Newly Created Haitian Cardinal Committed to Evangelization

Cardinal Chibly Langlois Speaks on Pastoral Vision for Church in Haiti

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Newly created Cardinal Chibly Langlois, Archbishop of Les Cayes, Haiti expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis in creating him a Cardinal, an act that gives “our small country a presence in the eyes of the world.

At 55 years old, the Haitian prelate is the youngest among the Cardinals in this year’s consistory as well as the first Cardinal in the history of the Church of Haiti. In an interview with Fides News Agency, spoke on the challenges facing his country, which is still suffering from a devastating earthquake in January 2010.

“The Church in Haiti lives in a constant spirit of evangelization as encouraged by the Bishops of Latin America, this means, pastoral care priorities including living and sharing the concerns of the poorest of our people, as Pope Francis has so often said.”

“Our aim is to involve everyone in the commitment to evangelize, our young people, our priests, our bishops, our men and women religious, our families. The entire community of the faithful is called to share in this pastoral vision”.

Prior to his elevation to the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Langlois was serving as president of the Haitian Bishops Conference, as well as assisting in recovery efforts and mediator in talks between the Haitian President and opposition parties. The Catholic Church in Haiti, he said, cannot remain indifferent towards the plight of the people.

“In this regard something most important must be said: in the social field the local Church is accompanying the political leaders to build dialogue between the sides and so solve the problems of our society,” he said. “It is a duty to share responsibility for resolving the political situation in our country, the crisis we are experiencing, and this will be possible only through dialogue.”

“All that is needed now to end the crisis,” he concluded, “is for an agreement to be signed. In this effort, the local Church has a clearly defined social role.” (J.A.E.)

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