Author Archives: Felician Mission: Haiti

Meet Sheina!

The rooster and turkey went to their respective places of rest. The cook decapitated them–the rooster on Wednesday and the turkey on Thursday. The priests who live in our building ate them for their mid-day meal. The had a chicken dinner on Wednesday and a turkey dinner on Thursday. To say the least, we were very grateful. Bon appetite!

On Sunday, April 3, the Universal Church celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday. Here in Jacmel, we, too, wanted to enter into this holy day of grace and mercy to listen to the words of our Holy Father who invites all in the world to make a pilgrimage of mercy to a designated Church in the diocese. After Mass today, we went to the Immaculate Conception Church in Zoranje, which has been designated by our Diocese to be the Holy Door of Mercy.

“The practice of pilgrimage has a special place in the Holy Year, because it represents the journey each of us makes in this life. Life itself is a pilgrimage, and the human being is a pilgrim traveling along the road, making his way to the desired destination. Similarly, to reach the Holy Door in Rome or in any other place in the world, everyone, each according to his or her ability, will have to make a pilgrimage. This will be a sign that mercy is also a goal to reach and requires dedication and sacrifice. May pilgrimage be an impetus to conversion: by crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, we will find the strength to embrace God’s mercy and dedicate ourselves to being merciful with others as the Father has been with us.” No. 14 Misericordiae Vultus, BULL OF INDICTION OF THE EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE OF MERCY

Be assured that we carried each of you in our hearts and remembered you in our prayers.

On Friday, April 1, Sr. Adrianna had the experience of what it is like to purchase medications needed for the Mother Angela Clinic. It is a three-hour journey through the mountains to Port au Prince and then to TiGroave. We left at 6:30 a.m. and returned to Jacmel at 3:30 p.m. Dr. Wanitha, one of our clinic doctors accompanied us. We were blessed to get everything we needed for the clinic in order to provide medications for our people for the next two months. 

Thank you and God bless you to all of you who support the Mother Angela clinic in Haiti!

  Even though at times we don’t have electricity, we never need to worry about having an alarm clock to get us up in the morning. Living below us are a turkey and a rooster that are now “cock-a-doodle-doing”  every hour on the hour for these past few nights. They especially begin their shrill-singing at 4:30 a.m.

Yesterday we shared how our girls had some activities. Today, with the help of one of our teens who organized them, our young boys did some”spring” cleaning in our compound. After some hard work, they enjoyed a cold glass of water and, of course, some Easter chocolate!

The kids are still on Easter vacation so this morning our young girls came to make bracelets. Sr. Adrianna helped the girls with choosing their colors and got involved in bracelet making. I helped some of our boys paint Mickey Mouse Easter cards. And, of course, we needed to have some fun with the famous parachute games. 

  
Holy God, give peace and hope to our fractured world. May the risen Jesus breathe on our minds and open our eyes to know Him in the breaking of bread and to follow Him in His risen life. Amen!

 
  
 Today we had our Easter Mass at 3 p.m. The young people helped to prepare the altar and did the readings for the Mass. Some of our teen boys, who were baptized and received Holy Communion last year at the Easter Vigil, have been preparing to be altar servers, so today they served the Mass.

  
  
After Mass, through the generosity of one of our Sisters, the kids were given Easter cupcakes and Coca Cola! May God bless you and thank you for helping us to celebrate the Risen Life of Christ in our midst!
  
  
  

Święconka meaning “the blessing of the Easter baskets,” is one of the most enduring and beloved Polish traditions done on Holy Saturday. 

Our Felician community, which was founded in Poland, keeps this special tradition. Every Felician house around the world celebrates Święconka. The foods have a symbolic meaning:

* eggs – symbolize life and Christ’s Resurrection

* bread – symbolic of Christ

* lamb – represents Christ

* salt – represents purification

* ham and kielbasa – symbolic of great joy and abundance.

The blessed food remains untouched according to local traditions until Easter Sunday morning.

Even here in Haiti, we keep the tradition. Today, our Father Mise blessed our Easter food.