The Catholic Church in Haiti, represented by the Haitian Conference of Religious (CHR) and the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince, convened a day of fervent prayer, meditation, and Eucharistic adoration on January 24, seeking divine intervention for the liberation of individuals abducted by an armed gang. This includes six nuns belonging to the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Anne.
Father Morachel Bonhomme, the CHR president, officially reported on January 19 the hijacking of a bus transporting the nuns and others. In a joint statement issued on January 22, Bonhomme and Metropolitan Archbishop Max Mésidor urged priests, religious men and women, and the laity to organize continuous prayer chains across all parishes and communities, imploring for the safe release of the kidnapped individuals and their reunion with their families.
The church leaders vehemently denounced the "heinous and criminal" act, emphasizing the alarming frequency of such kidnappings in the country, occurring with impunity. They highlighted the distress caused among the citizens of goodwill and the tarnishing of Haiti's international image. Solidarity was expressed towards the Congregation of Sisters of St. Anne, the families of the abducted, and all victims of violence perpetrated by brazen criminal gangs controlling a significant portion of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The church's appeal reached out to the kidnappers' conscience, urging the unharmed release of the hostages. Bishop Pierre André Dumas of the Diocese of Anse-à-Veau and Miragoâne boldly offered to trade places with the captives, stating, "Please take me in their place. I’m ready!" Dumas emphasized the severity of kidnapping individuals dedicated to serving the poor and the young, asserting that such actions would face divine judgment.
Revealing the captors' demand of $3 million for the nuns' release, Bishop Dumas underscored the pastoral and humanitarian contributions of the Sisters of St. Anne, who have selflessly dedicated themselves to healing the wounds of one of the world's most impoverished populations. The bishop's courageous offer and the church's unwavering commitment to prayer underscore the gravity of the situation, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution to this distressing crisis.