This final day began with a short visit to the Salesian Primary School next to the Pétion-Ville house. In the courtyards of this centre, where only the outer stair-case was damaged by the earthquake there are 200 families in tents.
This was followed by a meeting with the Council. The Rector Major gave the local Superior Fr Sylvain Ducange, the task of putting into action the priority mentioned the previous days in the meeting with the Salesian Family: education. After ascertaining the situation of the centres affected by the earthquake, a plan was drawn up which would take account of the work to be done and the re-location necessary.
Afterwards a short but significant meeting was held with the person responsible for the Italian Civil Defence group in Haiti, Luigi D’Angelo. The time required and the methods to be used in making the ENAM operational were considered so that the phases of re-organisation and re-construction can be started
Drawing on the readings of the liturgy of the day the Rector Major told the Salesians in Haiti gathered together at Pétion-Ville, in the course of simple and well-attended Mass not to follow the example of the Pharisees who asked Jesus for a sign of the presence of God. “There are already signs of His presence!” Suffering and death become clearer in the sign of the cross. “I can already see signs of something new! The signs of solidarity that have been seen in the Congregation and around it are the expression of something which is alive, which suffers and shares totally! You are not alone!” As evidence of this Fr Chávez mentioned the small contributions and the results of collections which had been made for Haiti in some of the poorest houses in the Congregation.
He asked the Salesians of Haiti to be the antennae of history capable of picking up the needs and the problems of people and of society; the heralds of the dawn who know how to wait for and to assist in the birth of a new era for the country and God’s prophets proclaiming His Word.
During the Mass special prayers were said for the Salesians, the youngsters and all those who died under the ruins.
Later in the morning the Rector Major phoned his Vicar, Fr Adriano Bregolin, who was holding a meeting with a group of business men in the city of Pavia who were ready to become involved in some projects being proposed. During the short link-up the Rector Major described what he had seen during his visit and the urgent humanitarian needs of the people of Haiti.
Before leaving Pétion-Ville, the Rector Major informed the Salesians of the practical decisions which in agreement with the Council of the Vice Province had been taken that morning. Special thanks were offered to those centres which had welcomed the displaced people. Thought needed to be given about re-locating some of them but education remained the priority. ENAM was to be reordered and needed to have a Youth Centre so that it might be “a social lung at the service of the whole area of Cité Soleil and offer a broader sort of education.”
Fr Chávez repeated that the real difficulty lay not in re-building collapsed walls “but in changing the mentality of the Haitian people. Salesians are educators. It is up to you to cooperate in this change.” “It is time to roll our sleeves up!” the Rector Major concluded.
The thanks of the Superior of the Vice Province Fr Sylvain Ducange were heartfelt and moving, “Thank you for your presence, for your words, for your encouragement,” thanks which were also offered to all the members of the Council and to all the Salesians of the Congregation.
Published 16/02/2010
