On Holy Thursday, an accidental meeting took place in Port-au-Prince, Haiti; it proved that no matter where you find yourself doing God’s work, you’re with family.
The setting was the grounds outside the earthquake-ruined Cathedral. Hundreds of people gathered for the annual Chrism Mass; Bishop LaFontant was to celebrate the Liturgy. Oils would be blessed that would be used for the sacraments in devastated parishes in the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince.
In attendance that day was Sr. Lisa Valentini, a Missionary Sister of
the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sr. Lisa was in Haiti as part of a group of Sisters from many orders who had been bused in from the Dominican Republic to serve wherever she was needed. She happened to find work in a soup kitchen for children. Sister is also part of our One Family in Mission here in Boston; she speaks in parishes on behalf of her order and the Propagation of the Faith (last weekend found her preaching at St. Anthony’s in Somerville). Sr. Lisa also visits schools and parish religious education programs here on behalf of the Holy Childhood Association.
Sr. Lisa told us of meeting another of our Boston Mission family members at the Chrism Mass – Fr. Scott Binet, MI. Fr. Scott is a priest and a medical doctor. As
a member of (CTF)S.O.S. Doctors, Fr. Scott and his fellow missionaries arrive at the cutting edge of devastation to serve the medical and spiritual needs of those affected by disaster. He will be speaking this summer at St. Ann in Somerville and St. Patrick in Watertown as part of our office’s Missionary Co- Operative Program. Every year, the Propagation arranges for missionaries from around the world to come to Boston to speak in our parishes about their work. Their stories inspire us to pray and sacrifice so that Jesus’ great commandment to “Go to the ends of the earth and preach My Gospel” can be fulfilled. While they are here, they become members of our Mission family.
It’s not a surprise that Fr. Scott or Sr. Lisa would be in Haiti serving God’s people at this time. That they should find themselves at the Chrism Mass together gave them both a moment of familial joy amidst their work.
In Port-au-Prince, it was a Boston family reunion.
The setting was the grounds outside the earthquake-ruined Cathedral. Hundreds of people gathered for the annual Chrism Mass; Bishop LaFontant was to celebrate the Liturgy. Oils would be blessed that would be used for the sacraments in devastated parishes in the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince.
In attendance that day was Sr. Lisa Valentini, a Missionary Sister of
Sr. Lisa told us of meeting another of our Boston Mission family members at the Chrism Mass – Fr. Scott Binet, MI. Fr. Scott is a priest and a medical doctor. As

It’s not a surprise that Fr. Scott or Sr. Lisa would be in Haiti serving God’s people at this time. That they should find themselves at the Chrism Mass together gave them both a moment of familial joy amidst their work.
In Port-au-Prince, it was a Boston family reunion.