To Love and to Serve

Twenty-two years ago the Diocese of Worcester established a covenant with the Diocese of Les Cayes in Haiti. A relationship of friendship, prayer and support began, especially between “twinning” parishes in both dioceses which helped to enrich the lives and faith of people in the U.S. and Haiti. The original covenant would “encourage the faithful of each Diocese to visit each other whenever possible and offer their gifts, talents, service and love to one another.”

In 1996 St. Mary’s entered into a twinning covenant with St. Michel’s in Roche-a-Bateau, a town along the southern coast of Haiti. Since that time we have offered monthly support to St. Michel’s and made our first of several visits in October of 2010. Two weeks ago Fr. Bernard Derval, the new pastor of St. Michel’s, came to St. Mary’s Parish to renew the covenant and to express the deep gratitude of the people of St. Michel’s for all that we have done through the years, but especially during the past two years since the devastation from Hurricane Matthew in October of 2016.

Over the past two years the generosity of St. Mary’s parishioners helped St. Michel’s to repair the rectory, put a new roof on the main church and build a smaller canteen for the feeding of people. This past year we were able to put a new roof on the chapel in Rosier and build a new chapel for the people in the mountain village of Boklo. Your continued support of St. Michel’s will enable us this year to send $1,400 each month and to fund some needed projects.