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The Diocese of the Dominican Republic
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 | To provide physical and spiritual connections among our many churches and members |
| To make a significant difference in the degree of autonomy and self-reliance of the Diocese of the Dominican Republic |
| To learn from the Dominican Church important lessons in evangelism, growth and spiritual vitality |
We can support Bishop Holguin's three pronged priorities for the diocese:
| Evangelism |
| Social ministries |
| Self-sufficiency |
In doing so we will learn a great deal about mission from this dynamic young diocese, and we will find ourselves greatly blessed and growing in faith and spirit from our efforts.
We can help take the good news of the Gospel to the 65% to 75% of the population that does not regularly attend church.
We can help build churches for the 30 or so congregations that presently meet in a living room, carport or a small rented facility; sending work teams or direct financial contributions to support the construction of appropriate, functional, adequate churches for growing congregations.
We can provide Bibles, Prayer Books, and hymnals for economically poor congregations.
We can help build Episcopal Schools to educate youth from preschool through high school in a country where public education is inadequate.
Individuals or congregations can provide scholarships to Episcopal Schools for underprivileged youth at $200 per year.
Individuals or congregations can provide supplies such as computers, books and other necessities of modern education.
We can send medical teams: doctors, nurses, dentists, clinic volunteers; to work in clinics targeted for the very poor.
We can support the Haitian Pastorate which assists ministry with the Haitian migrant workers in the D.R.
We can contribute to help build the Self-sufficiency Fund so that the Dominican Episcopal Church can be self-supportive over the long haul, and thus build a base to underwrite the salaries of priests and other church workers. Many priests of the Dominican Episcopal Church earn under $7,000 per year (even in a Third World country this is woefully inadequate).
We can pray for the continued growth and vitality of the Diocese of the Dominican Republic.
Pray for Bishop Julio Holguin every Sunday in the Prayers of the People.
And even though funds are tight, we could tithe our capital project budgets and/or our social ministry programs, thus multiplying our efforts at home and abroad.
In a many sided partnership, many hands make a burden light. Let us encourage the members of our congregations to become personally involved with the Dominican Episcopal Church which is at a point where it can truly 'take off' and needs our help to do so. As Saint Paul said, "as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all persons, especially to them of the household of faith" Gal 6:10.
It has only been a diocese since 1960. Before that it was a missionary district overseen by the Bishop of Haiti and Puerto Rico.
It is growing rapidly and has 7,000 baptized members. Eight years ago it had 25 congregations and 12 priests. Now it has 50 congregations and 12 priests. Over half of these congregations still meet in living rooms, carports, or small rented facilities - "storefront" churches by US standards.
The Dominican Republic is bounded on the north by the Atlantic, the south by the Caribbean and the west by Haiti.
It has a population of approximately 7.8 million, 60% of whom live in towns and cities.
The DR stretches roughly 240 miles east to west, and 160 miles north to south, for an area of 18,816 square miles.
Its population density of 440 persons per square mile compares with Florida's 220 persons per square mile.
Over 3 million people live in its capital, Santo Domingo, approximately the size of Miami-Ft. Lauderdale metro area but in a considerably smaller space.
To facilitate this relationship, the companion diocese have created The Dominican Development Office, headquartered at DaySpring Episcopal Center of Southwest Florida. ― This material reprinted with permission of the Dominican Development Office.
For more information, contact
Dr. Robert Stevens, Director
Dominican Development Office, DaySpring
941-776-0405
Send site additions and corrections to the
Content Coordinator Sue Ann Jones
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