Religious Freedom was the theme of the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s 37th annual Respect Life Essay contest–a theme particularly relevant in this time of persecution of all peoples’ faiths in various parts of the world. The pastor of St. Mary’s Cathedral cited Pope St. John Paul II’s 1988 message on the World Day of Peace: “Religious freedom, an essential requirement of the dignity of every person, is a cornerstone of the structure of human rights” and therefore the foundation of peace and respect for human life from conception until natural death.