Diverse cultures, languages and people are what drew Haitian-born Father Gesson Agenis, 37, to be a priest for the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Originally from Les Cayes, Haiti, he grew up in a faith-filled family as one of seven children born to Gilbert Agenis and Agenie Decide. His father was a lay leader in church, and the family prayed together “every morning and every night before bed.”
He attended St. Jeanne de Chantal Church, where the seed of his vocation was planted at Easter Sunday Mass when he was 7 years old.
“The priest was preaching about the Resurrection,” he said. “He said that Jesus Christ gave His life for us, and we have to do something in response.”
“From that time, I just wanted to stay in the church. I had no idea what it meant to become a priest. I was a little kid. But I nourished this idea as I grew up.”
He attended Ecole nationale de Renaudin and the Lycee Phillipe Guerrier Des Cayes. After completing two years of college at Labonet Des Cayes, he entered the Redemptorist Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.
Father Agenis spent six years with the Redemptorists, and became fluent in Spanish while studying in the Dominican Republic, and Bogota, Colombia.
During this time, he started to question whether a religious community was for him; he felt diocesan priesthood and parish life might be better suited to his personality.
“I feel like God is calling me to be a diocesan priest,” he said. “I feel more comfortable in parish life with people. When I’m among people, I feel happy.”
After visiting the U.S. in 2011, he considered diocesan priesthood formation programs in Massachusetts and Florida, but he did not feel God moving him in either direction.
“Finally, I went to the Internet and I found the Brooklyn Diocese,” he said. “I asked my brother-in-law to translate for me and I made contact with the diocese here.”
He was accepted into the Brooklyn Diocese and arrived on Holy Thursday of 2012.
After a yearlong program in English studies at St. John’s University in Jamaica, while in residence at the Pope St. John Paul II Discernment House, Cypress Hills, he was sent to Holy Apostles Seminary, Crowmwell, Conn., to complete his theological studies. He earned a master of divinity degree and received an award in pastoral theology.
He has completed summer assignments at Our Lady of the Angelus, Rego Park, and St. Therese of Lisieux, East Flatbush.
During his diaconate year at St. Teresa of Avila, Prospect Heights, he had the opportunity to preach sermons, prepare couples for marriage and be involved with the youth ministry.
What attracted him to Brooklyn, he said, was “the diversity of the communities. As a priest, my dream is to know as much as I can about cultures and languages to be able to reach many people as I communicate the message of the Good News.”
Bring People to God
Fluency in French, Haitian Creole, Spanish and English will enable him to live out his calling to “bring people closer to God and God closer to people.”
In his priesthood, he hopes to emulate one of his former pastors in Haiti, Father Lamarre Belizore.
“He dedicates himself totally to his ministry,” he said. “His preaching is so powerful that when you hear him, you have to change something in your life.”
He is grateful that his sister, Melanie, will be able to attend his ordination Mass, as will Fathers Gouss Oremile and Jorcelyn Mizalier, who have both served at his home parish in Haiti.
Vesting him will be two Haitian-born diocesan priests: retired Auxiliary Bishop Guy Sansaricq and Father Saint Charles Borno, pastor of St. Teresa of Avila, Sterling Pl. in Crown Heights.
Father Agenis will offer his First Mass of thanksgiving at St. Teresa of Avila Church, on Sunday, June 5 at 10:30 a.m.