Liam Richard-Howes, a resident of Palmerston North initially aspired to become a Catholic priest. However, his journey has led him to what he says is often the misinterpreted Haitian Vodou faith, where he is now recognized as New Zealand’s highest-ranking priest. He says that, contrary to popular belief, Vodou doesn’t involve sticking pins in dolls Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Haiti’
Post-quake Haiti in mourning: funerals, aftershocks, chaos and loss
Thursday, September 2nd, 2021
Two weeks after the deadly earthquake in Haiti finds the country in mourning. Funerals, aftershocks and a daily search for clean water, food and shelter are ongoing in the south western Les Cayes region. Beth Carroll, who is Haiti’s head of programs for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) says there are funerals everywhere you go. It Read more
Catholic aid organisations respond to rape, abuse claims
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018
Catholic aid organisations are renewing their commitment to protect the vulnerable. Their promise follows an investigation into international aid organisation Oxfam The Times newspaper found Oxfam UK workers demanded sex for money following a catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in 2010. The newspaper also accused Oxfam officials of financial mismanagement, harassment, bullying and negligent supervision. “We are Read more
50,000-plus Haitians forced to leave US
Thursday, November 23rd, 2017
The Temporary Protection Status (TPS) the United States granted Haitian people after an earthquake devastated the island nation in 2010 has been removed. About 200,000 people died in the 7.0 magnitude quake which displaced over a million others. Removing the TPS will affect between 50,000 and 60,000 people who sought refuge in the United States Read more
Mercy beyond borders takes jackpot for nun
Thursday, October 19th, 2017Mercy Sister Marilyn Lacey has received a major award for her work in South Sudan and Haiti. Regis University in Denver presented Lacey the Opus Prize. The prize includes a cash award of one million dollars. Lacey’s organisation, called “Mercy Beyond Borders,” provides educational and economic help as well as job training to over 1,400 Read more
Long-suffering, hurricane ravaged Haiti
Tuesday, November 1st, 2016
The geographical distance between the richest country in the Western Hemisphere and the poorest is only about 700 miles. But the economic distance between the United States and Haiti is astronomical. Poverty certainly exists in the U.S., but the percentage and severity of poverty in Haiti is far worse. According to the U.N.’s World Food Read more
Catholic aid workers battle with Hurricane Matthew’s devastation
Friday, October 7th, 2016
Catholic aid workers in Haiti are waiting for huge winds to subside before assessing the damage left by Hurricane Matthew. The city of Les Cayes and coastal towns and villages in the south west of Haiti experienced the most destruction. Les Cayes and surrounding areas are the focus of concern for Catholic Relief Services. Matthew Read more