October 6, 2004

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Pedro Rossello, candidate for governor of Puerto Rico for the New Progressive Party (PNP) denied that he has converted to Protestantism, but this did not stop the Catholic Bishop of San Juan, Luis Aponte Martinez, from denouncing him as a "declared apostate."

Rossello denied statements made by the Rev. Wanda Rolon of the Senda Antigua Church that he had "converted to the Lord" during a service in this Church last year. "I was there and I participated in that service. They said that those who accepted Christ should come forward. I accept Christ. That is what happened. I accept Christ and here I will repeat it again, I accept Christ," said Rossello.

Rossello, former governor of the Island said he did not aim to favor of a specific Church but has participated in different Churches, different denominations, because they are formal expressions of faith where we have the freedom to participate "because our relationship to God is very personal."

"I believe in Christ, His teaching, His values. I am a Christian," reiterated Rossello during a lunch with members of the Federal Bar Association. He denied that he was baptized as an Evangelical. "I am Baptized a Catholic Christian. I understand that I was baptized once. I was Baptized (as a Catholic) and confirmed," he told El Nuevo Dia.

However, Rosello's expressions sparked criticism from Cardinal Aponte Martinez. "A person who says they are Catholic and then goes with Pastor (Rodolfo) Font and then with that one (the Rev. Rolon) will go with another one tomorrow. The most that can be said is that he is using religion opportunistically," said the Cardinal in an interview with NotiUno.

"I did not say do not vote for him. I said that a Catholic who is going to vote should know that if they vote for him they will be voting for a declared apostate Catholic," said Aponte Martinez.

For his part the Metropolitan Archbishop of San Juan Roberto Gonzalez Nieves, lamented Rossello's expressions and attributed them to an "identity crisis."

"If a person wants to persevere in the Catholic faith and, on the other hand, feels that they have reasons to 'protest' before the institution they can do so, as a child of the Church, through the adequate forums within the same Church community," said Msgr. Gonzalez in a statement distributed to the press.

The polemic has sparked differing opinions. According to "El Nuevo Dia" some people said that "recent bishops are getting involved in politics and that is wrong." Others said that religious leaders should not use their pulpits to speak against determined political leaders.

One citizen from Caguas, Ivette Cestero said that the search for support from the Rev. Rolon is an act of desperation on the part of the former governor.

"This is a desperate movement and definitely he does not have any idea of what he is saying. A person who is Catholic cannot be Protestant because Protestantism is an open protest against what the Catholic religion is," she said.

Another citizen, Jaime Green, said that Catholics can have relationships with Protestants or Christians from other denominations because their principles are clear. "No one is going to make them change. Puerto Rico needs people who unite us, not who separate us."

"The use that he (Rossello) has made of the different religions is opportunism" said Iraida Busquets, attending a meeting for the other candidate for governor Anibal Acevedo Vila.

ALC News Service