Nun - Haiti Observer Blog

Catholic nuns have become the primary targets of violence in Haiti since last November. There have been over 39 cases of attacks reported on from about 27 different religious outposts in six regional departments in Haiti since November 2014. The authorities are investigating to identify the real motives behind these attacks, although in most cases, the prime objective were found to be robberies of valuables other than physical violence on the nuns. It is really hard to figure out who and what is behind the attacks that seem like something more than pure robbery. There were some unconfirmed reports of rape in some occasions which often led to serious injury. So far, no one has been killed, although a traumatized nun died in surgery and another slipped into a coma after the attack. As per Cardinal Chibly Langlois's statement, since November 2014 to the present day, about 20 houses belonging to the nuns have been attacked; religious women were beaten and brutalized. Without being disturbed, looters take everything they can--money and other small valuables, papers of identification and other important documents.

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The religious community in Haiti was not escaped with the increased level of insecurity that has been recorded in Haiti lately. The latest incident took place this week where several people armed with gun broke into a Sisters house in the city of Verrettes and stole money and equipment.

This is not an isolated case. The religious community has been the victims of several cases of crimes for the past few months. On the night of February 23, 2015, bandits broke into the residence of the Sisters of the Holy Union, in Saint-Michel de l'Attalaye and took money and equipment after physically abusing several nuns. This incident was also repeated in Petite-Rivière de l'Artibonite back in January, 2015.

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African-Haitian Catholic nun, Mother Mary Lange, is finally receiving recognition for her role in Christianizing the greater parts of northern and southern America. She is being considered for sainthood.

Raised in Cuba, she immigrated to the U.S. and began the Oblate Sisters of Providence Order, the first African-American convent in 1829. She also started a private school to educate black children, who had no other access to an education.

Baltimore Archbishop, James Hector, admired her work and urged her to establish the Oblate Sisters of Providence, to prepare black girls to serve as nuns. He appointed her as Mother Superior of the order.

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