From March 29, 2023 I see it and hear it in every video call to Haiti: people are sinking into the darkness of despair, feeling there is no hope in the expanding deterioration of life in Haiti as the violent chokehold on daily life by the gangs goes unchallenged, unrebuked. As I grind my way through my tedious administrative I…
From March 27, 2023 I could have titled this “Rats, Staff & Kids.” Shortly after my return from Italy, Gabens sent me a weekly report detailing some of the things that happened at Santa Chiara while I was away.
From March 24, 2023 The daily Haiti Journal will be taking a few days off. Not in the form of a vacation for me, but for a time of introspection and evaluating my options for the future. Moreover, I need to tend to many organizational details before I return to the chaos and insanity that is Haiti.
From March 23, 2023 By the time I put the key into the lock on the door of my apartment on Hutchinson Island, 24 hours had elapsed since I got out of bed in Rome at 4:00am on Wednesday thanks to a crisis in Haiti that stole my sleep before a long day of travel. I have much to do…
From March 22, 2023 The following contains the highlights of the proposal that SCCC made to a private fund operated by United Nations staffers that assists organization offering humanitarian help to the poor. I thought in my last Journal from Rome where I met two men who work for an agency of the U.N. that I would share this overview…
From March 21, 2023 On this last full day in Rome, I thought I’d share a few photos from the last couple of days of walking around the city. Meanwhile, things are deteriorating in Haiti, as each passing day the nightmare grows worse. The mindless, brutal killing is becoming more intense and more widespread.
From March 20, 2023 One year in the late 1990’s I spent nearly five months living at S. Isidoro, from late May to early October. Most of the time was spent in the main library. During one week, all of the friars were on holiday, most in Ireland. The only friar in the house was Brother Solanus. He was the…
From March 19, 2023 Yesterday morning (Saturday), my thoughts turned to final few days is Rome…and thinking about the time I’ve spend here. It took me a full week to settle down and realize I didn’t need to be doing something every minute of the day.
From March 18, 2023 We celebrated the Feast of St. Patrick in grand style yesterday at Sant’ Isidoro. About 90 people crammed into the small church for the 10:00am liturgy, including high level officials from the U.S. Embassy and the Irish Government. The Mass was co-celebrated by about two dozen priests. The celebrant was the Dean of the Irish College.…
From March 17, 2023 Every encounter we have with another human being is an opportunity to be kind and share the overflowing love of God in our hearts not with words but by the gentleness of our spirit’s touch. It has taken until this third and final week in Rome, to slowdown, mentally and physically. I am no longer rushing…