Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Santo Domingo (Agenzia Fides) – The Episcopal Conference of Dominican Republic has written a document for “500 years defending human dignity” which will be published for the 167th national anniversary of the Country's independence on 27 February. The pastoral letter by the Bishops denounces the situation of extreme poverty in which many Dominican friars live. The document is divided into five parts: historical summary (first part), the sermon of Montesinos (second part), a current overview of the sermon (part three), a review and report of the Country's living situation (fourth part), an appeal for change, and for a commitment to build a new Country according to the principles of the Constitution (fifth part).
In the introduction, after an historical recollection of the birth of the Country and the work of the early missionaries, the document stresses that “the mission of the early Church was preaching, the administration of the sacraments, education and social assistance.”
In No 12 it reads: “With the first missionaries came also the defence of human dignity and of indigenous rights. The best example was the preaching, which Brother Antón Montesino did in the name of his priestly community and which helped Br. Bartolomé de las Casas to become the great defender of the Indians.”
In light of this preaching, the Bishops analyse the current situation and state: “According to what justice is the poor health situation of the people being maintained? This is a situation that ignores the dignity of a person and allows the spread of diseases and even to the spread of cholera?”. The text continues: “With what justice is are our brothers permitted to live along the rivers, in unfit houses, built out of reeds? Where are the programs to help the poor?”. In addition, the Bishops denounced illiteracy, the difference between the wages of different groups in society, and workers' starvation wages which people know that they cannot live on this money. The paper concludes with an appeal to Dominicans to fulfil their obligations and claim respect for their rights, so that they can live as children of God, as “disciples chosen and sent on mission.” (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 21/02/2011)
