Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Catholic Church in Dominican Republic is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.

The Catholic Church is the world's largest Christian Church, and its largest religious grouping. There are an estimated 7.6 million baptised Catholics in the Dominican Republic, (89% of the population), in 11 territorial dioceses and one military ordinariate, served by 800 priests.

Within the Dominican Republic the hierarchy consists of:

Archbishopric
- Bishopric

Santiago de los Caballeros
- La Vega
- Mao-Monte Cristi
- Puerto Plata
- San Francisco de Macorís
Santo Domingo
- Baní
- Barahona
- Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia en Higüey
- San Juan de la Maguana
- San Pedro de Macorís

[edit] Church in society

The Dominican Republic offers religious freedom, but the Catholic Church still enjoys certain favors, in particular due to a 1954 concordat with the Vatican.[1] Use of public funds for Church needs and low customs duties on Church goods are two favors given to the Catholic Church by the government. Catholic marriage ceremonies are the only religious marriage ceremonies that are recognized by the state, but legal marriages are also available.

Under Trujillo's government the Catholic Church had limited power, and throughout the 1980s the Church struggled for respect.[2] Afro-Caribbean creole religions, most notably Vodou from neighboring Haiti has become a part of the culture as well. Its links with traditional Catholicism are clear, but there is also a belief in "magic."