Our Sister Parish - St. Raphael Parish, Haiti

Saint Raphael Parish in Saint Raphael, Haiti is the sister parish of the Catholic Community of Jeffersonville, Indiana. Through the mission and ministry of the Haiti Committee and the generous support of the members of our parishes, we are touching the lives of the people of Saint Raphael in Haiti. A loving and caring relationship has developed between the Catholic Community of Jeffersonville and Saint Raphael.


Through this relationship the people of Saint Raphael offers their love, gratitude, and prayers to the people of the Catholic Community of Jeffersonville. Through this relationship the people of our parishes offer to seek an understanding of the needs of our sister parish and to try and fulfill those needs. This can be accomplished by prayers, sacrifices, words of encouragement, thoughtful donations, and acts of caring. Through the sacrificial efforts of the Haiti Committee and the members of our parish is making a difference in Haiti.

Mass at Saint Raphael Parish

Pictured are former pastor of Saint Raphael, Fr. Leonel Jean-Francois with Fr. Raymond Schaffer, former pastor of Sacred Heart concelebrating Mass at Saint Raphael.


The architecture is quite impressive as you approach the building. As you enter the worship space the warmth and beauty of this old church give comfort to your spirit in this sacred place.

Liturgical Dance


Pictured are some of the children of Saint Raphael Parish. The joy of celebrating Mass was enhanced by the love and spirit of these children as they performed a liturgical dance during the Mass.

Pictured is an exterior view of one of the three Chapels that are missions of Saint Raphael parish. Father Sem visits these missions each month to celebrate Mass and minister to the people in the area. The missions also serve as the local school for the children.

Haiti Committee

Contact

Ward Weber
ward.weber1946@gmail.com

This committee oversees financial assistance for our sister parish St. Raphael in Haiti. Items such as, but not limited to, food, clothing, medical and school supplies are collected and shipped. There are also a couple mission trips offered per year.

  • The Haiti Committee Mission Statement: The Haiti Committee is a faith-based committee, deeply rooted in the principles of the Gospel and the traditions of the Catholic Church.

    As a ministry of the Catholic Community of Jeffersonville, the committee is dedicated to addressing the spiritual concerns of our Sister Parish, Saint Raphael, located in Saint Raphael, Haiti.


    Empowered by God, we strive to make both the Catholic Community of Jeffersonville and Saint Raphael a better place.


    Through prayers, donations, and obedience to God, the committee strives to help the people of Saint Raphael become self sufficient and provide a better quality of living for their families. We will strive to maintain on-going resources to continue this much needed mission work we have committed to do.


    Guided by the loving Spirit of our God, we will communicate to the parish our outreach efforts, budgetary information and needs, a deep devotion for new ministry opportunities and evaluation of current effort.


    The mission and ministry of the Haiti Committee of the Catholic Community of Jeffersonville is to support our Sister Parish, Saint Raphael Parish in Saint Raphael, Haiti. This committee was formed with a vision and mission to serve those in need.


    Through the dedication and loving spirit of this committee; first led by our former Pastor, Father Raymond Schaffer and two members of our parish, Shirley Sweatt and Eileen Hahn, and guided by the loving Spirit of our God, they embarked on a mission to evaluate the needs of our sister parish in the country of Haiti. From that beginning the Haiti Committee continues serving the needs of our Sister Parish. Regular trips are made to continue to support and help improve the lives of the people of Haiti.


    Haiti is located in the Caribbean in the western third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic. The country is slightly smaller than the state of Maryland. The capital is Port-au-Prince. The climate is tropical; semiarid where mountains in the east cut off the trade winds. The terrain is mostly rough and mountainous. Haiti lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and is subject to severe storms from June through October; and occasional flooding and earthquakes; along with periodic droughts. Extensive deforestation has occurred with much of the remaining forested land being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel; this has led to soil erosion. Also, there are inadequate supplies of potable water.


    The population of Haiti is about 7.063,722 but is being drastically effected by the high rate of mortality due to AIDS. Ethnic groups include a large population of black people and a minor population of white people. The principal religion is Catholic with a small percentage of various Protestant faiths. The native language is French and Creole. About 80% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two thirds of the economically active workforce. Agricultural products consist of coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum, and wood. Industries consist of sugar refining, floor milling textiles, cement, light assembly industries based on imported parts.


    The giving of the people of our parishes include; prayers, sacrifices, words of encouragement, thoughtful donations, and acts of caring. By the sacrifices and the generous support of the members of our parishes, they have begun a ministry of help and service that reaches out to some of the poorest people on earth. Our parish has raised funds to give aid to our sister parish and those people that live in Saint Raphael. Students of the Sacred Heart School as well as parishioners have been generous in their support of this ministry. Through their efforts peoples lives are being changed for the better. Through the ministry of the Haiti Committee, the Catholic Community of Jeffersonville is making a difference in Haiti.