The Church of the Visitation has "twinned" with St.
Michael's Catholic Church in Boucan Carré, Haiti.
The goal is to share information, include each other in
liturgical prayer and remember each other's special days and
festivals. The Church of the Visitation raises funds for St.
Michael's through special collections, a permanent box for
donations and special projects. Mutual assistance is more
difficult since the Haitian people are materially poor.
However, what they offer is rich: Their faith, their love,
their solidarity, their prayer and the warm hospitality they
extend to their visitors from Virginia.
St. Michael's is quite large in area as well as population.
The Pastor spends a good deal of time traveling poor and
nonexistant roads through jungles to visit the several
outlying mission churches attached to the parish.
The first project was to provide the funds for the people of
the village to establish a system of pipes that brings clean
spring water from the mountains to their town. Church of
Francis de Sales in Mathews and Blessed Kateri Tekawitha
Catholic Church in Poquosan helped finance that project.
The next project was to buy a truck for the parish. The
sister in charge of the school and the convent stressed a
great need for a truck to take people to the hospital in the
nearest city and to bring back fresh vesgetables and other
necessities. Once again, the Church of Francis de Sales
partnered with the Church of the Visitation and Blessed
Kateri Tekawitha Catholic Church to finance the project.
Some parishioners "adopt" Haitian children. For a fee of
$100, the "adoptive parent" receive a photograph of the
child and the knowledge that the child receives the
necessary school supplies, lunches and vitamins.
Catholic parishes throughout Virginia have twinned with
Haitian parishes. To learn more about the Catholic Diocese
of Richmond's program,
click here.
