Haiti

The Archdiocese of Baltimore, under the leadership of Cardinal Keeler, established a partner diocese relationship with the Diocese of Gonaives in Haiti in 1997. The relationship was built with the goals to assist the parishioners of the Diocese of Gonaives, to equip them with skills to change the future of the country, and to offer opportunities to members of the Archdiocese of Baltimore to grow in faith through service and mission to our less-fortunate neighbors.

The Baltimore-Haiti relationship has multiple levels of ministry seeking to evangelize and empower through education in Haiti.

Regional level

• Five schools, from preschool to adult literacy, established in partnership with and operated by the Mortel High Hopes for Haiti Foundation

Community level

• Parish partnerships directly connecting parishes from around the Archdiocese to parishes in our Haitian partner diocese to assist in parish feeding programs and evangelization projects

Individual level

• Group mission trips and exchanges between the US and Haiti

In Haiti, the data on malnutrition, infectious diseases and illiteracy are alarming. Any help to relieve the daily suffering of hopelessness and the bondage of illiteracy can bring new life to this small nation. An educated population is needed to effect change which is why we have established a focus on schooling the poorest of the poor as well as a mission of accompaniment for our parish-to-parish relationships.