The diocese’s Haitian Catholic community was among 5,000 who packed the largest Catholic church building in North America on Dec. 6 to provide a burst of hope for the troubled Caribbean nation and its diaspora. 

Two busloads of Haitian Catholics, other people in private cars, and Bishop Robert Brennan represented the diocese at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., as part of a National Haitian Pilgrimage.  

“They came from all over the U.S.,” said Msgr. Pierre-André Pierre of the Brooklyn-based National Center for the Haitian Apostolate. “It has been presented by the shrine itself as the largest gathering of black Catholics in the United States. 

“The aim of this pilgrimage is both a profound spiritual journey and a collective plea for the restoration of Haiti.” 

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Michele Guerrier, who helped organize the Brooklyn contingent’s logistics, said the proof of turmoil is carried daily in the news, especially the lack of significant reconstruction from natural disasters and chaos wrought by violent street gangs. 

But now there is the added stressor of the pending expiration of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti. This round of TPS allowed Haitians to come to the U.S. following the earthquake that ravaged their nation in 2010.  

Guerrier said local Haiti-born Catholics face having to return home when TPS expires on Feb. 3, but they have only violence and poverty awaiting them. 

“It’s a constant sense of despair, a constant sense of anxiety,” Guerrier said. “I don’t have anybody personally affected, but my community is affected. The body of Christ is affected. That’s how I’m affected.” 

Still, the messages delivered at the pilgrimage supplanted fear with hope, Guerrier and Msgr. Pierre said. 

Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the U.S., delivered the homily at the Mass in French and English. 

Also attending were Bishop Pierre-André Dumas of Anse-à-Veau-Miragoâne, who is still recovering from burns suffered in an explosion at his home in Port-au-Prince nearly two years ago, and Bishop Jacques Eric Fabre-Jeune of Charleston, who is the first Haitian-born priest to lead a diocese in the U.S. as the top prelate. 

Guerrier, a parishioner of St. Therese of Lisieux Church in East Flatbush, said the massive pilgrimage was moving on its own, but the messages added much more. “Starting from the nuncio and everyone who spoke, Haitian and American, just gave me a sense of hope that everything is not lost,” she said, “that we’re going to come out of this.” 

Norma Felix, a parishioner at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Prospect Heights, attended the pilgrimage and drew hope from the messages. 

“It was over the top,” she said. “These are big people in big positions. Especially Bishop Dumas, who was burned, but you could see he was trying his best to be there. 

“But to have the bishops there, and for my bishop to be there, and for them to speak up for us, immigrants, I felt I was seen.” 

It was the 24th annual Haitian pilgrimage, which was founded by the late Auxiliary Bishop Guy Sansaricq (1934-2021) of Brooklyn, the first Haitian-born prelate in the United States.  

Since 2001, it has been held each Saturday before Dec. 8 to honor the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 

“The patroness of Haiti is Our Lady of Perpetual Health,” Msgr. Pierre explained, “and this national shrine — the Haitians feel comfortable there. It is their love for the Virgin Mary, our mother, that led them to adopt that shrine as the place where we can celebrate on the 8th of December.” 

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Msgr. Walter Rossi, rector of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, said the annual Haitian Pilgrimage is extraordinary. 

“This year, we had more priests than usual and more bishops,” he said. “I think part of that is to show a sign of support for the Haitian community, given the current immigration difficulties and the difficulties that are happening in Haiti itself.” 

Bishop Fabre is now the leader of the National Center for the Haitian Apostolate, with Msgr. Pierre assisting with pastoral and spiritual support.  

The bishop is also the designated liaison between the Haitian community and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He told The Tablet on Dec. 11 that he believes the prayerful momentum from this year’s pilgrimage will accelerate in the coming year. 

“We are people of faith,” Bishop Fabre said. “And once Haiti is better, then we can approach reconstruction. 

“So, I expect a miracle — that the bad actors will lay down their guns and let the people of God live peacefully as we did in the past.