Dear Family and Friends,
I remember when I was a child, I often heard my grandmother say, “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
After 39 years of priesthood, and 30 of these years as a priest and physician in Haiti, I am afraid I have seen plenty of people considerably and permanently wrecked by “what didn’t kill them.”
Read MoreDear friends and family,
About two weeks ago, I received a phone call from two vintage friends, friends of 35 years, who called to ask me if I was dead.
They had heard a rumor, from a priest in Baltimore (my first assignment as a baby priest, back in 1979), that I had died in Haiti.
Maybe that priest heard about the priest that was killed in Port au Prince in December, and thought it was me.
In any case, my friends were somewhat panicked.
When I saw the international number ringing on my phone, I did not want to answer it. Too often, long distance calls are bad news. I was panicked too.
Little did I know that the the bad news I would hear on the phone was about me and my demise.
Read MoreDear Friends
Tomorrow, January 12th, we will remember the great devastation of the earthquake in Haiti eight years ago.
We will also remember all the extraordinary generosity and heroism that were generated by that massive tragedy.
Read MoreThey have collected standing ovations everywhere, they have been the soundtrack of the “Lincoln Center Global Exchange”, they have sung at The United Nations for the royal family of Sweden, at the Teatro del Silenzio and for the Pope.
Through their performances they have, once again, given evidence of how art can be a powerful instrument of cooperation, a tool for the development of one’s own potential and an instrument to show the strength, the colors, and the positivity of a land.
In the heart of Miami, in the prestigious Frost School at the Miami University, the kids of the choir “Voices of Haiti” have been the stars of an exciting meeting with the students, a musical meeting where the singers have reciprocally sung for one another.
Read MoreDear family and friends,
I know the stories I share, from my experiences with poverty, are never easy to read, but they do give important lessons about life and faith.
This story has a difficult beginning but a wonderful ending, and has a good Christmas message.
Read MoreDear Friends
Catherine Porter, of The New York Times (Toronto) came to Haiti to capture the tragic circumstances of death, for so many poor an marginalized people.
It led her to discover that we have been burying destitute dead for many years.
I think her article has a lot of depth and insight. It also highlights the person of Raphael Louigene, a greatly admired and loved member of our leadership team here in Haiti.
I hope this article will give deeper insight into the sufferings of the Haitian people, and more compassion for people around the world whose lives are heavily burdened, and of course, the desire to help lift their load.
Merry Christmas, soon to come.
Fr Rick Frechette CP DO
Dear friends and family,
Just the other day, as we started the morning Advent mass, an unfamiliar and very young woman was standing in front of the St Damien Hospital chapel.
She seemed uncertain.
Go in the chapel, or not?
Speak to me, or not?
Stay, or not?
Read MoreFrom November 11-18th, 58 surgeries were performed at the St Luke Hospital led by our Friends from Global, Surgical and Destination Healthcare (GSD Healthcare), which is comprised of health care providers from all over the U.S., including Mayo clinic Arizona.
Read MoreDear friends,
A little over a week ago, when I was driving across Port au Prince to help the Sisters in their clinic, I found a woman on the street in the grips of death.
She was entering a coma from eclampsia, in only her 8th month of pregnancy, and I had to act fast on her behalf, calling a friend at a private hospital to assure her a place. I paid a truck (tap-tap) to race her there, since I could not, in any way, fit her in my small off road "polaris", and there was no time to lose looking for an ambulance.
Dear friends,
Last year on this very day, the Feast Day of St. Francis, Hurricane Matthew began to slam into the southwestern part of Haiti. I remember the winds blowing fiercely that morning and before Mass I decided to put a statue that I bought in Assisi on the altar.
The statue is very unique, and depicts St. Francis taming the wolf of Gubbio ( a small town not far from Assisi). When I purchased it, I never could have imagined using the statue for a Hurricane. I bought it on a visit to Assissi with Raphael, as a sign and reminder to us that evil will never prevail over good and that, as St. Francis himself said: "all the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle". My thoughts were focused on wishing for peace in Haiti.
The story of the saint and the wolf is that the wolf terrorized the inhabitants of the small Italian town. The wolf not only killed and devoured livestock but it began to attack the people. All attempts to kill the wolf failed and fear took over their hearts. St. Francis heard of this and decided to confront the wolf. The huge wolf rushed toward Francis to attack but he made the sign of the cross, called the wolf “brother” and commanded him in the name of God to stop terrorizing the town.
UPDATES FROM HAITI
Blog stories
NEWSLETTERS
March 2020: Education Programs (2MB PDF)
ANNUAL REPORT
2023 Annual Report
(4 MB)
Order Fr. Rick Frechette’s book of essays via Amazon.com
The St. Luke Foundation for Haiti is a 501 (c) (3) and tax-exempt charitable organization that supports Haitian-led programs.
A special thanks to Angela Altus, Rebecca Arnold, Giles Clark, Denso Gay and Ami Vitale for the photographs, as well as the teams of NPH and Artists for Peace and Justice.
