The Spiritans, officially the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (formerly known as the Holy Ghost Fathers), have missions in more than 60 nations, including in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where they founded the Petit Seminaire College St. Martial in 1870. Today, it is recognized as Haiti’s leading boys high school.
In the early evening of April 1, the tranquility of the campus was destroyed when armed bandits broke in by climbing a poorly protected wall around the school on a back street. After neutralizing two guards, they began burning vehicles parked in the courtyard and vandalizing the school premises.
Confreres, house staff and school administrators were not able to escape but had to hide, hoping for police intervention. Unfortunately, that did not happen despite repeated calls. For more than six hours, the bandits continued to loot and set fires.
Finally, the fathers were able to escape, taking refuge in the Spiritan Formation House, a 30-minute walk away. There were no physical casualties in the attack, but the material damage was considerable: cars burned; the school set on fire; offices and the school premises looted; refrigerators, computers, electronics, solar panels, even a water purification system stolen.
More than Spiritan missionaries have ministered and worked in Haiti over the years, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to the community through education, faith and social justice. Despite being expelled during the Duvalier regime in 1969, the fathers had a new hope with the election of Jean Bertrand Aristide, a former priest, as president, allowing them to return in 1986.
This recent setback serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles in Haiti, but the presence of the Spiritans speaks volumes about their resilience. It has been said that “the only hope for the regeneration of Haiti lies in the education provided by the Spiritans.”
To learn more about them, visit their website at www.spiritans.org.
