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NGOs call on Secretary Blinken to Assist Haitian Government in Fighting Corruption May 4th, 2021
Photo courtesy of Heather Suggitt, Unsplash
Global Financial Integrity (GFI) and other non-governmental organizations, including OMI JPIC released a letter today calling on the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken to assist the Haitian government in fighting corruption.
Recent violent protests in Haiti underscore the people’s frustration with systemic corruption that exists within the government. The Biden Administration has presented a foreign policy goal of addressing corruption around the world and, as such, must support the Haitian government in developing critically important anti-corruption measures. This would be beneficial to the people of Haiti, the United States of America and the world.
Visit Global Financial Integrity’s website to read the full press release.
On a related note: United Nations representatives of congregations of Catholic Sisters, Brothers, priests and partners in mission, many of whom have active ministries in Haiti, also wrote H.E. Mrs. Linda Thomas-Greenfield,, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United nations to express deep concern over the rapidly escalating unrest in Haiti. Read the letter here.
A Disappointing Decision: Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians To End November 27th, 2017
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate JPIC joins other faith communities, religious leaders and immigrant rights groups in expressing deep disappointment with the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, effective July 2019. Ending Temporary Protected Status will be devastating to tens of thousands of families and burdened families will face impossible choices.
Recently, Oblates JPIC joined other Catholic groups including the U.S. Catholic Bishops and interfaith coalitions in the call to extend the designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). We will continue to pray for a compassionate and permanent solution from the U.S Congress to help vulnerable Haitian immigrants in the United States.
The 2010 earthquake devastated Haiti and many people lost all they had. Since then the country has experienced more natural disasters, including devastating droughts, floods, and hurricanes. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has helped thousands of Haitians in the United States rebuild their lives, work, safely raise a family and provide critical remittances to loved ones in Haiti.
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate has been present in Haiti since the 1950’s and today continues active missionary work in the northeastern part of the country. In the United States, through parishes, Oblates also minister to diverse immigrants including Haitians.
Haitians Get Limited Extension of Temporary Protected Status May 23rd, 2017
Thousands of Haitians who are recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) have been given a six-month extension by the Administration. The Department of Homeland Security announced on May 22 that the designation of TPS for Haitians will continue through Jan. 22, 2018. TPS for Haitians was to expire July 22, 2017. Many Faith-based organizations with missionaries in Haiti, including Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, will continue to encourage and pray for a longer extension of TPS for Haitians, until such a time when a sustainable national recovery has been accomplished in Haiti. The 2010 earthquake killed thousands of people, displaced millions of citizens and left a huge devastation to the country. Adding to that challenge was a public health crisis of cholera and destruction left behind by Hurricane Matthew.
Support our Haitian Brothers and Sisters: Extend the designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status May 15th, 2017
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate JPIC is joining with other Catholic groups and interfaith coalitions in calling to extend the designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for an additional 18 months.
People of faith are concerned that thousands of hardworking Haitians in the U.S. may be at risk of having their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) terminated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians is the right action to take because Haitian migrants will temporarily remain in the United States and support themselves legally while Haiti is being rebuilt.
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate has been present in Haiti since the 1950’s. Today Oblates in Haiti are still doing active missionary work in the northeastern part of the country. In the United States, Missionary Oblates are doing Catholic parish work, ministering to diverse immigrants including Haitians.
World Mission Sunday 2016: Mercy Changes the World October 19th, 2016
“Go and make of all nations my disciples” (Mt.28: 16–28)
Ninety years ago, in 1926, Pope Pius XI introduced World Mission Sunday as a time for Catholics to pray, celebrate, and support Church Missions around the world. Every year World Mission Sunday is observed on the third Sunday in October. It is a day to highlight the outreach of local churches through priests, religious and laity among the poor and marginalized and the support that enables them to provide life-changing help to people in great need. World Mission Sunday this year is observed on October 23 under the theme: Mercy Changes the World. The Pontifical Mission Societies writes in their 2016 materials: “On World Mission Sunday, we are called in a special way to be “missionaries of mercy” through prayer and participation in the Eucharist, and by giving generously to the collection.”
Celebrating 200 years with the motto, Evangelizare pauperibus misit me pauperes evangelizantur– He has sent me to bring good news to the poor– the work of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate brings the Gospel to the poorest of the poor in over 60 countries through life in community and partnership with men and women of all faiths. Currently nearly 4,000 Oblates are dedicated to bringing the good news to the poor.
A Missionary Story
With an Oblate presence that dates back to the 1950s and 129 priests currently working in Haiti, this World Mission Sunday Oblate JPIC is placing special emphasis on this country, recently devastated by Hurricane Matthew. All Oblate missionaries in Haiti are accounted for and doing reasonably well, is the good news. But Oblate missions all over Haiti have suffered significant physical damage, in towns like Fond d’Oie; Gabions; Camp Perrin, Les Cayes; Charpentier and Port-Salut. For example in Fond d’Oie, a mountainous town of about 8000 people in the western part of the country, St. Anthony Padua Parish was completely destroyed for the second time in six years. They plan to rebuild as they did after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The Catholic church has been present in that community since 1912.
There are many ways you can help:
- Pray daily for the work of the Church’s missionaries.
- Read the full text of the Holy Father’s 2016 World Mission Sunday message here.
- Give generously to the Mass collection on this World Mission Sunday, October 23.
- Pray for recovery efforts in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew.
- Take Action to support Haitians by asking Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to re-instate Temporary Humanitarian Parole for Haitians. (Action Alert sponsored by Interfaith Immigration Coalition)
- Help Support Haiti and other Caribbean nations recover from Hurricane Matthew. (Action Alert sponsored by Catholic Relief Services)
In his 2016 message for World Mission Sunday Pope Francis writes: “In many places evangelization begins with education, to which missionary work dedicates much time and effort, like the merciful vine-dresser of the Gospel (cf. Lk 13:7-9; Jn 15:1), patiently waiting for fruit after years of slow cultivation; in this way they bring forth a new people able to evangelize, who will take the Gospel to those places where it otherwise would not have been thought possible. The Church can also be defined as “mother” for those who will one day have faith in Christ.”
