PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, FEB. 2, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Several religious were among the casualties — which are up to 170,000 according to the most recent count — from the Jan. 12 earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince.
Fides, the news agency of the Pontifical Mission Societies, publicized the most recent report sent by the Haitian Conference of Religious, although the details are still incomplete regarding the status of the various missionary groups.
The houses of many religious congregations were destroyed in the 7.0-magnitude quake, and several consecrated were killed.
The Daughters of Mary lost 13 nuns, including the provincial superior, and three employees. Its houses and schools were ruined.
The Daughters of Mary Immaculate Queen marked a similar destruction of their buildings, and reported the deaths of two sisters and eight girls.
Two religious of the Christian Brothers were killed, and three of their schools wrecked along with their provincial house.
The Montfort Missionaries counted 11 victims, and stated that a house, school, and churches were demolished. Six sisters from that spiritual family, of the Congregation of Daughters of Wisdom, also passed away. One employee also died, and the congregation lost their houses and school.
Four Little Sisters of St. Teresa died in the quake, along with seven teachers and 60 students. Five of their houses and two schools were destroyed. Two of the Little Brothers of St. Teresa were killed, and five houses ruined.
The Salesians reported three victims, and a demolished house and school.
The Holy Cross Fathers noted one death and a devastated house.
The Congregation of the Holy Spirit, also known as the Spiritan Fathers, lost one member and their house and school.
The Sisters of St. Anne lost one nun, and their house and school were destroyed.
Sister Brigitte Pierre of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul died in the quake, and the congregation’s house was severely damaged.
Demolished
Other communities with destroyed houses include: the Clerics of Saint Viator; the Franciscan Friars Minor; the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart; the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate; the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis; the Dominican Sisters of Charity of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin; the Religious Sisters of Jesus and Mary; the Society of the Sacred Heart; the Marianists; the Scheut Missionaries; and the Missionaries of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Those that also lost schools are: the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco; the Brothers of the Sacred Heart; the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi; the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny; the Missionaries of the Immaculate Conception; and the Sisters of Charity of St. Hyacinthe.
The Sisters of Christ Marie Alphonse lost an orphanage as well as their school.
According to 2004 statistics, the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince had some 2.5 million Catholics, which is 74% of the total population. Haiti’s capital was served at that time by 277 priests, 387 men religious and 1,200 women religious.
