Haiti
In crime-stricken Haiti, Catholic priests and nuns are targeted as kidnap victims
By Eduardo Campos Lima — April 1, 2024
SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Kidnappings by criminal gangs have continued to terrorize the country's residents, not least Catholic priests and other missionaries. In 2024 alone, at least 14 priests and religious brothers and sisters were abducted.
Haiti’s crisis is at a tipping point. The world needs to help.
By David Vanderpool — March 20, 2024
(RNS) — The international community has a moral obligation to support Haiti during this crisis.
Top religious leaders in Haiti denounce kidnapping of nuns and demand government action
By Associated Press — January 22, 2024
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The Archdiocese, along with the Haitian Conference of the Religious, said in the letter that Haitians are tired of the “reign of terror” imposed by armed groups and called on government officials to protect people and their property.
30,000 Haitian kids live in private orphanages. Officials want to shutter them and reunite families.
By DÁnica Coto — June 13, 2023
SAINT-LOUIS-DU-SUD, Haiti (AP) — U.S. faith-based donors are the largest funders of orphanages in Haiti.
In Haiti, a crisis of violence, chaos, and cholera goes largely ignored by outside world
By Bob Smietana — December 27, 2022
(RNS) — Charities do what they can to help the impoverished nation, but international action is needed to bring order and restore infrastructure, experts on the ground say.
How race and religion have always played a role in who gets refuge in the US
By Laura E. Alexander, Jane Hong, Karen Hooge Michalka, and Luis A. Romero — May 2, 2022
(The Conversation) — Four scholars of race, religion and immigration explain how US refugee and asylum policy has long been racially and religiously discriminatory in practice.
Church agency: Captive missionaries made daring escape
By Peter Smith — December 20, 2021
Berlin, OH (AP) — Captive missionaries in Haiti found freedom last week by making a daring overnight escape, eluding their kidnappers and walking for miles over difficult, moonlit terrain with an infant and other children in tow, according to the agency they work for, officials said Monday. The group of 12 navigated by stars to […]
All from US missionary group freed in Haiti, police say
By Peter Smith and Evens Sanon — December 17, 2021
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — 'We glorify God for answered prayer — the remaining 12 hostages are FREE!” Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement. “All 17 of our loved ones are now safe.'
Haiti priest recounts abduction by gang holding missionaries
By DÁnica Coto — November 10, 2021
The Haitian priest and nine other people had just been kidnapped while driving through the outskirts of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, in early April.
Haitian revelers honor the dead in Vodou festival
By Evens Sanon — November 2, 2021
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Hundreds of revelers clad in white and clutching candles crowded into the main cemetery at Haiti’s capital on Monday to pay their respects to the dead during an annual Vodou festival. Many in the crowd surrounded the tomb of the first person buried in the Port-au-Prince cemetery, believing it contains the […]
Prayer for kidnappers deeply rooted in mission group’s faith
By Peter Smith — October 28, 2021
The missionary group was kidnapped Oct. 16 while returning from a visit to an orphanage supported by Christian Aid Ministries. The 400 Mawozo gang has threatened to kill the 16 Americans and one Canadian if ransom demands aren’t met.
What will President Biden and Pope Francis talk about?
By Thomas Reese — October 27, 2021
(RNS) — This will not be a pastoral meeting between the pope and one of the Catholic faithful. This is a meeting between the president of the United States and an influential world leader.
Efforts drag on to free 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti
By DÁnica Coto and Pierre-richard Luxama — October 20, 2021
The group seized includes five children aged from 8 months to 15 years, although authorities were not clear whether the ransom demand included them.
Christian Aid Ministries says 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti
By DÁnica Coto — October 17, 2021
The missionaries have ties to Christian Aid Ministries, which has ties to Amish, Mennonite, and other conservative Anabaptist groups.
Haiti’s diverse faiths bolster it against waves of tragedy
By Eric J. Lyman — October 6, 2021
(RNS) — ‘The most important thing in a disaster can be human contact,’ said the Rev. Clement Joseph, head of the state-founded Social Mission of the Haitian Churches and secretary-general for Religions for Peace-Haiti.
Page 1 of 2
