St. Vincent de Paul Parish

In 2017, Father Richard Carton encouraged our parish to embark on a mission to assist St. Paul Parish in Nanpol, Haiti through the Parish Twinning Program of the Americas.  Since then, through the generous donations of many parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul Church, we have made great headway in improving life for the parishioners of St. Paul and the village of Nanpol.  Unfortunately, the need for assistance is greater than ever.  Due to the unprecedented unrest in the nation of Haiti, it has become more and more difficult to get provisions to this remote mountain village.  Supply chains have been stopped by bandits, roadblocks and shipping stoppages.  Haiti’s food shortage is the worst in the world and violence has become a way of life.  The people in the village, by the grace of God and due to its remote location, are safe but the cost of food and raw materials has skyrocketed.  As a “Catholic community rooted in the Eucharist and committed to the poor,” we are a beacon to the people of Nanpol, who have come to rely on our parish to assist them in procuring food and providing a Catholic education for their children.  Our mission here is on-going, and your assistance and prayers are very much still needed!

There is so much good news!  It is truly amazing how much has been accomplished in such a short time. The church building, seriously damaged during the earthquake that hit the island in 2010, has been restored and has become a center of activity for the village.  A rectory was constructed so Father Theo, pastor of St. Paul’s, could live among the people he ministers.  A solar-powered water purification system was installed on church grounds, bringing fresh water to the people for the first time in history, and through our Haiti’s Hope initiative, St. Vincent’s has been able to provide much-needed nutrition to the school children at St. Paul.
Two years ago, we embarked on a journey to open a school on parish grounds.  What began as instruction for two grades in the church building has now expanded to the construction of a school building with six classrooms!  Meals are provided three times a week to the children, and they are receiving an education rooted in our Catholic faith.  

As the building phase of the school nears completion, St. Vincent’s has committed to assist with recurring expenses, including school supplies, books, and faculty salaries, and to continue providing nutritious meals for the children.  Clearly, this is a huge undertaking and will require the on-going support from our community.
Please continue to keep Father Theo, the parishioners of St. Paul and the people of Nanpol in your prayers and consider making a donation to assist in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the children of St Paul  School!