human family. All nations are coming into even closer unity. Men of different cultures and religions are being brought together in closer relationships. There is a growing consciousness of the personal responsibility that every man has. All this is evident. Consequently, in order that relationships of peace and harmony be established and maintained within the whole of mankind, it is necessary that religious freedom be everywhere provided with an effective constitutional guarantee and that respect be shown for the high duty and right of man freely to lead his religious life in society." (Dignitatis humanae)

 Who would have guessed, certainly not I, that these words of the Second Vatican Council, from nigh unto half a century ago, could be applied today to the Obama administration: "even though freedom of religious worship receives constitutional recognition, the powers of government are engaged in the effort to deter citizens from the profession of religion and to make life very difficult and dangerous for religious communities."?

The present open conflict in the United States of America, between the Catholic Church and the Obama administration, in defense of freedom of conscience, in its search for the truth which finds its ultimate ground and fulfillment in God the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, is in reaction to an act of aggression which most folks find hard to even fathom. There is no living memory among Catholics today of how things were back before World War II, when we were in great number and for the most part struggling groups of poor immigrants left to our own designs.  Now, it would seem, relativism pushed to the extreme by a libertarian intolerance which borders on totalitarianism makes one fear that, to say the very least, we don't find ourselves in the best of times. God-fearing folk are openly scorned and bidden, it would seem, to abandon the public square of Catholic social services, Catholic hospital and nursing care, truly Catholic university education, in a word, to depart from anywhere we might have cooperated (seemingly to our ultimate detriment) with public authorities. It looks like in the future in America, if we'll want to do more than worship of a Sunday, we'll have to do it on our own and very discreetly, so as not to incur the wrath of some bigot, perhaps wielding authority and most likely able to martial the court system to sustain his or her aggression.


Granted, in many cases, we have put ourselves on this slippery slope. I can remember an aunt of mine complaining years and years ago about how, in exchange for a few dollars from some instance of government, the dear sisters took down the holy pictures and crucifixes which had been in their hospital rooms replacing them with mallard ducks. The little and bigger betrayals have occurred and I need not document them to make my point. The war is on, battle has been engaged, and I think it will be up to voters, sooner or later, to choose and clearly in favor of religious liberty and freedom of conscience beyond the threshold of the temple. 


"Consequently, in order that relationships of peace and harmony be established and maintained within the whole of mankind, it is necessary that religious freedom be everywhere provided with an effective constitutional guarantee and that respect be shown for the high duty and right of man freely to lead his religious life in society." 


Fifty years ago the Council Fathers, and goodly folks with them, thought it was sufficient to appeal to human dignity and a genuine search in conscience for the truth as pillars or keys to granting the how and wherefore not only of being allowed, to use the old expression, "the church of our choice", but moreover to be allowed to live out our faith at home, in school, in the work place, even to quietly say a family prayer before meals in a crowded restaurant. How important all this is to the Papal Magisterium of all these years as found in the messages for the world day of prayer for peace!


Maybe the acceptance (or tolerance?) we as Catholics experienced after World War II was altogether idyllic; maybe things are just getting back to normal; maybe it is time to get to work and secure our rights by international accord. Perhaps through negotiating concordats and other such accords we'll have to struggle for every square inch of public space we can reclaim or gain, but just maybe we'll meet reasonable people along the way who will give us our due and not begrudge us our true identity. 


May the Lord look kindly upon His children and show us His mercy!