Monthly Archives: October 2012

Yesterday, on the feast of Blessed Mary Angela, God prepared for us a beautiful surprise. Joseph, Yvon’s brother took us to Casale, a small village in Haiti . It is located in the Department of Grande Anse and not too far from the Haitian Capital, Port-au-Prince. Casale is mainly agricultural. The road to get there is very challenging but the nature is beautiful. One thing distinctly unique about Casale is its large Polish influence. When I heard about Poles in Haiti at first it puzzled me. How did Haiti end up with some of its population with a Polish background? Do you know how far Poland is from Haiti? Also, why Casale? Why not Port au-Prince or someplace else in the country?

The history of the town of Casale with its Polish influence dates back to the time of the Haitian revolution. In 1802, the Napoleon army came to Saint Domingo to fight the slave rebellion, this included a Polish legion. There were about 5200 Poles sent to Saint Domingo by Napoleon. The Polish officers were told that there was a revolt in Saint-Domingue; however, upon arrival, the Polish brigade realized that the rebellion that they were informed of by the Napoleon army was actually slaves in the Colony fighting for their freedom.

At that time, there was a similar war going on in Poland. Polish soldiers were fighting back at home for the liberation of their own country. In 1772 Russia, Prussia and Austria invaded Poland. Many Poles hopeful of uniting in some way to win back Polish territory, made alliance with France and joined Napoleon’s army, but as a distinct Polish units.

Many Polish soldiers decided to leave the French army and join the slave rebellion. They all settled in Casale, La Vallee de Jacmel, Fond des Blancs, La Baleine, Port Salut and St. Jean du Sud. Several Polish soldiers
participated in the Haitian revolution of 1804. The Polish soldiers acquired Haitian citizenship after Haiti’s Independence, and settled there never to return home. Even today, you can find Haitian Poles, blue eyed, blond, with European features.

Pope John Paul II who visited Haiti in 1983, mentioned the Polish contribution to the slave rebellion leading to Haiti’s independence.

As a Pole, hearing about this I desired to visit this place. It was very moving to talk to people who considered themselves as having Polish roots and proud of it. They were happy to have a picture taken with us. The most moving moment of the day was two ladies from Casele showing us the shrine of our Lady of Częstochowa. They pronounced this name very well! There was a woman by the little chapel who comes there every Wednesday and prays with the Scriptures for the whole day. We were blest to meet her. This visit was also a gift and grace for Sister Marilyn who on the feast of Blessed Mary Angela was graced to go deeper into our Polish roots of our Congregation right here in Haiti. For both of us it was a special gift on this feastday that we received the Eucharist in their beautiful church.

Flying above the Caribbean Sea along the coast of Haiti from Jèrèmie to Port-au-Prince.

“…watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” 1 Peter 5: 2-3

It was a real blessing to meet a true shepherd of his flock, Bishop Joseph Gontrand Decoste, SJ, of the Diocese of Jèrèmie The Bishop offered us hospitality in his residence for the week. On our last day he celebrated the Holy Eucharist and prayed for our Felician Congregation. The Bishop expressed his hope that one day the Felician Sisters will be in the Diocese of

Sharing the words of our first Transitus of Blessed Mary Angela in Port-au-Prince, Haiti!

The loving heart of Mother Mary Angela has given birth to our Felician reality.
She wanted to give herself like bread. She wanted to give herself totally.
To the places omitted by all Mother sent her daughters, because dedication without limit was their call.

Praying with every Felician Sister, Associate, family and friends throughout the world.

We are waiting over an hour in Jèrèmie airport! The pictures show the runway and airport. The plane is delayed and no one knows for how long.

Posted using Tinydesk Writer iPhone app

This afternoon we were surprised to meet Darren Hercyk, Catholic Relief Services Country Representative. He arrived at the Bishop’s house for a meeting with Caritas. We found out that Darren lives with his family by Yvon’s house where we are staying. This is another good contact for us in Haiti.

We were blest to meet a missionary hermit here in Jeremie. She lives on the grounds of the Order of St. Camillus in the hills. To visit her you have to knock of the door with a shell. Sister Francine comes from Quebec, Canada. She writes icons. She discovered in herself the call to be a missionary hermit to pray for the people of Haiti. Sister Francine has in her hermitage a small chapel where she has daily Eucharistic adoration. We felt at home. She promised to pray for the Felician mission in Haiti.

During our stay in Jeremie we met with a few religious communities who are well established in Haiti, the Missionaries of Charity, the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis, Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Order of St. Camillus, and a community of consecrated men and women called Myriam Bethlehem Family. Most of these homes are up in the hills and the view of creation and the sea is an icon of God.

Myriam Bethlehem Family is a new congregation from Canada that was approved canonically in 2006. They live among the people and believe that their life of prayer is a service to the people. They just finished a volunteer house and faith formation center. They have a lay volunteer living with them now from Switzerland. From them we learned also a way of composting and burning garbage here in Haiti, since they do not have garbage pickup like we do.

The Order of St. Camillus runs a small hospital in the hills, near the sisters house. They are in the process of building a new hospital that will specialize in burns. This is very much needed in Haiti, since there is no electricity people use kerosene for cooking and lighting at night. There are many accidents using kerosene.

As you see from the pictures the hills are very green and much fruit grows everywhere in this area. In the photo of men at the construction site you can see they have to do everything by hand, since they do not have construction machinery. They crush the rocks by hand.

We experienced that we are all here for the same purpose “that the world may believe…”