Author Archives: Felician Mission: Haiti

Bon fèt Pak! Blessed Easter!

We went on Sunday morning to St. Yves Parish for Easter Mass. The parish is very poor and celebrates in a tent. It was decorated beautifully, and the prayer of the people was very moving. We like to pray with the people at St. Yves. Cassandra and Sonya, our neighbors, joined us for the Mass.

After Mass, when we arrived home, we noticed that their were about 30 people lined up by the wall in front of our house. We asked Sonya who they were because we had never seen them before, and she said: “the poor.” We quickly ran inside and gathered Easter sweets and rosaries to share Easter joy, and we distributed them to the children, women and men gathered by the wall in front of our home.

Later in the evening, Sonya came to pray with us and adore the Lord. After we offered her a meal and some Easter candy. Sr. Giovanni gave Sonya a cane that can be used as a seat. She was delighted because she loves to sit outside her door everyday.

The Easter Vigil celebrated in the Cathedral was 5 hours. It was beautiful and very holy. We witnessed 9 adult Baptisms and 50 adult Confirmations. Let us all witness to this New Life in Christ. The choir was heavenly and every Alleluia lifted us higher and higher to the glory of the Lord. Too bad we can’t put the video on the blog for you. Christ is Risen Alleluia,! He has truly Risen, Alleluia!

He has truly risen, Alleluia!

To our Felician community throughout the world, to our families and friends: We wish you all a blessed Easter from Haiti!

As we waited at the tomb in spirit, keeping vigil with Holy Mother Church, we prepared our chapel, house, and święconkę.

Some of our neighbors came to help us color eggs. In the afternoon, after we had prepared our table, Father Kontan came to bless our food.

Born of Christ’s death…early in the morning, the whole city of Jacmel gathers for the Stations of the Cross. They gather in the parish that is outside of Jacmel, and they walk through the whole city, stopping at fourteen stations. It is a beautiful way of evangelization, born of Christ’s death.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me..” Is. 61:1
On Holy Thursday, in the morning, we went to the Chrism Mass in the Cathedral. In the entrance procession, the Bishop with his priests carried the holy oils to be consecrated in the beautiful ritual that the church gives us for this day. Before that ritual, all the priests had the renewal of their priestly promises. After the celebration, all the priests and religious were invited to the Pastoral Center to celebrate together.

After the celebration, we went to the sea to buy our fresh fish. When we arrived home, we prepared for our Agape meal together.

In the evening, we went to St. Michael’s Parish for the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

On Tuesday, March 26 we said farewell to Sisters Jolene and MaryAnne and welcomed Sr. Giovanni. She wanted to share Holy Week with us and visit a clinic.

On the Monday, March 25, six days before Easter Sunday, Bishop Launay Saturne, celebrated the Eucharist and blest our new home in Jacmel, Haiti. We were blest with the presence of Sister Mary Jolene and Sister MaryAnne, provincial council members. Even though our chapel is small, we were graced with the presence of friends and neighbors who have helped us begin the Felician mission in Haiti. Mass was in Creole and English. After the house blessing, we had a Haitian feast prepared by our neighbor. As soon as our guests left, our neighborhood boys, who come to visit us every evening, stopped by and shared in the feast. It was truly a grace-filled day. We ended our day with Eucharistic Adoration for the first time in our chapel, using our new small monstrance, a gift given to us by SM Christopher and her Council. This was such a great and beautiful gift given to us for this special day! Mesi Bondye mesi!

On Friday, March 22, Sisters Jolene and MaryAnne arrived in Jacmel in the afternoon, thanks to our Felician friend, Yvon. It was a joy to see our Felician Sisters here in Haiti1