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Haiti is on the brink of a civil war, with many roads blocked and Church personnel facing the threat of abduction, making it difficult for clergy to travel and minister to the faithful, according to the country’s most senior bishop.

Nowhere in the country is completely safe and pastoral work is “very badly affected” – but people’s faith remains strong, Archbishop Max Leroy Mésidor of Port-au-Prince, President of the Haitian Bishops’ Conference, told ACN.

“Everyone is afraid, including the religious. As soon as you leave Port-au-Prince, you are in danger.

“The gangs even come into the churches to kidnap the people there.”

The archbishop added that he struggles to carry out his clerical duties “because one must cope with daily life – and this daily life consists of suffering, violence, gunfights, poverty and deprivation…

He expressed his gratitude for ACN’s help, without which “it would be very difficult for the Church to function” because “priests receive almost no salary and many of the faithful are impoverished”, and “the wealthy have gone abroad".

ACN’s support in Haiti includes formation, retreats and other programmes for seminarians, religious and lay people, as well as Mass stipends for priests and emergency aid for religious Sisters.

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(Since the release of this news article, Haiti has declared a state of emergency as around 4,000 inmates have escaped from prison and a curfew has been imposed as gangs have have joined forces to overthrow the Prime Minister, Ariel Henry.)