May 7, 2023
VIA EMAIL
The Révérend Père Jean Madoché Vil President, Standing CommitteeEpiscopal Diocese of Haiti
Dear Père Vil,
I was pleased to learn of plans made by the Standing Committee to convene a Diocesan Synod May 9-10, 2023. Please be assured of my prayers as the Diocese gathers at this most important time.
The Constitution of The Episcopal Church requires every diocese to have a Standing Committee that has been elected by a canonically-convened synod of clergy and laity voting with freedom of choice and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In the absence of a Bishop Diocesan, it is the Standing Committee with which the Presiding Bishop consults for the benefit of the diocese.
When circumstances prevent the convening of a diocesan synod, the normative practice within the Church has been for elected persons to continue in office until their successors have been elected. This has been the case in Haiti where, for several years, a variety of difficult circumstances – including internal dissension, political upheaval, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other diseases – have made a meeting of the Diocesan Synod impossible
Now that the Diocese of Haiti will convene a synod for the transaction of canonical business, I pray that you will make a priority of electing a Standing Committee with appropriate and full participation by the clergy and laity of the Diocese.
We are most appreciative of the faithful service of the current Standing Committee and all those who have served since Bishop Duracin’s resignation. We look forward to working with the persons duly elected to Standing Committee at your upcoming Diocesan Synod.
I await expectantly a report of the newly elected and/or re-elected membership of the Standing Committee of Haiti. After the Synod, please communicate the names and contact information of all persons elected. Again, my prayers are with the whole Diocese as you gather in synod.