In 1952, a conference of priests and laity declared the "Mariazell Manifest" (-->Mariazell is the most important Marian sanctuary in Central Europe). A free Church can only exist in a free society that protects the universal dignity of men and women. After the Church's support of the Austrofascist system in the 1930s and the experiences of Nationalsocialism, this declaration is a milestone event for the Austrian Roman Catholic Church with regard to its support for a serious democratic culture. In the first decades of the 21st century, we need to reassess how far the Mariazell Manifest is still a fruitful answer to authoritarian challenges in the theopolitical arena. The paper will give a short introduction to the Manifest and its specific context. Afterwards we will analyze the contemporary theopolitical challenges in Austria in comparison to the 1950s and with regard to its entanglement in the contemporary global situation, especially with regard to democracy at risk. Finally, we will assess the changes and limits of the Manifest for today.