This week, Bishop Thomas Wenski, Bishop of the Diocese of Orlando, has been visiting Haiti on behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to assess the recovery efforts that are currently underway in the earthquake stricken country. Throughout his visit, Bishop Wenski has been writing brief reflections about the progress that is being made as a result of the efforts of the Catholic Church. Below are the reflections as they appeared on the Diocese of Orlando website.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Thursday after Mass in Leogann where once a parish church stood we traveled across the mountains to Jacmel on Haiti’s Southeast coast. The city is known for its art and was a popular tourist destination for Haitians from Port-au-Prince.

The city’s cathedral was built in the 1840’s and part of the cultural patrimony of the nation did not collapse. However it sustained sufficient damage to render it unusable.

Other parishes in the Jacmel area were completely demolished. At the school run by Christian brothers since the 1880’s makeshift classrooms set up in the school courtyard now serve four different schools through a multiple shift schedule.

Returning to Port-au-Prince late afternoon we visited the grave of Archbishop Miyot which is next door to the provisional seminary erected in tents on land owned by the Haitian Bishops Conference.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Wednesday’s trip to Gressier on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince also included visits to Petit Goave, Grand Goave and Leogann. All towns have lost their parish churches as well as their outlying chapels (which serve the rural areas of the parishes). All but one have also lost rectories with priests now living in pup tents outside the ruins of their parishes. Schools have likewise been affected. Sessions are to resume next week for the first time since the earthquake. Classes will take place under tarps or in other make do structures

Despite the almost total destruction of infrastructure, the work of the Church continues. Priests celebrate Mass in front of the ruins of their parish churches. Dispensaries are operated under trees or from tents.

In the encampments like the one I celebrated Mass in last night people are living in Spartan conditions but still respond enthusiastically in song and prayer. Catholic Relief Services is a supportive presence – providing latrines in some areas and emergency food aid in others.

Today after an early Mass in Leogann to be celebrated on the spot where the church once stood we travel to Jacmel on Haiti’s Southeast coast. The cathedral and several of its parishes were similarly affected by the earthquake.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Tuesday we began with the celebration of Mass with the Missionaries of Charity at their convent. Then we visited the slum area of Site Soley and the works in education and health care of the Daughters of Charity. Later we visited a clinic staffed by doctors from Cuba. Accompanying me are three structural engineers so the rest of the day was occupied looking at damaged church buildings to see what may be reparable and studying what type of new construction is needed to enable the Church to continue to provide pastoral, educational and health services.

On Monday we visited Sacred Heart parish and St Francis de Sales; on Tuesday the Cathedral, St. Therese and St. Louis parishes. Next to St .Therese we visited an encampment of several thousand people where we met with a congressional delegation from the United States

Today we head out to Gressier near the epicenter of earthquake and on return to the capital I will celebrate Mass at Club Petionville, one of largest camps of people left homeless after the earthquake.

Evenings have been taken up with some “formal” dinners with church dignitaries and other officials.