In recent days my prayers have often been directed to Haiti, after the killing of the President and the wounding of his wife. I join the heartfelt appeal of the country’s Bishops to “lay down arms, choose life, choose to live together fraternally in the interest of all and in the interest of Haiti.” I am close to the dear Haitian people; I hope that the spiral of violence will cease and that the nation will resume the path towards a future of peace and harmony. Pope Francis - July 11, 2021
Dear Friends, Pope Francis’ words quoted above are in response to an already dismal situation that escalated during these past number of days. I echo his sentiments and I am writing to you to request your support – moral, spiritual and financial – for our Haitian Jesuits who continue to labour in this impoverished nation without counting the cost. The Jesuit presence in Haiti goes back many generations with the first Jesuits arriving in the 18th century and then again in the mid-20th century. The history of the engagement of the Canadian Jesuits has had its ups and downs with the Jesuits being expelled from the country on two occasions during times of unrest and political turmoil. Most recently, however, from a base of a few dedicated French Canadians together with a handful of Haitian Jesuits, the Society of Jesus has been able to expand its mission to this beautiful, yet terribly impoverished, country. How? Since the early 2000s, local vocations have been numerous to the point where Haitian Jesuits now number almost one quarter of the membership of the Jesuit Province of Canada. This substantial number of native-born Haitian Jesuits has allowed the possibility of expanding apostolic outreach which now includes education at all levels, spirituality and parishes, social justice and work with migrants. The Haitian Jesuits are poised to be important agents of change! As a fruit of this expanding mission, in July 2018, at the same time of the foundation of the new Canadian Jesuit province, Fr. General Arturo Sosa named Fr. Jean Denis Saint Félix superior for the Jesuits of Haiti. For the first time a superior from the country and living in the country was to be responsible the care of the Haitian Jesuits, for the works, and for the growth of the Jesuit mission. During the past three years, despite continued political turmoil, increasing poverty and Covid19, Fr. Jean Denis has laid out plans for the future of the Society in Haiti. I have worked closely with him to establish
Photo: Jesuits of Haiti curia
