Special collection for Haiti

A special collection will be taken up after Easter for Haiti. It will be sent to the Haitian Bishops’ conference for the charitable works they are doing amid the “collapse of society”.

Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon made this announcement during Mass March 22 at the Archbishop’s Chapel. That day was dedicated to prayer and fasting for Haiti.

He described Haiti as one of the most troubled nations. He said Calypsonian David Rudder said it best in his song ‘Haiti’; in “‘Haiti, I’m sorry, we misunderstood you’, sometimes we turn our head and give up your glory”.

Archbishop Gordon said Haiti was the first Caribbean nation to rebel against the plantation system with slaves and Mulattos taking over leadership. They did a good job until France and Britain decided “Haiti had to fail”.

France, which was ousted in the rebellion, taxed Haiti “for an amount of money that was obscene” and drove it into poverty; Britain also played a part in Haiti’s ruin.

“At every stage of Haiti’s history when Haiti is trying to raise her head, the same thing has happened”. He mentioned the influence of the US and external policies, and the dictatorship regimes. “Every time it comes to a point where you say it cannot get worse, it actually does,” he said.

He commented not only have external powers and pressure brought Haiti to its present state, but also the “internal assimilation of a history and a way of thinking and a way of being”.

Archbishop Gordon said change cannot happen in a generation  – a significant internal movement is needed toward a God of freedom. He saw the takeover by gangs, the president’s resignation, and an interim government to be placed as momentum.

“God must want something with this land Haiti. The question is what does God want? And how do we support the people of Haiti both in our prayer, through our fasting, and through our almsgiving,” he said. —LPG