On Holy Saturday, April 3, preparations for the holy Feast of Easter began early in the morning with coloring eggs, blessing of the Easter food, and practicing music for the great Vigil of Holy Saturday.
Traditional foods were prepared and then blessed by Father Alain.
On Good Friday, April 2, Sisters Marilyn, Izzy and Julitta participated in the annual Way of the Cross that the Cathedral Church organizes for the city of Jacmel. At 6:30 a.m., we were on our way to the place where all the people were to meet. Each Station is decorated beautifully in a unique way. For the people, this is a privilege to be asked to decorate a Station. Hundreds of people participated.
“Let us bear all things thankfully, be it poverty, be it disease, be it anything else whatever: for he alone knows the things expedient for us…. Are we in poverty? Let us give thanks. Are we in sickness? Let us give thanks. Are we falsely accused? Let us give thanks. When we suffer affliction, let us give thanks.… Affliction is a great good. “Narrow is the way,” so that affliction thrusts us into the narrow way. He who is not pressed by affliction cannot enter. For he who afflicts himself in the narrow is he who also enjoys ease, but he that spreads himself out does not enter in and suffers from being, so to say, wedged in.” Saint John Chrysostom
For the Triduum this year, we had a different experience here in the Mission. The catechists from the Neocatechumenal Community were with us.
Holy Thursday, in the morning, the Chrism Mass is celebrated with the Bishop in the Cathedral. The Bishop and priests gathered at our Mission for the procession. After the Mass, there was a social for the priests before they returned to their parishes.
We had the opportunity to meet some of our Franciscan brothers, too.
Let us love and serve one another!
On Wednesday, March 31, we were blessed to have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Reconciliation for our young people, who we had prepared for the sacraments over the years. We are committed to the spiritual renewal of the world; and it is important that, before every liturgical feast the Church celebrates, we offer this time for them. Fr. Emmanuel presided and Fr. Alain assisted him with confessions.
Before the celebration began, Sister Inga introduced Sister Julitta as a newest member of our community. Everyone was delighted to have another Felician Sister in Jacmel.
After the service, all enjoyed PIZZA and a SODA!
Early in the morning as the sun was rising, the parish family of Sts. James and Philip gathered in the mission for the blessing of the palms and solemn procession.
Today we gathered together
to herald with the whole Church
the beginning of the celebration
of our Lord’s Paschal Mystery,
that is to say, of his Passion and Resurrection. For it was to accomplish this mystery that he entered his own city of Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem was here in Jacmel, Haiti. With faith and devotion, we commemorated the Lord’s entry into the city for our salvation, following in his footsteps,
so that, being made by his grace partakers of the Cross, we may have a share also in his Resurrection and in his life.
After Mass all our kids participating in our Faith Formation gathered to greet us and followed us home. There some sweets were awaiting them.
Almighty ever-living God,
who as an example of humility for the human race to follow
caused our Savior to take flesh and submit to the Cross,
graciously grant that we may heed his lesson
of patient suffering
and so merit a share in his Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity
of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
May you all have a blessed Holy Week!
We thank our God with great joy! On Wednesday, March 24, Sister Izzy returned with Sister Julitta, our newest sister to minister in Jacmel. Sister Julitta had visited the Felician Haiti Mission five years ago and knew that God wanted her to come back someday. Last year, she was assigned to the Felician Haiti Mission. Then COVID 19 locked down the world. After that, Sister Julitta herself contracted the virus. We all believed that nothing is impossible for God. We needed to trust in God’s plan. And now, after numerous obstacles, the time has arrived!!!! Our ministry of presence has grown.
On Thursday, March 25, the feast of the Annunciation, Sr Julitta met Bishop Marie Erick Glandas Toussaint.
In the evening, during our Evening Prayer, Sister Julitta accepted her new missionary assignment of ministry of presence and her new local home of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
On Tuesday, March 23, Sisters Inga and Marilyn, with Dr. Jean Paul Bonnet, traveled to Haiti. It was a joy to be home.
Dr. Jean Paul is with us for a few days to meet with Bishop Erick, Fr. Bertrand, and the engineer for the construction of the new bakery. The meetings were all good and continue to move us forward with the building of the Felician Mission bakery.
Mother Mary Angela told her daughters to serve where they are needed. This seems to be the motto of the Mother Angela Clinic, which travels to places where no healthcare facilities are available for miles. On Thursday, January 14, Sister Marilyn went with the clinic to Lavyal. It is a beautiful place up in the mountains. The air is very clear and at least 10 degrees cooler than in Jacmel. At this site, we use the National school building. In each area where we serve the illnesses are different, but all are very serious. So many thoughts go through our minds as we visit each place. In Lavyal, vegetables grow in abundance, and women practice the art of basket weaving to use to sort beans and corn or to place products to sell. Before the clinic starts, Sister Marilyn loves to talk to the people nearby.
On Wednesday, January 6, Faith Formation resumed in the Felician Mission. We now have two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The Church calendar celebrated the feast of Epiphany this past Sunday and, on Monday, we blessed the House. But today, the 6th, is known as the Feast of the Three Kings. The children gathered in groups in our Chapel to see the Wise Men and were asked what gift they could bring to Jesus. We spoke about giving ourselves to God and to one another in faith and how we can be peacemakers in our troubled, sick world.
Felician Sisters of North America Mission: Haiti 