Fr. Ilric's Homily

Here's the text of Fr. Ilric's homily given on his visit to the Cathedral.
Memphis, May 6, 2005
Theme: Charity – Charitable Works
Faithful members of the Cathedral Parish, you remember that you have a child in Haiti – The Parish of Our Lady of Grace in Layaye, Haiti? Well, I now bring to you the words of your child. On behalf of my parish, please allow me to address you on these themes which will be expressed through the analogy of a child, Our Lady of Grace Parish, speaking to her parents, the Cathedral Parish in Memphis.
My dear parents,
I bless the Lord for having placed you in my path and above all in my life. I praise God for our multiple projects together, the ones that are underway as well as the ones of the future, and I give thanks to God for the varied gifts: more spiritual than material that He has made possible through you and the gifts of which I am the beneficiary and the inheritor.
To you now my dear parents,
All my thanks for having accepted me and supported me on every level. I look back to the birth of our work together which began with the treasured trip to Layaye by Chuck, Bob, Debra, and Dixie. From this visit we have been able to sow the spirit of hope. A saying that every Haitian knows says that “Hope gives life” or in Kreyol, “Depi tet poko kouper, li espere met chapo”, a proverb which is so much a part of our vision of life here in our country. It is this proverb which, by the grace of God, allows my people to get through all the bad times and difficulties in their lives. It is from this hope that they can have joy in their lives in their very existence. This is a gift that they receive from God. It is what allows them to laugh, to sing, and to dance in spite of the ravage of poverty and misery day after day. Through union with God in prayer we continue to have hope.
One secret, my dear parents,
My pastor, Fr. Ilric Louis Jeune, made a pilgrimage during Lent when he visited on foot each of the nine Cathedrals of the Catholic dioceses in every department of Haiti. This pilgrimage had a theme: forty nights with Jesus for each Haitian, for Haiti, for the Church, for the world. He walked along the national roads, and as you know the situation in Haiti where there is so much insecurity and violence is such that it seems as if God is not present and that one is in the full domain of Satan. As day becomes night, my people feel the presence of the devil. One already sees Satan. It is the reign of fear. Our amazement, which is also our joy and our hope and which we want to share with you is that our pastor, Fr. Ilric, received the message and had the experience himself that God is present in Haiti and in the heart of each Haitian. It is this that is the Good News – alleluia, glory and thanks to our Lord. My message to you during this season of the Resurrection, my dear parents, is that you must remain filled with hope and keep your focus on the Resurrection of Christ in whatever situation you find yourself.
Furthermore, I thank you again and especially for your monthly support which since January has increased from $300 to $600. I also want to recognize the participation of the children from your school. May the grace and blessing of the Lord be with them now and always, as well as with their parents. This support has allowed me to considerably reduce my monthly debts. In the year 2003-2004, my parish had a debt of $60,000 and thanks to your participation this year, the debt has been reduced significantly. Again, I thank you. With the $600, I am able to pay the teachers at our school, and I also bought educational materials for the kindergarten and food for the children. We now look forward to the opening of the trade school this September.
What is the condition of our parish? Poverty and misery ravage my people.
-Many people are dying from hunger, especially children.
-Many children are unable to go to school.
-The people have no one to care for them.
-The land cannot produce enough food for our people.
-The cost of living is higher than the incomes that people are able to earn
In conclusion, it sometimes seems that it would be more merciful for a child in our country to die rather than to live in this kind of poverty and misery.
My dear parents,
This is the lowest level of poverty. In my parish there is no hospital, no health clinic, and no dispensary for medications. There is no potable water. My people must drink directly from the river. There are no toilets or modern plumbing. Political misfortune also comes to the people of my parish. Catastrophe is at my door. Very few trees remain, and yet deforestation continues.
What can I say, my dear parents? What conclusion can I make? Is this the reign of despair? Is this the end? Oh no! My friends, do not forget our proverb “Hope gives life”. Repeat with me…”Hope gives life”. Today, my dear parents, it is the celebration of hope. It is the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord. I would like only for you to remember the despair and hope of the People of God: the despair and hope of the Jews, the despair and hope of the Virgin Mary, the despair and hope of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the despair and hope of the first disciples. It is like the sadness of childbirth and the joy of the mother who takes her newborn baby into her arms.
With the disciples we kneel before God and look with hope to the author of life, Jesus the Savior.
Let’s rise and plant the seeds of hope both here in the Cathedral and in Haiti.
May God bless you. Amen