Maryland bishops issue statement on religious liberty
November 10, 2011
The bishops of Maryland have issued a statement reviewing the history of religious freedom in Maryland and decrying recent attacks on what James Madison called “the most sacred of all property.”
“In recent years there has been a subtle promotion of the idea that religious liberty should be restricted to Sunday morning worship,” the bishops said in their statement. “The right to exercise our faith and follow our conscience in all aspects of our lives is a right increasingly viewed with hostility.
“Sadly, some view the Church’s very presence in the public square as an act of imposition,” they continued. “They claim that our identification as persons of faith disqualifies us from participation in the public debate.
“We call on all Marylanders--including those of our Catholic faith, other faiths, or no faith at all--to reaffirm the basic, foundational principles upon which our democratic society is built,” they added. “Everyone has the right to live in accordance with his or her particular religious beliefs, subject only to such limits as are necessary for the safe operation of society. Society as a whole benefits when all citizens in our pluralistic democracy--including religious citizens and institutions--remain free to participate in public life and to do so in accordance with their sincerely held beliefs.”
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