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Bowled Over

This is a summary of a Fr. Gerry Creedon homily delivered at St. Charles on February 22, 2004

With a team from St Charles I visited Haiti from February 5-10, 2004. Despite the economic and political crises that surrounded them, the people of Cavaillon and Gros Marin touched us with the strength of their faith and the beauty of their liturgies. The dedication of a chapel at Flamand, that we had helped to build, was a moment of joy.

I grew up in West Cork, Ireland, in a small village where my father ran a flour mill. Knowing how central a mill is to a rural community, I took great delight in observing the mill at Cavaillon. St Charles's support had helped them replace the mill's engine. I saw women coming with their bags of grain. They then took the flour to a bakery in the same yard where the flour was turned into buns and biscuits for sale in the market. All of this was the work of a cooperative, sponsored by Caritas and Catholic Relief Services.

This is exactly the kind of micro-enterprise that the proceeds of our Lenten Rice Bowl promotes through CRS. We will reserve 25% of our program for our sister parishes. We visited the Office of CRS at Les Cayes and learned about the difficulty they face in getting emergency food supplies to the north of Haiti, where a drought has been further aggravated by political violence.

The Gospel today speaks to the need for solidarity and an end to violence. David refused to use the sword to conquer his enemy. In a world where we decide so quickly who is with us and who is against us, we need to hear again the Christ's call to universal love. The unity of the human family, fractured by nationalism, racism, and injustice needs to be restored.

At the church doors find the rice bowls, the blessing prayers and the scriptural reflection booklets. Place them on your kitchen tables. Let us live more simply that others may simply live.

May our prayer, fasting and almsgiving bring restoration to Haiti and to all who suffer hunger and violence.

  or  2004 Homilies