By Fr. Gerry Creedon
Special to the HERALD
(From the issue of 2/7/02)
According to Father Creedon, the five-day trip consisted of site visits and discussions with the pastors and parish volunteers in both communities. The goal was to determine program ideas and priorities. A 17-page report on the trip was compiled and available for parish review to encourage further funding for these projects.
Ange Gardien: A few miles from Gros Marin, Haiti, about 8 p.m. I had a panic attack. We were on the last leg of a long journey from Washington to our sister parishes in Miami, Port au Prince and Cavaillon. We’ d left the capital at about 1:30 p.m. and had bounced over potholes for hours. We later discovered that we had broken a spring traversing a "police couchee," a "sleeping policeman," or ramp. At Miami we bought gifts for Peres Marquis and Jocelyn, two bottles of pricey beverages, which is why I was having this anxiety. I suddenly realized that I had left the bottles outside in the bed of the jeep. Immediately on arrival I went to pick up the pieces. To my wonderment I found them safely enfolded in the lap of Marie Michelle, a 12-year-old girl from Gros Marin. She was my guardian angel. During the visit, when her peers were dancing and singing for our entertainment, she hid behind a door. However, when I lost an item, often, she knew exactly where I had mislaid it. She was one of many beautiful Haitian children who were in the foreground of our visit.
L’ eglise: The parishes of Cavaillon and Gros Marin are led by two inspiring priests, Peres Jocelyn Musalier and Marquis Charles. We went with them to visit the fishing village of Pont de Piment, their birthplace on the west coast. We met Marquis’ widowed father and Jocelyn’ s handicapped uncle and his aged, pious aunt. The road there resembled the highway to Monterrey, for scenic beauty, but not in the rivers we forded or the iron bridges we crossed that lacked some metal sheets! The village surrounded an elegant church. The quality of construction and maintenance of chapel, rectory, convent and school reflects the centrality of Catholic Christianity in the culture of Haiti and the hope the Church brings here and hereafter.
I learned that there are 200 seminarians in the major seminary to serve Haiti’s nine dioceses. Haiti has so many priests that it sends priests to Latin America and the States, like Ireland in the ’50s. Is there a connection between poverty and religion? It is not only the quantity but the quality of Haiti’ s priests that is impressive. Ask Jocelyn about the politics of Haiti and you will find an ironic and perceptive view of Haiti and her relationship with the USA. Marquis spoke eloquently of the "Pas encore," the "not-yet" of the theology of hope. We live in the tension between our present reality and the yet to be realized dream of the Kingdom.
As well as the buildings and the priesthood, the structure of leaderhip and community development that permeates the Haitian Church is remarkable. Each parish is a network of chapelles and Ti Egliz, little churches. The Ti Egliz is a movement of small groups that reviews the scriptures in the light of a social analysis of the root causes of community problem. They also advocate for solutions, such as roads and schools. There are eight such groups in Cavaillon. The dominant structure is the Chapelle. Each parish comprises at least 10 chapelles or districts. Each district meets in a chapel, although four of Cavaillon’s chapelles meet in local schools. Each chapelle elects a director and an animator. The director coordinates the weekly liturgy of the Word and the choir, while the animator facilitates catechesis, community meetings and serves as liaison to the parish. The priest celebrates the sacraments, encourages the formation of the leadership, provides financial support and intervenes in the leadership of the community only when conflicts occur. The directors and animators receive training from the diocese.
Finances: The management of money is another story. In a country where resources are scarce, finances are directly under the supervision of the clergy. The bank receives deposits from the church only when projects are completed. In that way the priests avoid knowledge circulating in the community that they have cash in hand. This avoids competition among groups and assists with security. There have been cases where bank officials have shared information with thieves. However, when it comes to ends and goals, there is open dialogue between pastor and community leaders as was clear in our visit to Flamand. An animator, Antonine, could easily qualify as an aggressive community activist as she advocated for the completion of their chapelle.
"Les enfants:" The children of Ylet demonstrated the beauty and poignancy of life on their remote island. They offered us coconut juice from the tree they had climbed, welcomed us to their chapel made from sticks and sang us epiphany songs as colorful as the yellow ribbons in their hair or their school uniforms. They told how they were rowed by their fathers in dug-out canoes to the mainland each morning at 5 a.m. and then walked the next four hours to Cavaillon for school, repeating the journey in the afternoon, such is their thirst for education and a better life.
"Gloire:" "The liturgy is the summit and source of the Church’s life" reads a phrase from Vatican II, which takes on life in the Sunday celebration at Cavaillon. The strong sound of drums, guitars and accordions bring the children around the altar to accompany the "Sanctus" and the "Agnus Dei" in a dance for God. Their moving feet, their elevated eyes and their long tapered fingers celebrate the Word and the Bread of Life. Let the final word be praise, "Gloire au Prince de Pain," glory to the Prince of bread!
Copyright ©2002 Arlington Catholic Herald. All rights reserved.
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