Haitian students visit diocese, sponsors

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

WORCESTER – Visiting Haitians shared some of their struggles – and faith and love – with people in the Worcester Diocese, before leaving for home Wednesday.
The visitors – students and others involved with the diocesan Haitian Apostolate – prayed for benefactors, received Bishop McManus’ blessing, lunched with Chancery staff and school children and visited the zoo in Providence. The apostolate oversees the twinning of the Worcester and Les Cayes dioceses, which includes the education program that helps students attend school in Haiti.
The Haitians arrived Jan. 11 after much effort. Pierre Jeanove Maître, apostolate coordinator in Haiti, who brought the six visitors, said they got their visas on the third try.
Bishop McManus said the visas, first sought in early December for a Christmas visit, were denied for no apparent reaso n, and he sent at least two letters to the consulate on the visitors’ behalf.  
“I also want to thank publicly Congressman (James) McGovern’s office for helping us get through this bureaucratic maze,” he said.
Sister Marie-Judith Dupuy, the Sister of St. Anne who directs the apostolate, insisted on praying and not giving up on efforts to bring the students to the United States for a visit. She wanted the students and sponsors to meet. Sponsors spend about $200 annually for their student’s education, a backpack of school supplies and shoes for Christmas.
One sponsor, Lucina Pietrowicz, Bishop McManus’ secretary, joined apostolate staff at the airport to greet the visitors.     
“She came running over to me,” Mrs. Pietrowicz said of Rebecca Fleuridor, 8, whom she has sponsored since 2015.
Later, Sister Joan Pollock, a Sister of St. Joseph who works in the finance office in the Chancery, stopped at Sister Judith’s office, unaware that the visitors had arrived. Soon she was being embraced by 22-year-old Gregory R. Pompe, whom she has been sponsoring since he was in first grade. She has his photo in her office, but this was their first face-to-face meeting. Both were visibly touched by their time together.
Sister Joan and Mrs. Pietrowicz treasured brief biography letters the students wrote here and read in French at the Chancery lunch Tuesday, with Sister Judith translating. English translations were read at a reception Sunday after the Haitian community Mass at St. Joseph Church.
Rebecca’s letter said her mother used to carry her to school, a three-hour walk from their home. Her mother died last March; her father, a fisherman, is thought to have drowned and her house was crushed by Hurricane Matthew.
“I am very lucky to have a godmother (a term sometimes used for sponsors) who loves me very much and I really like her too,” the letter continued. “Auntie Lucina gave me a lot of gifts … Thank you very much Auntie Lucina.” (Rebecca got some of those gifts at Mrs. Pietrowicz’ home, where the Christmas tree was left up awaiting her arrival.)
Mr. Pompe’s letter said he was born in a “very low-income family,” his father abandoned him, and an aunt raised him. He thanked God and Sister Joan and wished her the best.
“I live a life of hard work, hard to think of tomorrow,” the letter said. “I count on your help … for the continuity of my studies at the university. In a country like Haiti, where the unemployment rate is very high, the ease of finding a job is minimal, which makes it difficult for most young people to realize their dreams.
“I have chosen to become a doctor to care for the sick … who … after God, need someone to rely on. I have faith in God, I will give everything from myself to learn well.…” Sister Judith said a medical school is being sought for him.
Lournia K. Simpson, 10, there with her sister Redjina H. Simpson, 12, said in her letter that they walk an hour to school and their parents don’t have work.
Redjina’s letter said she will always pray for her “godmother.”
Odette Michel said she and her sister Rosette St-Firman drove from Washington, D.C., for the weekend to become sponsors for the Simpson girls. She said the girls sometimes go to school hungry. The women are originally from the Les Cayes Diocese.
Falonna Charles, 18, wrote about receiving a benefactor’s support since first grade and losing her father three years ago. She said her goal is to be a doctor, and quoted Mt 7:7: “Ask, and it shall be given you.”
Renante Benjamin, expressed gratitude for receiving backpacks and other gifts, and said she finished four years of college. She is now a school secretary and coordinates the apostolate’s education program in Haiti.     
She also expressed faith and gratitude during an impromptu visit to the Chancery chapel Tuesday. When Sister Joan asked if the visitors had seen the chapel, Sister Judith took them in, led them in singing and translated their prayers into English.
Ms. Benjamin thanked God for life, saying he is the only master of life. She asked his blessing on benefactors, and prayed for Bishop McManus and Sister Judith, saying their jobs aren’t easy.
It’s not easy to continue the solidarity between the two dioceses, said Mr. Maître, asking the Father to send the Holy Spirit.
The Haitians were wrapping up their visit by thanking God. They’d just met Bishop McManus and Chancery staff at a pizza party there and been blessed in the bishop’s office.
A request of Rebecca’s apparently initiated this special blessing. Mrs. Pietrowicz said that when Sister Judith asked Rebecca what she’d like “Auntie Lucina” to send for Christmas one year, she replied shyly, “A dolly.” She also wanted her “auntie” to come to Haiti and baptize the doll.
Asked why, Rebecca said, with Sister Judith translating, “so every child in Haiti gets baptized.”
Haitians think people who aren’t baptized have a bad spirit, so when children misbehave, they ask, “Were you baptized?” Sister Judith explained. She said Rebecca wanted her doll to behave.
Tuesday Rebecca brought two dolls, outfitted in christening gowns, to the Chancery. (Mrs. Pietrowicz gave her a companion for her doll on this visit.) Bishop McManus said a prayer over the visitors (and the dolls) and read about Jesus saying to be like children. He also blessed a St. Christopher key chain Sister Joan brought for her student.
The Haitians told The Catholic Free Press about visiting St. Mary Elementary School in Shrewsbury, where they liked the lunch and were amazed that St. Mary’s students have to pay for it. Lournia found the classrooms big, with not too many students, and wondered whether students sitting on the floor had chairs. Ms. Benjamin loved the treatment they received – there and elsewhere. She said coming here confirmed for her that people’s love is real.
Bishop McManus told The Catholic Free Press he thought that, despite the language barrier, the students were overwhelmed – in a positive way – with their visit. He also said it’s helpful to put a human face on charitable activities.
Mrs. Pietrowicz had similar observations.
“It was wonderful,” she said of the visit. “It gives you a reason to continue in helping out these poor kids.” She said it was good for Chancery workers to learn what the students have gone through.
“The people I talked to afterwards were all moved … and asked about how you go about sponsoring a child,” she said.
“This education program … has really helped a good number of young people,” Bishop McManus said, adding that education is a key way out of poverty. “We should be very proud of what’s being accomplished.”

– For more information about the Haitian Apostolate, visit their website at worcesterdiocese.org/haitian-apostolate-1.