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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 in Somerville, St. Michael in N. Andover and St. Thomas Aquinas in Jamaica Plain.
 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. Contributions to our National Haitian Solidarity Fund (see right) can be sent 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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How to Help Haiti:
The Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in the United States has established a special fund for long-term assistance for the Church in Haiti, as it responds to the devastation of the January 12, 2010, earthquake.
“We applaud and encourage support of the efforts of social service and relief agencies, such as Catholic Relief Services, who are responding to the immediate and overwhelming humanitarian needs of our suffering brothers and sisters in that part of the world,” said Msgr.John E. Kozar, PMS national director.
“As the Church in Haiti assesses the massive damages and the overwhelming needs," Msgr. Kozar continued, “they will need financial assistance as they rebuild the infrastructure of the Church that will, in turn, be critical to serve the poor and enable the suffering there to rebuild their lives.” “We encourage the generous hearts of Catholics in the United States as they reach out in prayer and in sacrifice to the men, women and children who suffer even more now in this country,” Monsignor Kozar said.
“I would ask, above all, for prayers for the Church there, and for missionaries, who remain witnesses of the great love and compassion of our Lord, and of His sustaining hope.”
Contributions may be directed to:
Pontifical Mission Societies, Haitian Solidarity Fund,
66 Brooks Drive
Braintree, MA 02184.
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