13800: Nekita clarifying her points on missionary priests (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Nlbo@aol.com

Josiane had improperly dissected my post. She did not rewrite a "former
missionary and 10-15 people" . Though I am always advocating education for
all,  I always believe illeterate Haitians have not been given proper credit
in the Haitian culture .
A lot had been written in this post about the roles of missionaries in Third
World countries. In my entire life as a practicing Catholic, I have met only
two who really wants the advancement of Haitians. I believe they are both in
Corbett's line. One is the founder of the defunct Libeté paper. The other is
still running the first and only creole magazine " Bon Nouvel".  Otherwise,
most of them are all functioning in a paternalistic, condescending attitudes
with the Haitians here and in the U.s. Since I live in the U.S,  I will give
a nutshell what the Catholic ministry is like based of 29 years of practicing
catholicism in this country.

According to a l998  report of the National Center of Haitian Apostolate
(NCHAP) and subsequent newsletters, more  that 50 Haitians were ordained in
the U.S.Out of them only one grew up in  Boston. One who was sent from Haiti
five years ago was ordained last year. Based on the same report, more two
dozens Haitian permanent deacons were ordained from the U.S Haitian community
 in the last 20 years...Out them, more than a dozen deacons  are from the New
York/New Jersey/Long Island areas dioceses. An average of 25 lay ministers
graduate from their two year training program every year. Last year (2001) 6
lay ministers graduated from Rockville Center 's 2 year program. One can
average it to 30 lay  Haitian ministers graduate from two year training
programs a year from the New York/Brooklyn/Queens/ New Jersey/ Long Island
area.
In 30 years, only one priest who grew up in this country  was ordained from
the Boston diocese. One who was ordained last year came to this country seven
years ago. Only one deacon from the community. One who was recently ordained
worships with an African American community.
I don't know any lay person who had a two year training in Boston since l972.
I know couple people who have had six weeks lectures. Last year I  managed to
have an average of 10 people follow some 2 hour lectures from the diocese for
a 24 week period.
Lectures are not certificate programs.You don't have to read or do any
written assignments. These people hardly or if ever read the handouts.
Besides celebrations, vibrant activities also in the Haitian Apostolate
Rockville Center(Long Island) . Haitians participate in two year lay training
programs provided by the diocese as well as interactive programs with
schools, department of social services, elderly services, Black Catholics ,
and other offices.
  Miami has a one stop Catholic Center where the parish , ESL classes,
tutoring, day care, re fugee resettlement and many other programs are all
located. I have been to this compound many times. Iwas talking with a nun
recently  who told me they have had 11 priests ordained from the Miami
diocese . That's not bad given that the apostolate started in l980's with the
first influx of Haitian refugees.

Here Boston, there is nothing related to Vatican II that is worth mentioning.
The Haitian faithful like many in the Thirld World are primarely focused on
the popular devotions, charismatic prayers, and the clergy whom they highly
revered are oblivious about moving them toward an understanding and practice
of the Western Catholic church. Contrarily to New York, Brooklyn, Queens, New
Jersey, Springfield and Rockville Center, there is not a lay person with a
two year training. In sum it is embarrassing to say that the Boston Haitian
Apostolate is the least vibrant among the ministries that serve large Haitian
population in the United States.
The point is in New York/New Jersey/Long Island areas, there are Haitian
priests in charge of Haitian apostolate. Haitian priests with visions working
in those ministries, not the former missionaries whom every one knows their
goals are not to make blacks, poor people and other minority fully integrated
in the industrial society.
It should be noted that  a Haitian catholic who was born or  baptized when
the Haitian ministry opened in Cambridge in l973 had never spent 5 minutes ,
not to mention a day with a black priest, be it from Africa, Haiti or
wherever. How many Haitians in the United States, particularly in Boston had
ever seen a black nun?When a priest comes, presides a mass and leaves, it is
not the same as having one in parish in a day to day basis.

A black child born when the Haitian apostolate started in Boston in l972
doesn't see the former missionaries as their savior like the immigrants see
it, especially one before he left on a 4 month sabbatical  said in the altar
that he has not been in school for 18 years in the presence of MIT and
Harvard Haitian students. Does one expect those students to come back to such
church, though we know black people are religious and spiritual?

My point is the church plays an important role in the black culture. The
priests and pastors have influential role models that they should be playing
in the community. Some of them are not. Most of them don't have the
theological, educational and cultural skills to do so. If a community or
institution has no role models, and those who can be role models are not part
of it, the numbers of  blacks in jail will continue to increase. If
accomplished Asians, Muslims, Jews can still stay in their communities, why
do blacks have to leave?
Nekita