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.
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…”
Walking the streets we came across a building belonging to the Diocese of Jeremie. Stella Maris is the Catechetical Center under the direction of Fr. Elysee, he invited us in and showed us around. In this center they train lay leaders and make all the hosts for the Churches in the diocese.
Early in the morning, long before dawn, Father Luxo, a newly ordained priest, knocked at our door to take us to Mass. We followed him, thinking we were going to the Church we have been going to for the rosary. To our surprise we went through the back gate down a rocky pathway, in the dark with a small flashlight. We assumed that he knew a shortcut and then we found ourselves going to an old gate that looked like ruins. We stopped for a moment realizing we are not going to the familiar church. We questioned where he was taking us. For a moment fear entered our beings, but we followed. Then we heard the familiar prayer of the rosary in Creole, and we knew we were safe. We could not see any people only hear them, with our flashlight and the candles on the altar we realized that this was church. After the Liturgy of the Word, the sun rose and filled the place. We realized we were in a beautiful church built into the side of the hill. This is to be the new cathedral in Jeremie, but right now the only space finished is this lower Church. About 50 people come for morning sunrise Mass. We are learning more and more not to make assumptions and not to judge by appearances.
Peace and all good! Our first Transitus in Haiti was celebrated in Jeremie with a simple service. We joined our prayer with all Franciscans, especially every Felician Sister throughout the world.
In the footprints of Christ Francis did what was his to do. Let us celebrate his gift and go forth in the footsteps of Francis, to do what is ours to do.
Blessed St. Francis Day from Jeremie, Haiti!
Sisters Inga and Marilyn
Felician Sisters of North America Mission: Haiti 