Author Archives: Felician Mission: Haiti

On Friday, February 20, we made our monthly journey to Port au Prince for Confession with Fr. Rick Frechette, CP, at St. Damien’s Hospice for Children. It is always interesting when we visit him. Last time we toured St. Damien’s, which is staffed by Haitians. It is a beautiful hospital that is funded by an organization that was begun by a Mexican priest who is known all over the world for the work he has done with the people. Fr. Rick, who is also a medical doctor, continues the mission.

Today we met Fr. Rick at the warehouse where he has built a bakery and a place for making macaroni. He also has a warehouse that makes school uniforms for the orphanages and schools that his organization has founded over the past 18 years that he has been missioned in Haiti. All these facilities are staffed by Haitians. Fr. Rick had one of his artist’s create a painting with people being taken up to heaven, commemorating the 5th anniversary of the earthquake, January 12, 2010.

We asked Fr. Rick where we could take one of our artist’s, Daniel, to get fitted for a new leg prothesis. He sent us next door to St. Germaine’s Rehabilitation Center for the Poor, especially for special needs children and stoke patients. There we learned about what this organization is doing for special needs children and their parents.

On Thursday, February 19, the “Water Women,” who are participating in our “Water with Blessing” project, met for the third time. During our time together, we shared God’s Word–the Gospel about the Samaritan Woman–and their personal experiences of being water women, sharing clean water with others. Most of these women are fulfilling their mission and commitment, sharing the purified water with at least three families, but others have their challenges.

Each Water Woman received a coloring book that teaches children about the use of clean water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning your body with purified water. The women all enjoyed coloring the first two pages. Next week they will return with their children to continue coloring the pages, while teaching them at the same time why we need to use clean water.

Today, with the Church, we celebrated the beginning of Lent–Ash Wednesday: “Change your heart and believe the Good News.” Our kids, who have been participating in our catechesis program and preparing for the sacraments, celebrated with us, together with a few friends. Let us pray for one another and for our call to conversion.

We received a donation from Tim, a man from Buffalo, NY, to purchase a goat for a family in need. This was our first experience in purchasing a goat. We asked Fritz, our driver for the Manman Angela clinic, to help us. On Friday, he went on his motorcycle up to the mountains where he purchased the goat. When buying a goat, you need to secure the goat’s legal papers to show that she belongs you, so no one can steal her from you.

We the gave the goat to Franswa, a single mom with three boys. They were so excited. We thank Tim for his donation for the goat.

Today, February 14, we celebrated Mass for those who had birthdays in February. The chapel was not big enough for all those who attended the Mass. At the end of Mass, Sr. Inga, Melinda and Gabriel received a blessing.

After the celebration, everyone enjoyed some ice cream.

On Wednesday, February 11, on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, we celebrated World Day of the Sick in Kap Wouj. We, together with the Manman Angela Klinik team, were asked by Caritas to prepare a Mass and feast for the day in order to join the world in this day of healing. Preparation for the celebration meant purchasing rice and beans, chicken, juice and the spices needed for the feast to follow the Mass. We also needed to provide the paper products.

On the day itself, we arrived to see ladies from the parish busy preparing the food, as well as people waiting for the clinic and for Mass. After the Celebration of the Eucharist, the clinic team opened the clinic and served 75 patients. It seems we had many elderly people who had suffered strokes and infections.

When the food was ready, all enjoyed a hot meal.

Indeed, through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Lord revealed Himself and made Himself known as all experienced His grace. “I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.” Job 29:15

With the help of our friends from St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, Upper Saddle River, NJ, we received three pallets of new school shoes, with school supplies included in a sack. The shoes were distributed to the poor children in Monchil, where Fr. Gaston has three chapels, and Kap Wouj, where Fr. Lesley has four chapels. There is a great need for school shoes in each of these places. We thank the parish community of St. Gabriel’s for their help and support, and all the kids say: Mesi anpil! Bondye beni ou!

On Saturday, February 7, we welcomed four new members into the Catholic Church. It was a beautiful service. We thank our friends who helped us provide the white garment, candles, and crosses. Our kids sang beautifully. After Mass, we served cupcakes, soda and popcorn! May the Lord be praised and the Holy Spirit continue to call his children.

On Thursday, February 5, Mark and Mike met us at Bishop Saturne’s residence for a meeting with the bishop and the members of PROCHE, an organization that has been helping to rebuild Catholic churches and schools in Haiti. PROCHE has been involved in our plans for building the new convent. It was the day for finalizing the purchase of the land from the Diocese of Jacmel. As you know, we have been living on the second floor of a diocesan-owned building, sharing space with priests from the Order of St. Vincent de Paul, as well as the diocesan radio station and the Catholic Schools Office.

It was a full, intense day of meetings and seeing the land. It was a short visit by Mark and Mike, but much was accomplished.

From January 16-30, we had the opportunity to make two mission appeals. The parish of St. Bartholomew, Scotch Plains, NJ, welcomed us the weekend of January 17-18. God was so good to give us good weather to travel before an ice storm hit New Jersey. The parish community was so welcoming. There were two special moments: when a little girl approached us with a donation in thanksgiving for her pet cat that had been sick and was now better; and two little boys who shared their “Acts of Kindness” box, which consisted of things they had made to give to our little kids and also their mission money. We thank Sisters Janet and Maria for helping us that weekend.

We then went to Coraopolis, PA, for a meeting related to our Haiti Mission.

The weekend of January 24-25, the weather was once again in our favor, with a few travel changes, to make a mission appeal at St. Therese Lisieux Parish, Shelby Township, MI. The faith community welcomed us with open arms and supported the Felician Mission in Haiti. We thank Sister Francis for sharing the weekend mission appeal with us, and Sister Andrew who joined us for the last Mass on Sunday when she came with her family ….and “the Lord gave us sisters.”

After the snow storm in New Jersey, that was not a blizzard which had been predicted, we visited Sr. Esther at St. Gabriel’s Parish in Saddle River, NJ, on January 28. The parish had just sent us three pallets of new shoes. They also offered to sell some of our Felician Haiti art among their faith community.

The last day of our visit we were very happy to share the Haiti mission with the community at Immaculate Conception High School, Lodi, NJ. Our teens had made bracelets to sell to the girls.

We thank all of our friends and new friends who join us in the art of accompaniment here in Haiti to live the Gospel of Joy together.