Vatican defends duty to evangelize and accept converts
Fri Dec 14, 2007
By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Roman Catholic Church on Friday defended its "right and duty" to spread its message to non-believers and to welcome converts, particularly from other Christian churches.

A document from the Vatican's doctrinal department also rejected charges from some quarters that spreading the faith and receiving converts amounted to proselytism, or seeking new members aggressively or through coercion. the rest