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Haiti’s advancement is mission of new archbishop

Msgr Max Leroy Mésidor was installed Metropolitan Archbishop of Port-au-Prince on his 56th birthday, Saturday, January 6. He replaces Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus Guire Poulard who served from 2011 to 2017.

The Mass was attended by President Jovenel Moïse; Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant; Cardinal Chibly Langlois, Bishop of Les Cayes; Archbishop Eugene Martin Nugent, Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti; parliamentarians, representatives of the diplomatic and consular corps, clergy, religious and the faithful.

In his homily, Archbishop Mésidor said he was ready to play his part in the advancement of the country through the pastoral mission that God has given him as a religious adviser on social and political plans and to take this mission with the love of God.

Haiti Libre, the diocese’s online news source reported that with this new portfolio, “Archbishop Mésidor will have many more responsibilities in his pastoral mission to look after the Diocese of Nippes, South, Grand’Anse and Southeast as well as the 119 parishes of the Department of the West.”

Born January 6, 1962 in Saint-Marc, in the diocese of Les Gonaïves, Archbishop Mésidor entered the national major seminary of Port-au-Prince, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Sacred Theology in 1987. He was ordained a priest on January 10, 1988 for the diocese of Les Gonaïves. From September 1998 to September 2000, he studied pastoral theology and catechesis at the University of Leuven, Belgium, obtaining a Licentiate.

Archbishop Mésidor has held the following ministerial offices: parish vicar in Petite-Rivière de l’Artibonite (1988–1989); administrator of the same parish (1989–1992); vicar of the Cathedral of Les Gonaïves (1992–1993); pastor of the parish of the Visitation (1993–1998); pastor of the parish of Saint-Marc (2000–2008).

In June 2012 then Pope Benedict XVI appointed Msgr Mésidor, Bishop of Fort Liberté and promoted him as coadjutor Archbishop of Cap-Haïtien, November 2013. The Holy See appointed Bishop Mésidor the Metropolitan Archbishop of Port-au-Prince last October 7.