EUROPE/AUSTRIA - Day for Human Rights and “right for mission” “the suppression of the preaching of the faith threatens everyone's freedom, along with peace”

Thursday, 10 December 2009

Vienna (Agenzia Fides) - "Even today, all over the world, human rights are being trampled upon. It is often the minorities who suffer most. Particularly dramatic is the situation for millions of Christians. Never before have so many people been discriminated against, harassed, or even killed because of their Christian faith," emphasizes the National Director of Pontifical Mission Societies in Austria, Fr. Leo Maasburg, in a reflection sent to Fides, on the occasion of Human Rights Day, December 10, which commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Human Rights (10 December 1948).
For the occasion, the Pontifical Mission Societies in Austria - Missio Austria - recalls the critical situation of human rights around the world. "Even in Europe phobias against Christians and attacks against the right to freedom of religion is growing!" emphasizes Fr. Leo Maasburg, in reference to the court decision on the crucifixes and the debate on the construction of minarets: "The right to religious freedom guarantees the practice of religion in public. Mission means actively witnessing to one's faith and in public, and this is part of religious freedom. This should not be undermined by a misinterpreted secularism. On the contrary: the elimination of the preaching of the faith threatens everyone's freedom, along with peace." (MS) (Agenzia Fides 10/12/2009)


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