Archbishop John Charles Wester highlighted the Second Vatican Council’s document on religious freedom and the constitutional protections for religious liberty in the United States. Wester issued a six-paragraph statement on July 27 in support of the project, saying Muslims have a right to access worship services and religious freedom extends beyond Christians. Our Muslim neighbors have the same God-given and constitutionally protected right to worship freely as every other faith community, including our own.” The archbishop said interfaith relationships “enrich our civic life and strengthen the social fabric we all depend on” and criticized “anti-Muslim sentiment.” “We welcome Archbishop Wester’s principled statement defending religious freedom and thank him for speaking out,” Hooper said.