Cardinal slams Dominicans who betray the Founding Father

Santo Domingo.- There´vebeen many traitors in the country who’ve joined gangs of people who don’t feelor are Dominican and who would even publicly praise Founding Father Juan PabloDuarte, but not always honor him.

Cardinal Nicolas deJesus Lopez Rodriguez made the statement Tuesday in a mass to mark the 203years since Duarte´s birth.

"In thiscelebration I think it’s only fair that we beseech the Lord for our Dominicanhomeland,” the prelate said, noting that “these people cast aside the day weremember Duarte and the Dominican Republic."

He said Dominicans mustmaterialize the country which Duarte, Francisco del Rosario Sanchez and MatiasRamon Mella dreamed of and fought for, "and sustain in memory, perhaps notas much as they deserve, but there are many people who esteem Duarte, such as themembers of the Duarte Institute."

In the mass held in theCathedral of America headed by Duarte Institute president Jose Joaquin PerezSaviñón, the prelate said he regrets that the figure of Duarte gets much praisebut isn’t honored.

"Undoubtedly itmust be acknowledged that it hasn’t always been the case, Duarte hasn’t alwaysbeen honored, but many Dominicans even despise him," he said.

Lopez said one cannotforget that it went badly for the Founding Father when he was forging theproject of independence for the country, "so it´s shameful, and I say thisbecause I’ve been in places in Venezuela, that this man died anyway, not only fromcontempt but also of hunger."

"Each of us, in anyway we can, whether in homes, schools and universities try to spread the greatideals that Duarte bore in his mind and heart, so we can celebrate with muchmore property and truth who was Juan Pablo Duarte and what we owe him."