Felician Sisters of North America Mission: Haiti

As we make our way through these new summer days we are very aware of the fruits of the earth the Lord is blessing us with.

On June, 5 the construction people came to measure the space where we would build our new space for sewing classes. The building can also be used for other activities.

The hope and plan is to be finished by the end of July! Everyday more and more progress is made! This will be a great gift for our 10th year anniversary this year!

The second sewing class, led by Sisters Izzy and Julitta, finished their final exam these last two weeks. The sewing classes continue to grow, which means we are running out of space to fit all the people so they can learn. God always has a plan!

On Thursday, June 16, we celebrated the feast of the Body and Blood of Jesus. This year, we went to St. Bernadette Chapel, located at the Pastoral Center for the Diocese of Jacmel (also the location for the bakery). Mass began at 7 a.m.

The church gives us this feast as a reminder that Jesus is always with us, in every circumstance of our lives. Daily, He breaks Himself for us to share and bless the world with His saving presence. Our Eucharistic faith gives us confidence that Christ abides with us through all the sorrows of our lives, sanctifying us and leading us to His unveiled presence in heaven.

Our prayer this day was for healing for Haiti!

“Give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty.” They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.” Luke 9:11-17

Evening arrived and, at 10:00 p.m., all was ready. We began the Vigil after the example of the Apostles and disciples, with Mary, the Mother of Jesus. We gathered at the grotto and began our procession. We came together to persevere in prayer, awaiting the Holy Spirit.

Like them, we listened to God’s Word and reflected on the many great deeds in times past that God did for His people and would now do for us as we received the Holy Spirit’s call and power in our lives.

The next morning, we had Mass with Fr. Lautere. And some stayed for the morning Mass, too!

On Saturday, June 4, our young adults, especially those we accompanied in their faith journey and reception of the sacraments, got together to prepare for the Vigil Mass for Pentecost. Everyone helped with setting up, cleaning chairs, and preparing food for the agape after Mass,

On Sunday, May 29, our Felician Haiti community joined our sisters throughout the world to pray the rosary together. We remember all those who suffer in the world because of violence, war, hatred, racism…

“Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “Holy Father, I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.” JN 17: 20-23

On Monday afternoon, May 23, Fr. Gene and Dr. Jack arrived in Jacmel. They are here settling business for the clinic they will soon be running in LaSaline. Their organization is called Mobil Mission 4 Haiti. Their group had been coming to Haiti for years but, for the past four years, this has been impossible due to the violence and gang wars in Port au Prince that makes traveling to Jacmel dangerous and extremely difficult. This does not stop the Holy Spirit. When something is of God, it will happen.

The clinic in LaSaline was run by a group from Canada. They left a few years ago and gave the building and property to Caritas. MM4H was offered the place and is trying to have a clinic for the people in this poor area. The Mother Angela Clinic, in the meantime, has been going to this area to assist and serve the sick.

Fr. Gene and Dr. Jack are here now, settling business to begin operation. They had interviews with doctors, nurses and pharmacists. It has been a joy having them and accompanying them on this journey of hope for the people of Haiti.

On Tuesday, May 24, our teens had the opportunity to meet two special role models in our local community.