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Our One Family in Mission is diminished by the loss of so many who were already serving the people of Haiti. We offer our prayers for those lost in the earthquake, including many missionaries. As we pray, we ready ourselves, with resolve, for the work ahead after the initial relief process is complete.
Within weeks of the disaster, many orders of Sisters were busy assigning a member to send as their representative: someone to stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti in their time of great need.
One of these Sisters is a part of our Mission Family here in Boston, Sr. Lisa Valentini, MSC. Sr. Lisa is a participant in our Missionary Co Operative program, this year speaking at St. Anthony's Shrine in Boston, St. Patrick Church in Stoneham and St. Mary Church in Frankilin.
 Sr. Lisa shared her experiences with us, speaking of the remarkable resiliency of children who have lost their families and homes, their schools, or even most devastatingly, their limbs, but still find joy in coloring books and crayons and a home made name tag. Many were willing to share everything they had with her -- even if it was only a rock that she had jokingly given out as a part of a game. Sister would hand them all rocks, then look at her empty hands and declare her sadness: "I have no rocks!" They would all come forward to surrender theirs as if it were a precious treasure given.
Most movingly, Sr. Lisa spoke of helping to arrange the first-ever Mass  celebrated in Wharf Jérémie, a slum within Cité Soleil, the largest slum in the Western Hemisphere. Fr. Tom Hagan, OSFS, of Hands Together, another member of Boston's Mission Family, celebrated Easter Mass on a slab of concrete for people who have nothing left but their faith. They came by the thousands. Fr. Tom lost his own volunteer house in the earthquake; he and some of his staff narrowly escaped. Two seminarians were killed in the collapse. Fr. Tom's local Chief of Staff, Nelson, lost his wife and little daughter.
These are just a few of the hundreds of thousands of stories that will be told of lives lost and sacrifices made.
Those left behind will need our support for a long time to come in the rebuilding of schools, hospitals, churches, and orphanages. Please be generous in your prayers and sacrifices for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering in Haiti. Click on the Donate Now button above or send contributions to our National Haitian Solidarity Fund to:
Rev. Rodney J. Copp, J.C.L., Archdiocesan Director
Pontifical Mission Societies of Boston
66 Brooks Drive
Braintree, MA 02184
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From Boston,
With Love
Fr. Scott Binet head of the Camillian Task Force - SOS Doctors was recently interviewed by Fides, the news service of the Pontifical Mission Societies from Rome about his work in Haiti since the earthquake. Fr. Scott and his organization are participants in Boston's Missionary Co-Operative Program and receive support through our Mission Office.
A priest and a medical doctor, Fr. Scott brings a unique perspective to not only the relief work and the recent cholera out break, but also the spiritual needs of the those suffering from the devastation.
“It is difficult to give exact details about this ever-changing cholera epidemic in Haiti, a country still suffering from the effects of the Jan. 12 earthquake," said Fr. Scott. "The appearance of cholera was much unexpected in a country that had not seen an outbreak in more than half a century."
Fr. Scott's message for our Mission Family is simple: “First of all, don’t forget Haiti and her people. Their suffering is both recent and long-standing: recently, because of the earthquake and now the cholera epidemic. But many Haitians were already in a situation of chronic poverty and underdevelopment. As a priest and a doctor I recognize that man is a composite of body and soul. To treat one to the neglect of the other is to do them a disservice.
So have compassion on them. Say a prayer, offer a hand, find an organization you can trust and support it in some way – financially or otherwise. Be in solidarity with the Haitians in any way you can.”
(Agenzia Fides 11/3/2010)
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