Religious Liberty
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"Religious freedom expresses what is unique about the human person, for it allows us to direct our personal and social life to God, in whose light the identity, meaning and purpose of the person are fully understood. To deny or arbitrarily restrict this freedom is to foster a reductive vision of the human person; to eclipse the public role of religion is to create a society which is unjust, inasmuch as it fails to take account of the true nature of the human person; it is to stifle the growth of the authentic and lasting peace of the whole human family.
For this reason, I implore all men and women of good will to renew their commitment to building a world where all are free to profess their religion or faith, and to express their love of God with all their heart, with all their soul and with all their mind (cf. Mt 22:37)."- Pope Benedict XVI (2011 World Day of Peace Message)
Religious liberty is an inherent right of the human person, a fundament aspect of our human dignity. Individuals and social institutions (including government entities) have a duty to respect the religious freedom of other individuals and institutions.
Sadly, this fundamental right, guaranteed by the US Constitution, is under attack. (See Current Threats to Religious Liberty on the US Bishops website.) In response to these attacks on religious freedom, the Bishops of the United States have called on all Catholics and citizens to join efforts to defend this fundamental right.