No tags yet.
Last week, members of the Diocese of Richmond Haiti commission were joined by Bishop Jean and members of the Diocese of Hinche commission for several days of sharing our work, our vision, our stories and our why - why each of us, whether here or in Hinche, do what we do to further the Kingdom of God here on our shared sacred ground.
We heard from our brothers in Christ, the deep desire for the peace that comes with justice for Haiti. We sat together in sadness for the people of Haiti. We sat together in hope for the people of Haiti. We prayed for God’s mercy and love for Haiti. And for our world.
We voiced real concerns for our shared ministry. We looked at the past, with honor and gratitude for those who led the way and planted the seed for Diocesan connections from Richmond to Hinche. We asked the hard questions of where do we go from here, how do we ensure fairness and equity across the diocese, how do we support sustainable efforts by our Haitian friends, how do we support healthy children, healthy families and healthy communities? How can we ensure dignity in our relationships and support the autonomy and growth of the Diocese of Hinche? What does it mean to be truly transparent, person to person, parish to parish and diocese to diocese? How can we stand together in solidarity when we are not standing on the same ground?
We asked the hard questions and I am not sure we have come up with the hard answers. But we had honest conversations. We proposed new ideas. We agreed and disagreed.
I can tell you that working together with these leaders from Haiti and Virginia restored my faith in humanity and goodness and possibility. At the end of the day, we celebrated sacred ground by inviting all to the table of Christ. In His name, all are welcome. And our shared world is full of possibility.
Sacred Ground