Most Appreciated Community Members,
We wanted to share a letter signed by the members of the Permanent Council of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti, which was published earlier this week at their headquarters in Port-au-Prince.
Titled The Catholic Church's call regarding the country's situation to appeal for peace and unity among the nation, the letter stresses the grave security issues and violence devastating the country and expresses the importance of working together to build a future for Haiti where justice prevails, and life is respected and protected.
As always, thank you for your support and prayers, not only for the mission of The Haitian Project and Louverture Cleary School, but for all of Haiti. Throughout this multiyear crisis, we have remained a lifeline to our students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding neighborhood only with your support. And as difficult as it is right now for our community, it would be much worse without the prospect of a brighter future that Louverture Cleary School represents.
To all our brothers and sisters,
And to all people of goodwill,
We, the Catholic Bishops of Haiti, are deeply troubled by the political situation and the grave security issues devastating the country, especially the rise in violence in several areas of the capital and its surroundings. Once again, we raise our voices to call for peace and unity among the nation.
Our prophetic mission as Bishops compels us to denounce these acts of violence that are destroying the country and sowing endless suffering. These acts have caused the death of many innocent people, forced numerous others to flee their homes, and spread widespread fear and anxiety. In these dark days, many of our brothers and sisters live in terror, deprived of their fundamental rights, such as the right to security, the right to life, and freedom of movement. Even airplanes are not spared. Toussaint Louverture Airport is closed, isolating us from the rest of the world. The capital is blocked, schools are closed, and all activities are paralyzed. There is no real life in the country.
No one can accept such a situation. These events are the result of actions that go against God's plan and human dignity. This situation exacerbates the misery of the people, who are already suffering from severe economic and social issues. We cannot remain indifferent to this tragedy.
Violence cannot bring solutions or deliverance to anyone. We cannot hope for peace by sowing violence. Peace is a gift from God, but it requires the efforts of all people of goodwill to build a society as God intended (cf. Introduction to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church).
We encourage those responsible for governing the country to act decisively to restore security and protect citizens, as their primary mission requires: to serve the common good of all (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 74 §4). This necessitates the restoration of state authority and, at the same time, the reconciliation of the nation with itself.
We invite everyone — those governing the country, members of civil society, and all actors involved in this crisis, whether armed or not — to recognize that this situation cannot continue. It is imperative to find better ways to govern the country and resolve this relentless violence. The future of the people is in danger. Something must be done.
In the name of God, who desires life for all His children, and in the name of respect for human life and dignity, we urge everyone to respect human life and, without delay, make the necessary sacrifices to find solutions to this crisis. Every Haitian must work for peace and reject all feelings of hatred, revenge, and division.
We encourage the Christian faithful not to let despair overcome them. Faith in God must inspire us to work together to build a future where justice prevails, and life is respected and protected.
We extend our sympathies to all families mourning the loss of loved ones due to these events. Together with all the People of God, we pray for the recovery of those in hospitals, for courage for those on the streets or taking refuge in a neighbor's home, and for strength for all the people suffering in body and spirit.
Let us hold firm to our hope in God, pray without ceasing, and remain in solidarity with one another. May God grant us grace, bless us, and protect the Haiti we all love!
This note is published in Port-au-Prince, at the Headquarters of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti, on November 15, 2024, on the memorial of Saint Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.
Here are the signatures of the members of the Permanent Council of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti:
Msgr. Max Leroys MESIDOR
Archbishop, Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince
President, Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti
Msgr. Joseph Gontrand DÉCOSTE, SJ
Bishop of Jérémie
Secretary General, Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti
Msgr. Désinord JEAN
Bishop of Hinche
Treasurer, Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti
Chibly Cardinal LANGLOIS
Bishop of Les Cayes
Advisor
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