Office of
Haitian Ministries
Diocese of Norwich
Bishop Flanagan
Ministry Center
1595 Norwich-
New London Turnpike
Uncasville, CT
06382-1319
860/848-2237 ext. 206
e-mail
haiti.ministry@snet.net
|
|
Parishes Awaiting Twinning
St. Rose of Lima
The parish of St. Rose of Lima, Leogane, Haiti is located approximately twenty miles south of Port-au-Prince. The parish has a population of about 90,000 people scattered throughout Leogane and the surrounding countryside. Fourteen chapels or missions are part of this parish.
Including the main church and the 14 chapels, there are only 2 schools. The schools have a student population of 510 children and 11 teachers, all of whom volunteer because there is no money to pay them. The pastor, Fr. Fritz Sauvagere, would like to expand the educational programs.
The needs of this parish are many. One of the main mission churches collapsed a few years ago, and the community now gathers in the yard on the side of the rectory for services. Fr Sauvagere would like a public address system so those attending services could more fully participate.
Sacred Heart, Vyale, Haiti
The parish of Sacred Heart in Vyale is approximately 60 miles south of Port-au-Prince and has a Catholic population of 30-40,000 people. It is comprised of a main church with a thriving parish school. Of the 15 chapels that are maintained in this parish, only nine are accessible by motor vehicle. Many of these chapels are need major repairs. One is just a roadside leanto.
Presently there are 2,000 students who are being taught by 54 teachers. The annual salary for these teachers is $260/YR. As with the other parishes, Sacred Heart has 12 catechists, none of whom receive any stipend.
Medical services in this area are greatly lacking. Help to finish construction of a clinic begun several years ago, supplies to help stock the clinic, and a visiting medical team would be of great assistance.
Benches and chairs for schools and chapels, all types of school supplies, an increase in schools and classroom space, an increase in monies allotted for teachers' salaries, a vehicle to traverse mountains and streams, a sound system for the church and solar power to run it.
St. Gabriel, Bosejou, Haiti
The parish of St. Gabriel is situated 2000 meters atop a mountain southwest of Port-au-Prince. The 22,000 people who live in this area have very little access to education, medical care, and other basic necessities. Once a year a team of medical personnel visit the village and provides whatever care that can be given in that week. Many people die, because they can not get to medical care.
St. Gabriel was founded in 1996 and is led by Fr Jean-Pierre Philippe, an energetic man with wide vision for the parish and the people in this area.
The school system at St. Garbriel is comprised of about 1000 children with 34 teachers. The teachers, who are paid around $30.00 a month, incur great hardship, because they are unable to spend the day working their gardens, trying to coax out the produce necessary for their survival in this remote area. Also needed is construction of school buildings in the area of the chapels. Presently, there is no shelter for the children.
Fr. Philippe would like to initiate a community bakery to provide jobs for the community, to establish a small credit union, and to initiate a tool bank to allow further development of agriculture in this area.
St. Anne Parish, Thomazeau, Haiti
The parish of St. Anne in Thomazeau was founded around 1910. The parish, located about 25 miles from Port-au-Princes contains about 40,000 people scattered throughout the region. There are 11 chapels, and there were seven schools in this parish. Because of financial difficulty, only two schools are presently operational. Approximately 500 students attend these two schools and are taught by 8 teachers. The pastor, Fr. Antoine Rene would like to pay the teachers a monthly salary, but is unable to do so at this time.
This parish has other needs great and small. Fr. Rene would like to pay the catechists in the chapel areas a monthly stipend. Other needs range from notebooks, paper and pens, nonprescription medicines, liturgical items to a meeting place or community center for the congregation.
The pastors of the above parishes would be happy to host visitors from the Norwich Mission House to give them the opportunity to visit the parish and meet the people of the area.
Contact the Office of Haitian Ministries
|
|
|
|
