Dear friends — Peace of Christ!
The Jesuits of Haiti are some of the most courageous men I know. They live their vocation with boldness — forfeiting personal safety and institutional security. While many others choose to flee, they remain. Earlier this year, I travelled to northern Haiti to be with them; what I saw was impossible to forget.
There is little that functions reliably in Haiti today. Government structures have collapsed; roadways are often impassable. Entire regions are cut off, and families are unable to move safely between towns. In Port-au-Prince, gangs control entire neighbourhoods and fear shapes daily life. Nevertheless, our Jesuits stand firm — living simply, working diligently, and offering a stable presence.
These men are Haitian by nationality, but they are a part of the Jesuits of Canada. Grounded in shared language and rooted spiritual kinship, we have supported the Jesuit mission in Haiti for generations.
Every one of our Jesuits in Haiti has spent part of his formation in Canada: studying in our schools, praying in our houses, and being welcomed to our table as a brother. When their formation ends, they return home — not because it is easy, but because they are called. They are given missions to teach, to accompany, and to serve where the suffering is greatest.
Now, what they face is not theoretical; their lives have concrete struggles. There is no stable source of income, and no certainty around travel or infrastructure. Nearly all of their basic needs — food, housing, transport, health care — must be covered by the Jesuits of Canada. As conditions worsen, costs only grow. Each year, I have to stretch our resources across two countries; each year, it becomes more difficult. These are not administrative challenges; they are spiritual responsibilities. In good conscience, we cannot ignore them.
This is why I am launching a $10 million campaign. I am trying to secure long-term stability for the Jesuits of Haiti through a complete endowment that will outlast any moment of crisis. It is the most ambitious fundraising effort I have undertaken as Provincial; it may also be the most urgent. Quite simply, such stability matters. It allows us to say, even in the face of chaos, you are not alone; we are with you.
I am asking you to support the annual Provincial’s Appeal so that we can honour our commitment to these men who are almost entirely dependent on the Jesuits of Canada. Your gift will ensure they can continue to serve in places where no one else will go and remain close to those who need them most. It will keep alive the mission that connects our ministry to theirs, making the Gospel visible in the hardest places.
Thank you for standing with the Jesuits — and with Haiti — in this mission of hope.
Sincerely yours —
Fr. Jeffrey S. Burwell, SJ
Provincial
