BRIDGEPORT—Haiti has experienced a series of debilitating crises in recent weeks. In an area already struggling, the situation has been made even more difficult by a surge in COVID-19 cases, the effects of natural disasters, and the recent assassination of President Jovenel Moïse by a group of foreign mercenaries.
“It is an ongoing situation in Haiti. They’ve been going through so much,” explained Father Guy Dormévil, priest moderator at Our Lady of Perpetual Help quasi-parish in Stamford. Father Dormévil, affectionately known as Father Guy, is a resident of Norwalk and was born in Haiti.
“We know many priests who have lost members of their churches,” Father Guy said, explaining that he has been in touch with priests he knows in the Haitian community. “People have lost their mothers, fathers and members of their family,” he said.
“It is very hard for many people,” explained Father Guy. “They don’t have any way to repair.”
In the wake of the most recent earthquake in Haiti on August 14, 2021, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement. “On behalf of the bishops of the United States, I wish to express my heartfelt prayers for the people of Haiti who are mourning the loss of loved ones and are suffering from the destruction caused by the earthquake that took place this morning. We offer our prayers to Archbishop Launay Saturné, president of the bishops’ conference of Haiti, and to all those who tirelessly serve the faith communities in Haiti. We stand in solidarity with the Church in Haiti in offering our prayers….”
Father Guy explained that there are still many unknowns and questions amongst the community since everything has happened so fast. Still, he has a meeting with the parish council this week during which they will discuss what steps they can take to help parishioners who may have been affected and the larger community.
Father Guy explained that he has been in touch with priests directly to see if they can help. “We want to help specific people and specific churches we know,” he said. “We will try and do everything we can, even if we can help one priest or a couple of churches.” Father Guy mentioned that there are so many people in the field doing the work, and those are the people he wishes to provide direct aid to.
After leading the recitation of the Angelus on Sunday’s Solemnity of the Assumption, Pope Francis expressed his “closeness to the dear people hard hit by the earthquake,” offering his prayers to the Lord for the victims. He offered his encouragement to the survivors and hopes that the help of the international community might reach them. “May the solidarity of all alleviate the consequences of the tragedy!”, he emphasized, inviting everyone in the Square to pray a Hail Mary for Haiti.
Father Guy plans to attend a meeting of the Haitian Ecumenical Council in New York on Saturday. Further plans to aid the Haitian community and those affected by these crises will be discussed.
(For more information or to donate to relief work in Haiti, visit: Catholic Relief Services)
By Elizabeth Clyons
