Catholic Diocese Of Joliet

The Bishop continues his overview of the Declaration on Religious Freedom ("Dignitatis Humane") from Vatican II. In this podcast, he talks about the importance of religious liberty and the family. Every family is a "society" with its own basic rights, and parents have the right to choose the schools and means of education they want their children to have. It's important for parents to take seriously their roles as leaders of their children's religious formation, and parents need to safeguard that freedom as a family in the civil arena. The protection of religious freedom or other human rights is not left to individuals, but is the responsibility of everyone, even those who are not believers. The government needs to make sure that there is equality in terms of everyone exercising true religious freedom, with all rights being tempered for the common good. It's important for the civil authorities to maintain objectivity so that all religious groups and systems of belief are given equal treatment.