What's Happening

February 19, 2025, Winter Park, Florida – A recent article in The National Catholic Reporter recounted the focus on Haiti by the worldwide Dominican family in its annual Month for Peace observance in December as well as the long-time presence and partnership of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Winter Park, Florida, with parishes in Haiti.

The article cites a letter to the Dominican family by Father Gerard Francisco Timoner III, OP, Master of the Order, calling on Dominicans for greater reflection and solidarity with the people of Haiti suffering from “violent atrocities and human rights violations, incessant killings, kidnappings, sexual assaults, human trafficking, and forced labor.” Adrian Dominican Sister Durstyne Farnan, OP, Dominican Representative to the United Nations, speaks of the “moral obligation” to advocate for the people of Haiti.

Much of the article focuses on the long-running efforts of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Winter Park, Florida. Since 2006, the parish has partnered for five years with one Haitian parish at a time, listening to their needs and working with the parishioners to address those needs. The focus is on the self-determination of the Haitians and the sustainability of their projects.

Read the entire article by Chris Herlinger and watch a video in which Sister Rosemary and other involved parishioners describe their ministry with Haitian parishes.  
 

Caption for above feature photo: A slide during a recent presentation on the Haiti Mission of St. Margaret Mary Parish, Winter Park, Florida, depicts Haitians working in micro-enterprises to help them remain self-sufficient.

Courtesy of St. Margaret Mary Parish, Winter Park, Florida

September 27, 2024, Winter Park, Florida – Members of the Haiti Ministry at St. Mary Margaret Catholic Parish in Winter Park, Florida, wrote a letter to the editor of The Orlando Sentinel and The Springfield (Ohio) News-Sun. In the letter, the committee notes their involvement for 18 years in partnership with parishes in Haiti, uplifting and empowering their communities. Noting that their brothers and sisters in Haiti “deserve our respect,” the committee writes, “It is heartbreaking to witness the recent attacks on the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, which were fueled by false claims and baseless accusations about their legal status.”

Sister Rosemary Finnegan, OP, (pictured above) is a long-time member of the parish’s Haitian Ministry.

Read the letter to the editor in The Orlando Sentinel