Dear St. Robert Parishioners,
For more than three decades, St. Robert of Newminster has been blessed to walk hand-in-hand with our sister parish, Our Lady’s Nativity in Verrettes, Haiti. This thirty-one year relationship continues to be a living expression of our parish’s faith, generosity, and commitment to the Gospel. This weekend is our annual Haiti Outreach Ministry collection and we invite you to join us once again in lifting up our brothers and sisters in Christ.
The gift of hope, education, and a daily meal
Because of your generosity over the years, hundreds of students attending local schools, mostly parish schools in Verrettes, have received the gift of education: tuition assistance has been given, teachers have been hired, construction projects completed, and lunches provided. Many families who have fled violence in the regions surrounding Verrettes have found safety, support and continuing education for their children through Our Lady’s Nativity Parish. Your financial support through this collection will continue to provide tuition assistance, help pay teacher salaries, and supply a daily lunch that, for many children, is the only meal they receive each day.
To read in more detail about our Haiti Twinning relationship, view photos of life in Verrettes and images of our brothers and sisters in Christ in Haiti, and see how our donations over the years have been put to use, click here.
Responsible stewardship of your donations
The St. Robert Haiti Committee, working closely with the Parish Twinning Program of the Americas (https://ptpausa.org/), carefully oversees the responsible use of every dollar you donate. A comprehensive process review and accounting report was recently shared with our pastor Father Tony and Lynn Mossner, St. Robert’s director of stewardship and operations, reaffirming the transparency, accountability, and strength of this cherished partnership.
WAYS TO GIVE:
- We are especially seeking continuing and new student sponsors for the coming year. Your gift of $300 supports one child’s education for an entire year, though every donation—large or small—makes a real difference.
- CHECK OR CASH: Give using the September 20 envelope during the regular offertory at Masses this weekend or next. If you are a regular online giver and don’t receive the St. Robert envelopes at home, but would like to donate by check, feel free to place your check directly into the offertory basket. (When giving by check, please make the check out to “St. Robert of Newminster” with “Haiti” in the memo line.)
- Parishioners may also drop off donations at the parish office during business hours (8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., M-F), or in the parish drop box outside Door A.
- ONLINE: To give securely online, visit our website at https://strobertchurch.org/ministry/haiti/.
Questions? Please contact Haiti Committee Member:
Tom McDonald – Tmcdonald7287@gmail.com or
Kristen Mahoney – Tmahoney4@aol.com
Thank you for your generosity and prayers as we continue this meaningful relationship and living out Matthew 25:40: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these … you did for me.”
– The St. Robert Haiti Committee
About the photos above (left to right): 1) Lunchtime for children in Descombe; 2.) A lunch of rice and beans is prepared; 3.) Students outside the new parish school in Verettes (2024).
