In the Caribbean country, Advent took place amidst mass killings and child soldiers deprived of their right to childhood and, very often, to life. Appeal from bishops to lay down arms. Monsignor Max Leroy Mesidor, president of the Episcopal Conference: “Conflicts have increased and are out of control, but let us not lose hope: our eyes are turned to God, savior of humanity”
Federico Piana – Vatican City
In Haiti, the color of Advent is only one: red. Like the blood of 180 members of the voodoo religious community killed in cold blood about ten days ago at the gates of the capital, Port-au-Prince, at the behest of the leader of one of the most powerful military gangs who are laying waste to the entire Caribbean country: he was convinced that his son's illness was due to them, to their rites deemed harmful, to their very existence in life. Or like the blood of someone who is murdered for a handful of money, for a broken mobile phone, for a malfunctioning television or for wearing the uniform of a rival armed group.
Painful tears
A mountain of blood that not even all the tears of the nation's bishops can sweep away. Yet, they continue to cry, undaunted, in the indifference of the world. A tear, in the message in preparation for Christmas released by the Haitian Episcopal Conference, is dedicated «to those who with weapons kill, loot, rape, burn and chase people from their homes: stop these hateful acts which are not good for the country, to the people and to yourselves.” Another, tears, runs deeply down the face and is aimed at “those who hide in the shadows supplying the gangs with weapons and ammunition: stop fueling the blind violence that bloodies our society every day.”
Port-au-Prince, scenes of daily violence
Rising from the abyss
The drops that flow copiously from the eyes of the bishops can no longer be counted. There are those that concern the state authorities encouraged “to work for everyone's interest and not for personal or party gain”, and those aimed at the international community called “to respect the commitments made to help Haiti emerge from the abyss of violence and the isolation in which he finds himself.” A bitter cry, which however is accompanied by hope. «That of Christmas – the bishops state in the statement – because on the feast of the birth of Him who brings liberation to all humanity, our eyes are constantly fixed on Him to find consolation, strength and courage and to continue the good fight . This conviction leads us to renew our determination to always accompany our people in the midst of all their suffering and calamities. And to ask everyone to work to build peace.”
The Church hit hard
The person who no longer has tears, but continues to cry, hoping that sooner or later the world will realize the desperation of his country, is Monsignor Max Leroy Mesidor, archbishop of Port-au-Prince and president of the local Episcopal Conference. In the intense dialogue he establishes with the Vatican media, he shows one by one the thorns that are piercing his soul. Starting with the biggest one: «The violence, which has lasted for more than three years and which since February 2024 has reached dizzying proportions. In Port-au-Prince, every week, neighborhoods are attacked, people killed, houses burned.” Outside the capital, things are no better. In nearby municipalities such as Carrefour, Gressier, Gauthier and in the north-west of the nation, armed groups dictate the law. «The Church is also hit hard. When the paramilitaries arrive, people flee and everything comes to a standstill. In my archdiocese, fifteen parishes no longer function while another 20 are paralysed”. The inertia of the international community is another of the thorns that drive him crazy. «How many more UN meetings will be necessary for the multinational force to be effective? After much hesitation, in Haiti there are only four hundred Kenyan police officers and soldiers out of the thousand established. Why? And where are the agents and soldiers promised by some Latin American and Caribbean countries?”.
Haiti, the desperation of a woman who has lost everything
Appeals for peace
Unanswered doubts like the one about the weapons «which reach Haiti from abroad without the authorities of the countries of origin bothering to stop the flow» or the one about the child soldiers that everyone seems to ignore: «Most of the soldiers recruited by the leaders of the armed groups are children aged between twelve and sixteen and are considered a sort of cheap labour. As part of a peace and stabilization process, a plan could be studied to recover them and Unicef could play an important role in this sense”. Yes, it could. However, peace now seems impossible, but he does not give up and together with the entire local Church does not stop “inviting the local gangs to lay down their weapons and show compassion towards their citizens”, while urging the authorities and political and social actors to «overcome divisions and conflicts because Christians strongly believe in dialogue».
Christmas and Jubilee, despite everything
And it is with boundless hope that the Church of Haiti is preparing for Christmas and the Jubilee of 2025. «We have our eyes fixed on the Savior of humanity to have the courage to proclaim the Gospel of love, justice and peace. And since, thanks to baptism, we are pilgrims of hope, on Sunday 29 December we will open the Jubilee in each of our dioceses, in communion with Pope Francis”, promises Monsignor Mesidor, despite everything, despite the pain that seems to never end.
