The right to proselytise

Limiting conscience protections to those in religious institutions that serve only their own members, as some have proposed, criminalises the public witness of religious organisations such as Catholic universities and other religious social welfare institutions.

...excerpt from http://www.firstthings.com/article/2012/02/in-defense-of-religious-freedom

This is the nub of the question for me.  American Catholic institutions such as hospitals and schools are being told that they have to offer access to contraceptive and pregnancy drugs for all their employees regardless whether these employees are Catholic or not.  The Church (Conference of American Catholic Bishops) find that this restriction on the Church's witness to its held beliefs is a restriction of religious freedom.  In Canada, Ontario Catholic Schools must accept the right of students to form gay-straight alliances according to a new law.

What is at stake here? Is religious freedom and Church freedom to act the same?

As a Catholic I strive to follow the tenets of the Catholic faith as best I understand them and can.  It is very clear that the Catholic faith prohibits abortion and artificial contraceptives as part of its Culture of Life dogma.  I have no problem with this.  In fact I support that the Church's right and role to counter everyday thinking with absolute moral truths handed down from God.

Now if I was working for a Catholic Hospital and was told that I can now have access to contraceptives and morning after pills because the Federal Government has passed a law giving me this freedom or right, am I any more likely to avail myself of such methods?  I submit no because as a struggling Catholic, I still understand that this is wrong.  All my employer must do is state that its program does not countenance use of contraceptives or morning after bills but is merely implemented to comply with Federal Law.

So this seems to be about the right of the Catholic Church to convey by example to others not founded in its faith, that they should not be using these birth control methods according to its absolute moral truths.  But these others are not Catholics so why does it matter?  Because the Church visibly wants to be a witness and  influence others.  Is this an infringement of these others' liberty?  I think the Federal Government has clearly answered yes with its new law.  The new Ontario law has somewhat similar objectives.

Hence the argument is more about the right to proselytise others not of the faith in the hope that they may come to agree with the Church's moral teachings and change their behaviour.  The right to proselytise.  Proselytising freedom = religious freedom in the current debate.

I believe I should have the right to proselytise.  I also have the right to ignore or resist others who proselytise me. Should the Church have the same rights?  It's hard to see why not.