Holy See diplomat speaks out against anti-Christian discrimination in Europe
May 20, 2015
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) hosted a conference in Vienna on May 18 devoted to combating anti-Christian discrimination.
Msgr. Janusz Urbanczyk, who represents the Holy See at international organizations in Vienna, addressed the conference, whose full title was “Conference on Enhancing Efforts to Prevent and Combat Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians, Focusing on Hate Crimes, Exclusion, Marginalization and Denial of Rights.”
“With the increase of religious intolerance in the world, it is well documented that year after year Christians are the religious group most persecuted and discriminated against on the global level,” Msgr. Urbanczyk said. “In certain regions, including those at the doorstep of the OSCE region, one could even speak of genocidal tendencies in these persecutions. Thankfully, the Christians living in the OSCE region are spared such atrocities.”
“Particularly worrisome is the fact that across the OSCE region a sharp dividing line has been drawn between religious belief and religious practice, so that Christians are frequently reminded in public discourse or even in the courts, that they can believe whatever they like in private, and worship as they wish in their own churches, but they simply cannot act on those beliefs in public,” he continued.
Msgr. Urbanczyk added:
Tolerance towards one view should not lead to intolerance towards others. Intolerance in the name of “tolerance” must be named for what it is and publicly condemned. To deny religiously informed moral arguments a place in the public square is intolerant, anti-democratic and anti-religious.
Therefore, we call upon the participating States to act clearly against such hate crimes and to protect the Christians in their territories. Furthermore, we encourage them to report these incidents and seriously engage in ensuring that all their citizens, including Christians, can live peacefully, freely professing and practicing their faith.
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Further information:
- Intolerance and discrimination against Christians in Europe (CCEE)
- Participants at OSCE conference in Vienna discuss ways to counter intolerance, discrimination against Christians (OSCE)
- Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (Wikipedia)
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