Felician Sisters Haiti

On Monday, October 8 our sisters shared the gift of their presence visiting our neighbors.

On Sunday, October 7, Sisters Janet Adamcyk, Suzanne Kush, Connie Tomyl, Alicia Adametz and Janet Kurgan arrived safely in Port au Prince. It is joy for us to see five Felician Sisters here in Haiti. 😀

We then made the three hour trip through the mountains that everyone endure well. We thank God for their safe arrival.

We know that some of you were concerned about the earthquake that hit Haiti Saturday evening at 8 p.m. This happened north of the Island and we are south. Please keep those effected in your prayers.🙏🏾

We arrived safely in Jacmel to a delicious Haitian dinner that all loved. May God be praised as we prepare for the Dedication and Blessing on the feast of Blessed Mary Angela, October 10.

On October 3, we joined all Franciscans around the world to remember the passing death of our holy father,
St. Francis. We remember what he asks of us to be and do as peacemakers and missionary disciples of Jesus and Mary.

Francis is a missionary saint. God chose St. Francis to “Go, rebuild my Church” – a call that Francis answered literally by re-building the San Damiano church, as well as by living out his faith in caring for the poor and marginalized. He encouraged others to live simply. Ultimately, the call to “Go, rebuild my Church” was actualized by Francis–reforming the image and lifestyle of clergy, demonstrating the power of simple living, renewing in others the desire to create change. He did this by leading an exemplary life of service – and by calling people to renewed faithfulness to Christ and commitment to His mission. We, as missionaries, must contemplate how we are being called to rebuild the Church today; it is especially needed now during this current crisis and will continue to be needed until the end of time.

“Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words,” is commonly attributed to St. Francis because his life evangelized many, especially given the context of a society where St. Francis’ vow to poverty was a stunning image of the Gospel. He died in 1226. He was canonized two years later by Pope Gregory IX. In 2013,
Pope Francis became the first pope to adopt St. Francis’ name.

To all our Franciscan sisters and brothers, Happy Feast Day!

One important thing to remember is that Haiti is full of natural beauty. 🌴

On Friday, Caroline visited a natural wonder called Basen Bleu. It is a breathtaking waterfalls. This is a place where volunteers can come for a day.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Caroline once again entered our daily day, sharing her presence with our Haitian brothers and sisters. Whether it was helping with homework, visiting the homes of our kids, or visiting the sick, she offered the God life in her to all she met.

On Wednesday, Caroline went with the Mother Angela Clinic to St. Andrew’s. After a two-hour ride through the mountain on some bumpy roads, we made our way to where patients were waiting for us to arrive. Some left their homes as early as 5 a.m. to be there for 9 a.m., our scheduled arrival time.

On Sunday, September 9, Caroline Stanfill, Program Outreach Coordinator for the Felician Sisters of North America, arrived in Jacmel at the Felician Haiti Mission. Her joy beamed as we introduced ourselves and met the Lord in each other. The purpose of her visit is to get to know the Mission, as we offer opportunities for people to share in the art of accompaniment. Daily, she is entering our life here and truly being present to all those she meets. Already she has a friend, James, a shy little boy, who took a liking to Caroline. She taught him how to play ping pong. The next day he came up to us and said: “I want to ask the white lady if she wants to play with me again.” We told him, “Go ask yourself.” Sure enough, he did. The power of presence and relationship is transforming!