Vatican official tells U.N. of growing religious discrimination

Published: 2004-04-05

GENEVA (CNS) -- A growing, subtle form of religious discrimination can be seen in attempts to exclude anyone from speaking out on social issues from the perspective of their faith, a Vatican diplomat told a U.N. agency. "While respecting a healthy sense of the state's secular nature, the positive role of believers in public life should be recognized," Archbishop Silvano Tomasi told the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. The archbishop, who is the Vatican's representative to U.N. offices based in Geneva, spoke to the commission April 1 about religious freedom. "The place of religions in society and their desire to participate in public life at the service of the people have been part of recent debates that have been provoked by political events and increased pluralism in many countries of the world," the archbishop said.

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