Island church partners with Haitian church, priest visits

With Thanksgiving only a few weeks away, a Haitian priest said Friday he already has something extraordinary for which to be thankful.

The Rev. Islaire Faustin is pastor of St. Joseph Catholic parish in Côte-de-Fer, Haiti. His parish, which includes 10 chapels in the surrounding hills of Haiti, are the beneficiaries of charity work coordinated by members of St. William Catholic Church on St. Simons Island. 

Faustin recently visited St. Simons Island to meet some of the donors who provided funds for improvements to his parish, its outreach ministries and a parochial primary school.

The group handling the donations, Helping Hugs, is a nonprofit created by members of St. William Catholic Church, and since its inception in 2008 has brought fresh, running water to the small village, helped rebuild parish buildings after a magnitude-7 earthquake in 2010 and provided funding for the church’s school.

“Our village is very, very poor,” Faustin said through an interpreter Friday on St. Simons Island. “We don’t have money for school, or medication. Without aid, our lives would be very difficult. We only recently received drinkable water.”

Helping Hugs was launched at the suggestion of Monsignor John Kenneally, pastor of St. Williams Catholic Church, said Larry Meagher, Helping Hugs’ president.

“There are about 300 Catholic churches in the U.S. that participate in parish-twinning programs,” Meagher said. “Basically, they partner with parishes in developing nations.”

After forming, the group was paired with St. Joseph parish in Haiti, and in 2009 made a trip to learn about the church’s needs, Meagher said.

“That later evolved into actions,” Meagher said. “We helped the parish rebuild (after the earthquake), and the rectory, which has rooms for meetings. It was destroyed, and we helped rebuild it.”

This cycle, Helping Hugs is aiming to raise $30,000 for improvements to St. Joseph’s parish and school, and purchase a vehicle for Faustin to drive between the 10 chapels he serves.

“The closest (chapel) is nine miles away, but it takes about an hour to reach,” Meagher said. “The roads are very rocky, primitive roads. Others are only reachable by foot.”

Funds raised this year will help pay teachers, provide meals and uniforms for students, as well as other resources Faustin sees as needs.

In the wake of Hurricane Matthew, which caused extensive damage in Haiti, a new challenge has emerged. Many residents found their the roofs of their houses blown away or flood waters had entered, Faustin said.

“After all the work we’ve done, it’s like taking one step forward and two steps back,” Meagher said.

Still, Helping Hugs and its donors are determined. The group held a fundraiser at St. William’s parish hall Saturday, complete with a dinner and silent auction. Fundraising also continues throughout the year, Meagher said.

Faustin said the gratuity doesn’t go unnoticed.

“It helps to improve the living conditions and lives of people living in Côte-de-Fer,” Faustin said through his interpreter. “And it’s done by people who don’t even know us.”

Faustin, who arrived on St. Simons Island on Thursday, is set to leave Monday afternoon. 

Before leaving, though, he wants the opportunity to thank the people who have donated to his parish — not just Helping Hugs, but the various members of the Golden Isles community who have made major improvements to his parish possible. 

To that end, a meet-and-greet social will be held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. today at St. William’s Parish Hall, 2300 Frederica Road on St. Simons Island. The gathering is open to the general public.

For more information on Helping Hugs, or to make a donation, visit the group’s website at www.helpinghugsinc.org.