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In the spirit of the Breviary versicle during this past Christmas season, we have a seasonal invitation:

“From the point where the sun rises to the limits of the earth,
let us sing of Christ our Lord, born of the Virgin Mary."

student and kids 08aFr. Rakotondraibe Maminiaina Romuald, M.S. welcomes children from the La Salette Parish School in BayonnaisAs a Community of La Salette Missionaries in Haiti, we send you greetings. Christmas time is the period during which Missionaries, like all the faithful, are filled with joy for this gift from God, the Word who became flesh, born of the Virgin Mary. We are all called to announce and convey this joy of the Good News. The world needs to contemplate and taste this incarnate God and his graces.

Also, our presence in the world is a grace, a gift because as Missionaries we participate in the proclamation of this Good News. It is for this reason that we wish you a Happy New Year of Our Lord, 2021. May the Lord our God help us and accompany us to pass on and proclaim “This grace of the Incarnation…” and welcome Christ our Lord, born of the Virgin Mary."

Looking back over this year...

The end of the year is a time for us to be thankful of the gift received and a time for sharing. We are happy to share with you some of the realities of our new mission in Haiti throughout the year 2020. It was for us, as for so many other missions, a year of many challenges, a journey of shadows, but also a year of some lights for our mission in Haiti.

It was a year of shadows but also an opportunity for strength and hope

As we all know from the media and social networks, in recent years Haiti has experienced continual instabilities. May reconciliation reign in Haiti’s political, economic and social endeavors. But despite these overwhelming, disturbing, and even distressing situations, we entrust our mission to our Blessed Mother Mary who calls us to “come nearer”, to move forward without fear. She sends us to the heart of a world striving for peace and hope. The daily advent of Jesus in our life reassures and encourages us because he is the principle of our liberation.

And the challenges continue..

Chrsit at school 04aChildren celebrate in their school courtyardIt is no longer the coronavirus pandemic and the closing of the borders that is causing the people of Haiti to suffer, but acts of banditry, especially the kidnapping of several individuals of different ages and from different social classes. Kidnapping in Haiti rages throughout the year.

While years ago, the kidnappers mostly targeted the rich people, today it is becoming a business that allows them to get money in the easiest and fastest way possible by imposing a ransom. Often the families of the victims try to negotiate, but in most times they fail. Families are forced to pay the fixed amount, in order to hope for the release of their loved ones, otherwise they might not see their loved ones anymore.

In this situation, the government remains powerless even if the armed police are ubiquitous – absolutely everywhere. Haitian society in general is in total despair, especially for those who live in larger cities.

We pray for reconciliation for the Haitian people, Mary’s people

As stated above, as Missionaries we have the faith, the hope and the patience that one day the Word made flesh will illuminate the hearts of all the persons in charge of different instances for conversion and mutual forgiveness. Every day, in our prayers, we present before the Lord the life of this people, which is deteriorating day by day.

Like Isaiah, we hope that the Messiah will come, he who "...shall judge between the nations, and set terms for many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks”(Isaiah 2, 4). May reconciliation soon reign in Haiti.

We are emerging from the shadows and graces of 2020

six guys 07aSix young men in our Discernment House in HaitiFor our La Salette community in Haiti, the year which has just ended was marked by graces as well. First of all, this year has brought us joy over the first fruits of the year of vocation within our Congregation. We were able to begin a formation program for young Haitians who want to join our Congregation.

After a vocational encounter in March 2020, we have the joy of welcoming six young people into our community for a year of discernment. They come from different parts of the country. Despite the inadequacy of our infrastructure, we have been able to maintain the Discernment Program since October 2020. Our La Salette brothers from in the United States and priests from the Diocese of Gonaïves help us in accompanying these young people. At the present moment, our six aspirants seem to feel comfortable and interested in the formation and services of our mission.

Our community does what it can for our community life and our pastoral care. Thanks to the support of the La Salette Mission Center in St. Louis, Missouri and the Province of Mary, Mother of the Americas in North America in 2020, we were able to:

  • do the fencing in order to protect our rectories (Bayonnais and Haute-Feuilles) so that they provide us with more security and an environment more adapted for community life.
  • extend the Presbyteral School Building of Saint Augustin de Bayonnais, whose number of students has increased incredibly this year.
    • 2019-2020: 130 students; 2020-2021: 223 students from Preschool I-II-III to the 3rd Fundamental Year.
    • And now we are negotiating for the extension of the land for the Church and the School in Bayonnais.
Haute Feuille Presbyter school 01a(from left) St. Augustine School in Bayonnais; Rectory of Parish in Haute-Feuille;
I would also like to mention that the faithful of our two parishes have actively prepared for the 175th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of La Salette:
  • distribution of the text of La Salette Novena and brochures on the apparition and message of Our Lady of La Salette;
  • creation of an itinerant team of preachers to make La Salette known in the various parishes of the diocese;
  • creation of a place of pilgrimage to Notre Dame de La Salette in Bayonnais, the birthplace of our mission in Haiti.

01 church and land 01aExtension of land for the Church and the School in Bayonnais.Regarding the presence of our Congregation in Haiti, we are now awaiting the release of the letter of official recognition of our Congregation by the Haitian government so we can, as a recognized group, buy land, etc. All the required documents were submitted, we hope to receive the positive response shortly. We pray every day for this document which is very important for our mission in Haiti. In the meantime we are looking for a piece of land for the future of our formation program.

Dear friends of La Salette, these are the sorrows and the joys as well as the challenges and the hopes of our mission and our community in Haiti. We thank you for your prayers and support. This mission is not easy, but with your support and your prayers it is progressing little by little, towards the guiding Star which leads us to Bethlehem, where the Great Son shines to illuminate the world and especially our mission.

May God bless us all during this New Year of Our Lord.