Cardinal Tauran: "Religious freedom a fundamental human right"
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has issued a Message for the Hindu
feast of Deepavali (also called Diwali), the Festival of Lights. This year's theme
for the Message is on Religious Freedom. In his message, the President of the Council,
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, writes "When [Religious Freedom] is jeopardized or denied,
all other human rights are endangered. Religious freedom necessarily includes immunity
from coercion by any individual, group, community or institution."
Below
is the full text of the Message for Deepavali
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
Christians and Hindus: Together in Promoting Religious
Freedom
MESSAGE FOR THE FEAST OF DEEPAVALI 2011
Vatican City
Dear
Hindu Friends,
1. The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is
pleased to send you its cordial greetings as you celebrate Deepavali on 26 October
of this year. May God, the source of all light, illumine your hearts, homes and communities
for a life of peace and prosperity,
2. Maintaining our tradition of sharing
a reflection on this occasion, we propose this year the theme of Religious Freedom.
This subject is currently taking centre stage in many places, calling our attention
to those members of our human family exposed to bias, prejudice, hate propaganda,
discrimination and persecution on the basis of religious affiliation. Religious freedom
is the answer to religiously motivated conflicts in many parts of the world. Amid
the violence triggered by these conflicts, many desperately yearn for peaceful coexistence
and integral human development.
3. Religious freedom is numbered among the
fundamental human rights rooted in the dignity of the human person. When it is jeopardized
or denied, all other human rights are endangered. Religious freedom necessarily includes
immunity from coercion by any individual, group, community or institution. Though
the exercise of this right entails the freedom of every person to profess, practise
and propagate his or her religion or belief, in public or in private, alone or in
a community, it also involves a serious obligation on the part of civil authorities,
individuals and groups to respect the freedom of others. Moreover, it includes the
freedom to change one's own religion.
4. When respected and promoted, religious
freedom allows believers to be more enthusiastic about cooperating with their fellow
citizens in the building of a just and humane social order. But wherever and whenever
it is denied, suppressed or violated, "the growth of the authentic and lasting peace
of the whole human family" is stifled and frustrated (cf. Pope Benedict XVI, Message
for the World Day of Peace, 2011). There are many fields in which a specific contribution
can be made to the common good, such as the defence of life and the dignity of the
family, the sound education of children, honesty in daily conduct, and the preservation
of natural resources, to name a few. Let us strive, then, to join hands in promoting
religious freedom as our shared responsibility, by asking the leaders of nations never
to disregard the religious dimension of the human person.
5. The very day
after you celebrate Deepavali this year, many religious leaders from across the globe
will join Pope Benedict XVI in a Pilgrimage to Assisi to renew the pledge made twenty-five
years ago, under the leadership of Blessed John Paul II, to make religions channels
of peace and harmony. We will be spiritually united with them, confident that believers
will always be a blessing for the whole world. We cordially wish you a joyful
celebration of Deepavali.