Notre Dame d'Haiti - Haiti Observer Blog

Over 10,000 Haitians filled Notre Dame d'Haïti Catholic Church in Little Haiti during "Jericho" service on Thursday, October 15, 2015. They were united to celebrate the fourteenth year of annual spiritual revival in Little Haiti. Every year, thousands of pilgrims from abroad and South Florida attend this joyful revival festival. It has become the symbolic force of this Church's biggest spiritual renewal. Notre Dame D'Haïti Catholic Church in Little Haiti was founded by the late Emeritus Archbishop of Miami on August 1981.

"Jericho Walk" or "Prayer walks" is one of the first terms of Christianese intended to circle a building or an area while saying your prayers. It lets you unwind and reconnect with your Creator. The prayer walking is sometimes called "Spiritual warfare"; using prayer to fight evil spirits. 'Prayer walk' can be done alone, but it becomes more when expressed with your family or friend or in groups. The purpose is to pray for or against something, praying God to protect, intervene or change something. According to the Bible, in the book of Joshua chapter 6, when Joshua was leading the Israelites to the land God promised them, they had crossed the Jordon River and were instructed to conquer the land called 'Canaan'. This was the land of milk and honey that God had promised to Abraham over 500 years ago. But the obstruction was the unconquerable walled city 'Jericho'.

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Haitian Prime Minister Lamothe gives credit to Haitian Diaspora for Reconstruction of Notre Dame d'Haiti Church

Haiti's Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe during the final months of his time in office in 2014 attended a special event in Little Haiti, the opening of the Notre Dame d'Haiti Church in Miami. The project to build the new church took eight years of strenuous labor and $5 million USD.

Lamothe, at the tail end of a global tour, gave credit to the Haitian Diaspora for their part in the re-building. He also acknowledged the Diaspora's donations to the Universal Schooling Program Free and Compulsory. In his remarks to the Little Haiti community he said, "We're here today, to show you the respect and solidarity of the Haitian government." Rev. Reginald Jean-Mary was quite moved by Lamothe's remarks and stated the new church reflected the ". . . faith and the unity of our Nation."

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The Haitian community in Little Haiti and Miami will be able to participate in a Catholic Mass by Haitian Cardinal Chibly Langlois for the first time in Miami.

This Sunday, Nov. 23, at 9:30 a.m. at Notre Dame d'Haiti, 110 N.E. 62nd Street, he will be with us to celebrate the Mass with the community.

Born November 29, 1958, Chibly Langlois was elevated to the rank of cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Francis. He became the very first Haitian selected for this rank and the only one among the new cardinals who was not an archbishop.

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For almost eight years, fundraising has been done for the building of the church of the new Notre Dame d'Haiti. The church, found on NE 62nd Street, was co-founded by Archbishop Thomas Wenski in 1981. Then, the old building was unable to hold a congregation that was growing with passing years. Thirty-five years ago, Archbishop Wenski dreamt of building this church which finally came into being after an expenditure of $5 Million. $3.2 million was donated by enthusiastic Haitian parishioners and members of the community and a $1.5 million loan was also provided by Archdiocese of Miami. The church can seat just under 1,400 worshippers.

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It was the little church that could. And while it took many years to complete the church to the vision of the man who first had the dream, the Notre Dame D'Haiti, is an example of what determination and faith can accomplish.

The day the church opened its brand new doors for its first service of Mass, the crowd was immense. They watched as the man who started it all, Archbishop Thomas Wenski, handed over the keys to the current priest of Notre Dame D'Haiti, offering up a prayer while the crowd clapped.

The new building took eight years of fundraising to accomplish, with $1.5 million dollars being donated by the Archdiocese of Miami through a loan to be repaid by donors and the church's congregation. The congregation, expected to fill all 1,200 seats within the church and 166 within the chapel, will be double what it used to be as the new facility is twice the size of the old church--a converted cafeteria.

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