We are Jesuits in Haiti
Since 1953, serving our people through education, formation, and social promotion.
A presence rooted since 1953
Since the arrival of the first Jesuits on the island, we have been committed to our people through education, formation of the clergy, and social promotion.
Currently part of the Province of Canada. Since 2018, a Superior has been appointed for the Administration of the Territory of Haiti. The history of the Jesuits in Canada from 1611 to 1924 and to the present day is long and fascinating.
We are part of the Province of Canada→
What We Do
We serve the Haitian people through five complementary fields of action, animated by Ignatian spirituality.
Social Work
Jesuit Migrant Service and response to natural disasters.
Spirituality
Spiritual Exercises and accompaniment of persons in their inner journey.
Education
Faith and Joy schools, teacher training with ESPESIL/IUHLA, and Collège Saint-Ignace.
Parish
Pastoral accompaniment in Osmond and Carrefour Charles.
Intellectual and Youth Apostolate
University presence at Notre-Dame of Haiti and youth animation with the Magis Movement.
The source that moves us
Our spiritual source is Ignatius of Loyola. Across the territory, several Jesuits dedicate a significant part of their ministry to the animation of the Spiritual Exercises: with religious men and women, communities and groups who request them, in the north-east in Ouanaminthe, in the south in Port Salut and Carrefour Charles, and in Port-au-Prince itself. At the heart of this apostolate is the Manresa Spirituality Center, located in Tabarre, Port-au-Prince. This retreat house offers a space of silence and encounter with God: Spiritual Exercises, retreats, and individual spiritual accompaniment for all who seek to deepen their interior life.
“From this source, we are moved to transform our lives in service of others.”
Education to Transform
Since 2006, Fe y Alegria has managed or accompanied institutions nationwide. Teacher training center in Ouanaminthe (ESPESIL/IUHLA). Colegio San Ignacio in Croix-des-Bouquets.
Pastoral Presence
Osmond
North-EastThe parish of Osmond is a vibrant community, rooted in the north-east of the country. The Jesuits have been present for years alongside families, youth, and children — in catechesis, celebrations, difficult moments, and festivities. It is a place where faith is lived together, where local leaders are formed, and where development projects emerge from the initiative of the inhabitants themselves.
Carrefour Charles
Deep SouthIn Carrefour Charles, in the south of the island, the parish is above all a place of encounter and belonging. The Jesuits share the daily life of the community: pastoral accompaniment, youth animation, liturgical celebrations, and support for families. A simple and lasting presence, seeking to walk with the people — not ahead, nor behind, but together.
University Presence
The Society is present in Haitian higher education through the Notre-Dame University of Haiti, whose Rector is a Jesuit and where a Jesuit also serves as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences on the Port-au-Prince campus. This university, with 10 campuses across the country, is a privileged space of intellectual influence and service to the Church and Haitian society. Added to this is sustained collaboration with the Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Institution, through the animation of Spiritual Exercises and the accompaniment of religious groups. More recently, the Society is engaging with youth through the MAGIS Movement, a space of human, spiritual, and apostolic formation for young people seeking to deepen their faith and commit to the service of others.
Answering the Call
Being a Jesuit is one of the ways to respond to the immense challenges of our time. It takes greatness of soul to listen and a generous heart to trust and embark on the path.
Serving the most vulnerable
An important apostolic work is the Jesuit Migrant Service / Solidarité Fwontalye-Haiti. Given the environmental emergency, Haiti faces large migratory flows. The JMS welcomes returnees, intervenes with social innovation, and systematizes information for state and civil decisions.
Currently, the office is located in Ouanaminthe, in northern Haiti, on the border with Dajabón, Dominican Republic.