Declaration on Religious Liberty-No. 4a

Religious bodies also have the right not to be hindered in their public teaching and witness to their faith, whether by the spoken or by the written word. However, in spreading religious faith and in introducing religious practices, everyone ought at all times to refrain from any manner of action which might seem to carry a hint of coercion or of a kind of persuasion that would be dishonorable or unworthy, especially
when dealing with poor or uneducated people. Such a manner of action would have to be considered an abuse of one’s own right and a violation of the rights of others. In addition, it comes within the meaning of religious freedom that religious bodies should not be prohibited from freely undertaking to show the special
value of their doctrine in what concerns the organization of society and the inspiration of the whole of
human activity. Finally, the social nature of man and the very nature of religion afford the foundation of the
right of men freely to hold meetings and to establish educational, cultural, charitable, and social organizations,
under the impulse of their own religious sense. 

Declaration on Religious Liberty (Dignitatis Humanae), no. 4 December 7, 1965

These reflections and readings from the Vatican II document Declaration on Religious Liberty (Dignitatis Humanae) are intended
for daily use during the Fortnight for Freedom, a national campaign designated by the U.S. Catholic bishops for teaching and witness
in support of religious liberty. The readings and the questions that follow can be used for group discussion or for personal reflection.