Bishops Highlight Pope Francis’s Call for Religious Freedom as an Inalienable Right

In a joint statement for International Religious Freedom Day, the chairmen of two key committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s stance on religious freedom as a fundamental human right, describing it as “the synthesis and summit of all other fundamental rights.”

Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Bishop Kevin Rhoades, chairman of the Committee on Religious Liberty, addressed the impact of restrictive laws in many countries. “As Christians, we aim to foster peace, tolerance, and respect for the dignity of others. Yet blasphemy and apostasy laws in various regions criminalize the fundamental right to choose one’s religion,” they said, highlighting that some governments further suppress religious freedom by compelling faith communities to align with state policies.

The bishops also noted Pope Francis’s strong advocacy for religious freedom, calling it a “basic, primary, and inalienable right” that must be upheld worldwide. “In the United States, the USCCB has embraced this mission, prioritizing religious freedom in its public policy work,” they added, underscoring the Church’s commitment to defending this essential right both domestically and globally.