|
Since the common welfare of society consists in the entirety of
those conditions of social life under which men enjoy the possibility of
achieving their own perfection in a certain fullness of measure and also
with some relative ease, it chiefly consists in the protection of the
rights, and in the performance of the duties, of the human
person.[4] Therefore the care of the right to religious freedom
devolves upon the whole citizenry, upon social groups, upon
government, and upon the Church and other religious communities, in
virtue of the duty of all toward the common welfare, and in the manner
proper to each.
The protection and promotion of the inviolable rights of man ranks
among the essential duties of government.[5] Therefore government
is to assume the safeguard of the religious freedom of all its
citizens, in an effective manner, by just laws and by other
appropriate means.
Government is also to help create conditions favorable to the fostering
of religious life, in order that the people may be truly enabled to
exercise their religious rights and to fulfill their religious duties,
and also in order that society itself may profit by the moral qualities
of justice and peace which have their origin in men's faithfulness to
God and to His holy will. [6]
If, in view of peculiar circumstances obtaining among peoples,
special civil recognition is given to one religious community in the
constitutional order of society, it is at the same time imperative that
the right of all citizens and religious communities to religious freedom
should be recognized and made effective in practice.
Finally, government is to see to it that equality of citizens before
the law, which is itself an element of the common good, is never
violated, whether openly or covertly, for religious reasons. Nor is
there to be discrimination among citizens.
It follows that a wrong is done when government imposes upon its
people, by force or fear or other means, the profession or repudiation
of any religion, or when it hinders men from joining or leaving a
religious community. All the more is it a violation of the will of
God and of the sacred rights of the person and the family of nations
when force is brought to bear in any way in order to destroy or repress
religion, either in the whole of mankind or in a particular country or
in a definite community.
|
|