2010 Fr. Rick Frechette
Passionist Missionary in Haiti
Editorial he terrible January 12th Haiti earthquake, 7.3 on the Richter scale, which struck the poorest country in the Americas, caused thousands of deaths and injuries. The island remained practically cut-off from the world, and the dearth of food and lack of potable drinking water have combined to create a truly dramatic situation. Most of the houses were flattened in Portau-Prince and surrounding areas. Many of the common dwellings were little more than shacks with no resistance to even a lesser earthquake. Nevertheless, despite this nightmarish scene of destroyed homes, bodies strewn in the streets, wailing and crying and pain, I like to hold-on to this beautiful image: 1) Because it’s the face of a child situated in the middle which draws one’s attention. It’s his meeting with his mother, almost like a resurrection: the knowledge of still being alive and loved. 2) Because it’s a reflection of so many brave people who have risked their lives as they saved the lives of others. 3) Because it seems to represent the fi-
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nest expression of solidarity: to give life, to live and sacrifice for the benefit of others. Yesterday it was L’Aquila in Italy, today it’s Haiti, and tomorrow... These were and always will be moments to demonstrate a spirit of perennial and loving solidarity. In these pages we would like to show proof of our solidarity with the victims and our deep gratitude toward all those who have pitchedin to ameliorate the suffering of our less fortunate brothers and sisters. Lastly, that nagging question so many must have asked themselves: so where was God? Certainly he wasn’t out on the golf links, nor sunning himself on a sandy beach, nor relaxing as he pruned the rose bushes. God was in fact right there with the victims, once again dying with them. He has also been with those fine people who have been giving of their time, their talents and their knowledge to assist their brothers and sisters in their hour of need. Surely we can see him showing concern and tenderness, his lips uttering words of consolation, and, why not, in those moments of silence, when saying nothing at all is the best we can say, and, yes, as his heart beats in unison with the hearts of all those he so deeply loves.
Missionary and doctor in Haiti he humanitarian, social and solidarity work our American Passionist, Fr. Rick Frechette, C.P. is undertaking in Haiti is truly impressive and should be known by all. The story all began back in 1988 when Fathers Wasson and Frechette traveled to Haiti and there were confronted with the dramatic situation of thousands of children and the urgent need for an orphanage and a hospital. One of every three children die of malnutrition in Haiti. Since then they have overseen the construction of various centers which dispense medical attention and a place to live: • The Father Wasson center in Petionville. • The Kenscoff orphanage which cares for some 450 children, either orphans or abandoned. • The Saint Damien hospital situated in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince which attends to more than 17,000 patients every year. After the earthquake 200 young patients had to be moved to tents. Rick is the director of that hospital. You might like to see: http://saintdamienhospital.wordpress.com. Rick’s forte, as a missionary and medical doctor, has been the construction of schools and hospitals, always close to the common people. He doesn’t work all alone as he’s supported by a foundation called “Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos” (Our Little Brothers) (NPH). One can view their lovely website at www.nph.org Rick had previously worked in Mexico (1983) and Honduras (1987) and it was this experience which impelled him to study Medicine. He graduated in 1998. Since then he has worked full-time in Haiti. At the moment he is National Director in Haiti of NPH and is a physician for NPHI (Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos International.) They say there was a moment when chaos and social and political turmoil in Haiti was so great that they were tempted to pull all their personnel out of the country, but
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Rick interposed, “How can we turn our backs on the children? What kind of shepherd would abandon his flock just when the wolves turn up?” In the course of an interview he said, “The poor have little access to medical attention. Even when they’re lucky enough to get a check-up at a clinic, the scarcity of medicines and their high prices make treatment impossible for them. Our working conditions, particularly in the poorest areas of Port-au-Prince, are frankly deplorable. We have little water, no electric power and few medicines and supplies,” says the doctor-priest. Last October, 2009, Rick was the recipient of the Hollywood Humanitarian award for his dedication to the struggle against injustice and in favor of social changes for the improvement of humanity, and, especially, for his work among the poor children in Haiti. Thanks to the solidarity among our various Passionist communities more than one hundred thousand Euros have been collected and sent to Fr. Rick Frechette to help the victims of the earthquake. Once again Rick has shown us that humanitarian aid must involve a work method alongside the people. Not only have houses and roads to be reconstructed: a social network now severely damaged needs to be put together again. Let’s hope that international aid doesn’t overlook Haiti and that the earthquake leads to the reconstruction of the whole country, so that once and for all she may shake off her secular misery and look toward a future endowed with a modicum of dignity and justice.
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JPIC USA J
ohn González is the Executive Director of JPIC in the United States and is the moving power behind all the work being undertaken these last years. They have proposed three prime objectives: the promotion of social ministry, the defense of human rights and the development of educational courses and programs on JPIC and the Social Doctrine of the Church. John González doesn’t limit his activities to giving talks to parish and university groups in our communities and retreat centers. He also carries on with the hard work of motivating the religious of our communities to live JPIC as an integral part of our charism. In the photo (3rd from the left) he can be seen at the Washington Capitol lobbying in defense of human rights. One of our outstanding ministries in the States is that carried out by the Passionist Earth and Spirit Center, a spirituality institute which is inter-religious based on the conviction that Mother Earth and her peoples are sacred. Its objective is to cultivate a space and promote a life-ethic which recognizes the Earth as a single, sacred community.
Thomas Berry arm, hospitable and with a wry sense of humor, he was considered by some as a monk, a priest, an ecologist... a scientist. But Thomas Berry was fundamentally an eco-theologian, a term minted by himself to explain his theories, his thoughts and reflections, which gave rise to a more incisive expression, that of eco-justice. “The Dream of the Earth,” “The Universe Story,” “The Human Adventure,” “The Great Work: our way into the Future,” “Befriending the Earth: A Theology of Reconciliation Between Humans and the Earth,” are just some of his writings which reveal his love for the cosmos and his insistence that every profession is responsible for the deepest legacy of the universe. He thus manages to generate a structural thought for the “green,” environmental humanistic, religious, spiritual and ecological movements which came to see in life something more important than the simple, illusory path of industrialization. He is famous among defenders of the ecology and “Eco-spirituality” for proposing that a profound knowledge of the history and workings of the evolution of the universe as an inspiration and guide for our own correct functioning as individuals and species, is necessary. He has been looked-upon as a master in the tradition of Teilhard de Chardin.
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Berry speaks of an “Ecozoic Society”= Humanity and Earth growing in reconciling harmony. This would be an alternative society to what we have today. His principal concern is, undoubtedly, the Earth, and, upon it, all living beings. His eco-theological vision sees the inter-independence of every mode of being and any other human mode of being, only possible if there is a recognition that each living being is endowed with rights derived from its own existence. The “Great Work” for our generation is to transform our until now destructive relationship with the Earth... through a more caring and peaceful relationship. We are faced with two choices, says Berry: either we believe that as human beings we are separate from Nature, or that we are interconnected with it. “The universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects.” Thomas is a historian of human cultures, a great author and one of the foremost thinkers of our time. His passing away last June has saddened us all. May these brief reflections serve as a posthumous homage to a great Passionist, marginalized by some and lauded by many.
Missionary in D. R. Congo Maternity in Kisungu Construction of a new Maternity Hospital in the Dem. Rep. of the Congo.
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ast year Fr. Jean Marie Mbungu Mayala turned-up at my office with a Project which, from the very beginning, has stood out as the most attractive of all. This was for the construction of a maternity hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It seemed better than any others… • because it would operate in one of the most important areas of medicine, namely the Defense of Life, as it would afford care for pregnant mothers and their babies. • because he was presenting it through an African NGO, CEMES (Cercle Médical "la Santé",) of which Jean Marie is the President. It’s very important that our missionaries learn to operate in more “specialized” ways with technically savvy helpers. Thanks to a generous donation of € 17,300 from our English-speaking St. Joseph’s parish in Paris plus a few other donations, we’ve been able to help construct this maternity hospital in Kisungu Mbemba, a town of 5,000 inhabitants at the far western end of the country, where the rate of infant mortality is as bad as in
many other parts of Africa. They’ve been able to construct: A reception ward for pregnant mothers and... a Ward for new-born infants. This has made it possible to double the number of pregnant mothers they can attend to, from 50 a month to 100. To this must be added the improved installations and a more hygienic environment. This is just a thumbnail example of the work our missionaries are carrying out, an example worth imitating in other needy areas where our men are present. Fr. Jean Marie himself is now busy overseeing the construction of another maternity hospital in Lovo, also in the D. R. of the Congo. We know we can count on the continued generosity of our benefactors to allow us to extend this pro-life work, so vitally necessary and urgent.
Clinic for babies and for minor operations or cures
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P InTernaTIonaL s s I o n I s T s
Kevin Dance he decision to create Passionists International had its origins in the General Chapter in Brazil, 2000. It was ratified in the following 2006 General Chapter held in Rome. Faced with the reality of globalization, we realized that the lifestyles and decisions taken in other countries affected us. We looked for another place from which to express the hope and healing power that is embedded in the very heart of our Passionist charism. Living in a globalized and more interconnected world, we realized that we can’t afford the luxury of functioning as isolated individuals with our backs to the world. We saw that in the big international forums such as the UN in New York and Geneva and the FAO, decisions are taken which later affect all of humanity, and that our participation in these international meetings was necessary. So we decided to create our own Passionist International NGO, which would be recognized by the UN and would allow us to contribute our opinions and to express ourselves when big decisions are being made about important problems facing our planet today. We are everyday more and more aware of problems such as climate change, the reality of hunger in the world, discrimination against women, child labor, human trafficking, the marginalization of indigenous peoples, the situation in the Middle East, etc. These difficult problems weigh on humanity and we shouldn’t be indifferent to them nor turn our backs on. And so, uniting our efforts to those of other NGOs, we are trying to defend human rights
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among all peoples and to be a voice for the voiceless, by being present in those forums where big decisions are taken regarding the main problems of our planet. This explains our presence at the Forum of Catholic NGOs convoked for a second time by the Holy See from 12th to 14th February 2010, with the aim of determining how w e can best coordinate our efforts in defense of life and freedom. Solidarity is more necessary now than ever, lest we all sink together. The Church has always been present in the world of solidarity. Our globalized world is asking for new answers and, above all else, new forms of presence. It is vital that we prioritize our activities and meaningful presence as Passionists in the field of solidarity. We need to contribute our small grain of hope and commitment and join with other NGOs that, like ours, are working to make ANOTHER WORLD POSSIBLE. We seek to globalize solidarity and together with a legion of like-minded people to bring about a more just and peaceful world.
Some good news! Last August 27th the United Nations Economic and Social Council granted our NGO Special Consultative Status. This means that Passionists International can now address meetings of government representatives within the United Nations system, in its own name, either orally or in writing. So kudos to Father Kevin Dance and Sister Mary Ann Strain for their hard work and success in this matter.
JPIC Asia: International Commission for Solidarity
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ur community in Bangalore, India, was the venue for the meeting of the International Commission for Solidarity held from 15th to 16th November 2009. Those attending were Jesús María Aristín, the General Secretary for Solidarity and Mission, who heads the Commission, José Ramón Sánchez, the English language representative, the Italian language representative Nando Valsecchi, and George John González, who represents the English-speaking laity. Francisco Murray from Argentina, now stationed in Vietnam, also attended and was designated the representative of JPIC for Asia... We have insisted on the necessity that all the Provinces, Vice Provinces and Vicariates appoint a member to animate and promote JPIC, in order to be able to organize a network and carry-out joint activities and cam-
paigns in order to reach every community and individual religious. The main objective of this meeting and the raison d’être for our being there was to be able to give a number of formation talks to all the Major Superiors of Asia and Australia, as well as to avail ourselves of the opportunity to form the Asian Commission of JPIC. Those designated were: Marsilin Sony Kannanaikal (India), Benjamin Telu (Papua New Guinea), Francisco Murray (Vietnam) and Francis Nakamura (Japan). Delegates from the Philippines and Indonesia will be appointed later. We again stressed the need to continue giving talks and sharing material in our ongoing effort to sensitize the brethren. Finally we decided on holding World Study Days at the level of every community. We decided to press on with this and we included the World Water Day which is celebrated yearly on March 22nd.
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P. Vital otshudialokoka Our Solidarity and Mission Department has reason to celebrate. It has been enriched with a new worker: Vital Otshudialokoka. He’s well known by everyone as over the past six years he acted as general consultor. His contribution will be very relevant: he knows Africa inside out and will enrich all of us with his experience and his vision of the Congregation. He will be in charge of the whole area of Projects and will focus especially on securing funding and aid for our missionaries. May God bless him and walk by his side in this hard task.
P. Mario bartolini A few weeks ago, in mid-January, we were informed that at long last the Regional Government of San Martin (Peru) has heard the cry of the people in Barranquita (Peru) and has filed a demand against the company owned by Grupo Romero (Peruvian multinational business) to stop its work. Now we all expect the poor farmers will get back the land that the Company had stolen from them through deceit and swindle. Over 40 years he has preached the Gospel to the peoples in the Amazon Forest in Peru. He has spent an entire life in the service of the Gospel and the people. Congratulations, Mario, for your work and for walking close to the simple ones!
Contributions to our Passionist Missions
You Can SEnD a CHECk To following aDDRESS: P. Jesús Mª Aristín. Passionist Solidarity and Mission Office Piazza Santi Giovanni e Paolo, 13 00184 Roma. ITALIA Teléfono: (39) 06 772711 E-mail: cpmissioni@passiochristi.org
TRanSfERiMEnTo banCaRio a: Bank: BANCA POPOLARE DI SONDRIO Address of the Bank: Agenzia 24 di Roma Via San Giovanni Laterano, 51 A 00184 Roma (RM) Count Number : 2650 / 35 IBAN: IT68U 05696 03224 000002650X35 Bank code : (Swift): POSO IT 22 All donations are tax deductible.
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