By Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan

By the time the Georgia Bulletin appears today the Declaration On Religious Liberty will be history. Although there are rumors of a bloc of some 300 conservative votes, there seems little chance that it can be defeated. It is the veteran Schema of three sessions. It has been revised, approved, maneuvered, rewritten -- and strengthened, -- over and over. It has been the subject of debate every day this past week. The will of the majority is quite evident. Although the exact vote will be known by the reader, my prediction is a victory of 2,000 with less than 300 disapproving.

Briefly, the declaration bases true religious freedom on the dignity of the human person, known to us both by reason and revelation. Man must be free from coercion by individuals, social groups, or any human authority. No one, in matters of religion may be forced to act contrary to conscience, nor may he be impeded from acting in accord with his conscience. The average American Catholic has always believed and practiced this. He finds the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution in accord, and he knows from scores of statements by American cardinals and bishops that this stand is as authentically Catholic as the opposite view of the 19th Century theologians who did not believe that religious truth could survive without the props of civil government. Archbishop John B. Purcell tried in 1870 to introduce this American concept at the First Vatican Council. He failed, because of the defensive posture of the Church at that time. He would rejoice today to hear three American cardinals say: “It is timely, since many have an erroneous or only partial idea of the Church’s mind concerning religious freedom... that the Catholic Church approves those modern societies which grant religious freedom and political equality to followers of every religion.” (Cardinal Spellman).

“The promulgation of the doctrine is today a pastoral necessity of the first order for the whole world... It is solidly based on Catholic teaching.” (Cardinal Cushing).

“Charity, justice and fidelity forbid my delay in approving and promulgating this Schema.” (Cardinal Ritter).

That this is not an “American” idea is attested by the eloquent defense of it given by Silva of Chile, Jaeger of Germany, LoKuang of China, Lourdnsamy of India, and especially Urbani of Italy. Other American bishops added their voices to the chorus of approval.

What then held it up so long? A residue of outdated 19th Century thinking in Church and state? The fear of communism if liberty is encouraged? The loss of certain privileges in certain states? All of these enter in and more, but it is difficult today to get at the mentality of one speaker who said:

“Only the Catholic Church has the right and duty to preach the Gospel. Proselytism on the part of non-Catholics among Catholics is unlawful, and if the common good requires, must be impeded not only by the Church, but by the state.” It is the sincere hope of thousands of bishops that never again will such a concept blur the right and duty of religious liberty. American Catholics who have flourished under religious liberty should pray that their brethren throughout the world come to live in it too.