Religious freedom and how to defend it internationally was the theme of a one-day symposium held on June 25. The US Embassy to the Holy See hosted the event at the Pontifical Holy Cross University with the partnership of Aid to the Church in Need, and the Sant’Egidio community. US Ambassador to the Holy See, the Honorable Callista Gingrich, opened the symposium explaining the US’ commitment to the defense of religious freedom on an international level.
His Eminence Cardinal Sandri raised the important issue of “asking ourselves how and in what measure the inviolable rights of the human person are really guaranteed and promoted within our social and political systems. Otherwise, on various fronts, we risk committing the same errors which the West (even though motivated by good intentions) committed in the Middle East in preceding decades when it wanted to ‘export’ a model of democracy in those lands”.
Vatican Secretary of State, His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, provided the Symposium’s closing remarks saying that, “In the midst of the many situations which challenge the right to freedom of religion and conscience, the Catholic Church encourages all people of good will to continue to raise awareness in order to allow members of various religious communities to enjoy freedom of religion fully and to profess freely and publicly their faith in every part of the world”.
Source: en.vaticannews.va
