Religious Freedom & Social Justice

At this time of the year, a number of major religions celebrate a major festival. Every year, Christians celebrate the Nativity of Jesus on December 25, and Jews celebrate Hanukkah (the anniversary of the re-dedication of the Jerusalem Temple) during eight days in late November to late December (dates vary annually). Additionally, from 2006 through 2010, the Islamic holy day of Eid al-Adha (the festival of the sacrifice of Abraham) falls between mid-November and early January.
       Recently, there has been controversy over holiday displays on public property and in public schools. On a larger level, Switzerland recently had a nationwide election as to whether to permit the construction of minarets, the towers from which Muslims are called to prayer at various times of the day. The Catholic Church supported the rights of Muslims in Switzerland to construct minarets because of our teaching on religious freedom.
       The Catholic Church teaches that religious freedom is a concern of the common good, thus linking it to our social teaching. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the ability for all people to worship as they choose is mentioned in the sections on the rights and dignity of the human person, and the first and fourth commandments.
Copyright © 2009, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins.