wfn.org | ENS - Haitian Episcopal priest helps form new government

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Tuesday, March 09, 2004

Haitian Episcopal priest helps form new government

By Nan Cobbey

ENS 030904-2

[Episcopal Life] A senior priest in the Episcopal Church of Haiti, the Rev. 
Macdonald Jean, was named last week to the council of seven "Sages" [Wise 
Ones] who will be forming a new government for Haiti. The council is 
meeting this week to choose the country's new prime minister and an 
announcement may be made today.

"They are working very hard now. I saw him this morning. They will come out 
with a name today," predicted Bishop Zachi Duracin from his office in 
Petionville, just up the hill from the capital city. The Episcopal Church 
of Haiti was asked to nominate a member for the council, said Duracin, 
because of the great respect in which the church is held. "[It] is the 
church of the real people of Haiti, the people of the countryside," said 
the bishop of his more than 180,000-member diocese.

Macdonald Jean, priest, author and professor, has served the church since 
his ordination in 1968. Elected to the Haitian Senate in 1995, he served as 
vice-president of that body until 1999. He taught at the diocesan 
theological seminary and for years led a major congregation and school in 
Gonaives, the northern coastal city where the turmoil began this year.

The 62-year-old priest was educated at College St. Pierre in Haiti, the 
Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Caribbean in Puerto Rico (B.A.), the 
Catholic Institute in Paris (M.A.) and the Sorbonne (Ph.D.). He is the 
author of a number of works, including "Protestantism and Development in 
Haiti" and "Christian Initiation and Voodoo Initiation in Haiti."

Roads Unsafe

Duracin reported this morning that he and his staff have been prevented 
from getting to the diocesan office for more than week. Yesterday was the 
first day the roads were unblocked and people felt some safety about travel.

Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-au-Prince has been unable to conduct its 
morning services for eight days. The Eucharist on Sunday morning, March 7, 
was the first time priests or parishioners were able to assemble, according 
to Sister Marjorie Raphael, SSM.

Duracin, in contact with priests and church leaders by phone and email, 
reports everyone so far is safe and uninjured. However, in two ugly 
incidents, priests were accosted at road barricades and robbed. The Rev. 
Max Accime, stopped by an unruly group near the city of St. Marc, was taken 
into custody and released only when his questioner learned of his 
connections to the Episcopal Church and a priest, again Macdonald Jean, who 
had once been the man9s professor.

On February 27, the Rev. Soner Alexandre was attacked and had his 
telephone, camera and money stolen. He had just been to the bank to pick up 
cash to pay church workers. He was released and promptly wrote other 
priests warning them not to venture into the street.

The sisters of the Society of St. Margaret, who had left their convent 
early during the turmoil, returned two days later so they could be helpful 
if needed. They oversee a home for the elderly and kept it provisioned 
during the unrest. They witnessed and heard the demonstrations, shooting 
and killing in the streets around their downtown convent. At one point, 
said Sister Marjorie Raphael, they believed they would have to stay in the 
cellars. All four sisters in residence are safe, she said.

--Nan Cobbey is associate editor of Episcopal Life, the national newspaper. 
She will be traveling and reporting from Haiti over the next week.

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