NewsWhore
04-06-2009, 05:00 PM
Upon receiving the credentials of new DR ambassador to the Vatican Victor Manuel Grimaldi Cespedes, Pope Benedict XVI appealed to Dominicans to remember their Catholic roots and reject the controversial issues of abortion and homosexual marriage, but his encouragement for greater efforts in the struggle against institutional corruption is what garnered front-page coverage and editorials in the local press.
The Holy Father stressed "the partnership that exists between local Catholic bodies and State entities in the development of programs which, while always seeking the common good of society, favor those most in need and encourage genuine moral and spiritual values".
He also highlighted how, "in the significant political and social changes that the Dominican Republic has been going through in recent times", it is important to "implant and prolong the noble principles that distinguish the rich history of the country since its foundation. I am referring primarily to the defense and dissemination of such basic human values as the recognition and protection of human dignity, respect for human life from the moment of conception until natural death, and the safeguarding of the institution of the family based on marriage between a man and a woman, because these elements are indispensable to the social fabric".
The head of the Roman Catholic Church went on to stress that, despite recent achievements "in social and economic plans, which open hopes for a brighter and more peaceful future... there is still a long way to go to ensure Dominicans enjoy a dignified life and to eradicate the blights of poverty, drug trafficking, marginalization, and violence".
"Everything that contributes towards strengthening the institutions is fundamental to the wellbeing of society, a wellbeing which rests upon such pillars as cultivating honesty and transparency, juridical independence, care and respect for the environment and the reinforcement of social services, healthcare and education for the entire population. These steps must be accompanied by a strong determination to definitively eradicate corruption, which brings such suffering especially for the poorest and most defenseless members of society".
The Pontiff affirmed the country's "profound Catholic roots", which "already evokes in its very name adherence to the Christian message by most of its people, alluding to Saint Dominic Guzman, illustrious preacher of the Word of God."
He noted that the country is currently experiencing "a renewed missionary and evangelizing dynamism," fostered by the forthcoming commemoration of the fifth centenary of the creation of the archdiocese of Santo Domingo (erected on August 8, 1511). Benedict XVI could travel to Santo Domingo for the event, during which the Museum of the Cathedral, with the treasures of devotees to the Catholic Church in the DR will be exhibited.
The Holy Father called the evangelization of the Dominican Republic the "first seed" of the Church in Latin America. He declared, "The Holy Mass was celebrated there for the first time on the American continent, now more than five centuries ago, and from the Island of Hispaniola missionaries left charged with proclaiming the Good News of salvation in the continent".
Hoy newspaper's Saturday editorial commented on the Pope's statement that the worst part of corruption in our country is not its existence as such, but the obvious lack of will to combat and prevent it, and the excess of tolerance to the violations.
Today's Diario Libre editorial comment points out that if the government decided to eradicate corruption, all the money needed to carry out the public works requested by the public would be available. "That is the money that is invested in luxury vacation homes, apartments for mistresses and padded accounts in foreign banks," writes the newspaper. "One only has to analyze the money that is lost in surplus payrolls, padded contracts and wasteful spending to conclude that a good part of the budget is going to the hands of relatives and frontmen."
Speaking yesterday, Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez called on the authorities to put favoritism and softness aside when reviewing corruption cases. He said that fulfilling the law comes with their position. "For me it is simply a matter of awareness. It is not that politicians are exempt from fulfilling the law. No, no, no. He who is in power is obliged to fulfill the law," he said, as headlined in today's Diario Libre.
http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/b2_en.htm
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2009/april/documents/... (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2009/april/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20090403_ambassador-dominicana_sp.html)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)
The Holy Father stressed "the partnership that exists between local Catholic bodies and State entities in the development of programs which, while always seeking the common good of society, favor those most in need and encourage genuine moral and spiritual values".
He also highlighted how, "in the significant political and social changes that the Dominican Republic has been going through in recent times", it is important to "implant and prolong the noble principles that distinguish the rich history of the country since its foundation. I am referring primarily to the defense and dissemination of such basic human values as the recognition and protection of human dignity, respect for human life from the moment of conception until natural death, and the safeguarding of the institution of the family based on marriage between a man and a woman, because these elements are indispensable to the social fabric".
The head of the Roman Catholic Church went on to stress that, despite recent achievements "in social and economic plans, which open hopes for a brighter and more peaceful future... there is still a long way to go to ensure Dominicans enjoy a dignified life and to eradicate the blights of poverty, drug trafficking, marginalization, and violence".
"Everything that contributes towards strengthening the institutions is fundamental to the wellbeing of society, a wellbeing which rests upon such pillars as cultivating honesty and transparency, juridical independence, care and respect for the environment and the reinforcement of social services, healthcare and education for the entire population. These steps must be accompanied by a strong determination to definitively eradicate corruption, which brings such suffering especially for the poorest and most defenseless members of society".
The Pontiff affirmed the country's "profound Catholic roots", which "already evokes in its very name adherence to the Christian message by most of its people, alluding to Saint Dominic Guzman, illustrious preacher of the Word of God."
He noted that the country is currently experiencing "a renewed missionary and evangelizing dynamism," fostered by the forthcoming commemoration of the fifth centenary of the creation of the archdiocese of Santo Domingo (erected on August 8, 1511). Benedict XVI could travel to Santo Domingo for the event, during which the Museum of the Cathedral, with the treasures of devotees to the Catholic Church in the DR will be exhibited.
The Holy Father called the evangelization of the Dominican Republic the "first seed" of the Church in Latin America. He declared, "The Holy Mass was celebrated there for the first time on the American continent, now more than five centuries ago, and from the Island of Hispaniola missionaries left charged with proclaiming the Good News of salvation in the continent".
Hoy newspaper's Saturday editorial commented on the Pope's statement that the worst part of corruption in our country is not its existence as such, but the obvious lack of will to combat and prevent it, and the excess of tolerance to the violations.
Today's Diario Libre editorial comment points out that if the government decided to eradicate corruption, all the money needed to carry out the public works requested by the public would be available. "That is the money that is invested in luxury vacation homes, apartments for mistresses and padded accounts in foreign banks," writes the newspaper. "One only has to analyze the money that is lost in surplus payrolls, padded contracts and wasteful spending to conclude that a good part of the budget is going to the hands of relatives and frontmen."
Speaking yesterday, Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez called on the authorities to put favoritism and softness aside when reviewing corruption cases. He said that fulfilling the law comes with their position. "For me it is simply a matter of awareness. It is not that politicians are exempt from fulfilling the law. No, no, no. He who is in power is obliged to fulfill the law," he said, as headlined in today's Diario Libre.
http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/b2_en.htm
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2009/april/documents/... (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2009/april/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20090403_ambassador-dominicana_sp.html)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)