Ronald Rosaliere

Ronald Rosaliere is a parishioner at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in East Meadow, on Long Island.

Could you say a little about your background and how you became Orthodox?

It all started about 35 years ago. I migrated to the U.S. from Haiti in 1987. I had no family here when I moved, but I eventually got a job; then I went to school in Manhattan and earned a degree in liberal arts. I met my future ex-wife at work. After several years together, we divorced. Thankfully, we didn’t have any children together. Then, while I was working for a law firm, I went back to school to get a degree in political science from Queens College. But midway through my studies, the firm ended the tuition reimbursement program and I had to drop out. On the advice of friends, I became a real-estate broker. I’ve been doing that since 1997. I now live on Long Island.

My sister also moved to the United States. She introduced me to the Orthodox Church. She was working for a Greek family in the Poconos, and that family shared their faith with her and invited her to church. Once she stepped inside an Orthodox church for the first time, she never left.

We were both raised Catholic, and we both felt that something was missing spiritually. We were both looking for something more—we just didn’t know what it was. My sister had been talking to me about her newfound faith for a while when I saw an ad in the paper for Holy Trinity Church in East Meadow. So I responded to the invitation and went, and never looked back. I was just Chrismated at the beginning of August. I’m told I chose a very unusual time to become Orthodox—during a pandemic.

There aren’t that many people of African ancestry in the Orthodox Church in this country. What has that experience been like?

What gave me the courage to visit an Orthodox church was my sister’s story. She was welcomed with open arms. She also related how she was treated as special when she visited Jerusalem, because she was Orthodox. It didn’t matter that she was Haitian; what mattered was her faith. Before I visited the parish in East Meadow, I drove by Orthodox churches several times, but I never saw people who looked like me, so I always passed by, thinking it wasn’t for me. Not having anyone who looks like you or talks like you in the church can make it very difficult to take that first step.

What was the most welcoming encounter you had when you first started attending an Orthodox church?

Haitians could bring a deep level of devotion that would be positive for the whole Orthodox Church—and all the good food and music would enrich the community life too.

When I first came, something strong inside of me urged me to introduce myself. I was welcomed with so much warmth, it surprised me. Several people shook my hand and introduced themselves even before the Liturgy was over. Everyone who came up to me knew my name. It shocked me; I had only told my name to one person.

I was invited to come down for coffee or tea after the service. I was surprised by this. This didn’t happen at any other church I’ve been to, and it made me feel special. As I socialized with people at coffee hour, I didn’t feel like anyone was hiding anything. I felt honesty there, and I never felt any pressure. It was so refreshing. I was treated like I could make up my mind for myself about the faith.

How did your previous religious background prepare you to become Orthodox? What was the most difficult thing to adjust to?

Growing up Catholic made it easier to become Orthodox. Orthodoxy felt like a different version of Catholicism. But it felt more serious and more authentic. I respected how I was not permitted to take Communion and the seriousness of preparation for Communion. That made me realize the Orthodox Church was the real deal. It made me appreciate Holy Communion more.

What do your friends and family think about you being Orthodox?

My sister is older than I am, so they say I am following in her footsteps. They don’t have anything bad to say. I would like to convert my whole family someday.

How is being Haitian different from other kinds of Black minorities?

There is one reason I intentionally did not drop my accent: it was so I would sound different from other Black people. I had several people advise me to do that so I wouldn’t be discriminated against. I noticed that when I spoke French in public, people would treat me like I was smart. 1 But my accent can also sometimes cause me to be discriminated against. Some of the cultural aspects of my Haitian background put me in more contact with white people than perhaps some other Black minorities are. For example, I play soccer, and I have run in the New York Marathon several times. Those are things most Black people don’t do. So sometimes being Haitian works against me and sometimes it works to my advantage.

1. Haiti was colonized by Spain in 1492, but two centuries later it was ceded to France, which imported vast numbers of enslaved Africans there to grow sugarcane. Ninety-five percent of Haitians are of African descent.

Have you ever experienced racism first hand?

I have. But I try not to focus on it. At one time, I was a manager at a golf course. There was a golf tournament, and Tiger Woods was coming in. The owner invited me and three other managers to the tournament. We had good seats. I only had to pay for the drinks and food. I was walking together with my boss and co-workers into a restaurant. All the other guys I was with were white, and they all walked through with no problem, but the security officer stopped me and gave me a hard time, asking for my ticket. He didn’t really believe I was supposed to be there. One of my co-workers came to my defense. Later I told my fellow managers that I was fine, and I was used to it because it happens to me all the time.

What do you think Black people can bring to Orthodoxy? How would their increased presence leave a mark on the life of our parishes?

I will speak for Haitians. I believe that Haitians could bring a lot to the Orthodox Church. They are a very religious and spiritual people. They would bring a deep level of devotion that would be positive for the whole Church. And all the good food, music, and other customs of the Haitian people would enrich the community life of the Church, too. The Orthodox Church today feels like what the Catholic Church used to be, when I was growing up. I think that if the Orthodox Church opened missions in Haiti, She would gain a lot of converts. 2

2. In fact, International Orthodox Christian Charities has been working in Haiti since 2010, when a massive hurricane swept the island. Both the Greek Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia have opened parishes and run schools there.

How can the average parishioner be more welcoming to a Black inquirer? Any practical advice?

Well, I think the church did a very good job welcoming me personally. If they do the same for other Black inquirers, it will be a job well done. So many people would give me antidoron after the service that I couldn’t hold it all. I think from what I’ve experienced, at least at Holy Trinity [in East Meadow, N.Y.], their hospitality is on point. When I attended a Catholic church, I don’t think the priests ever remembered my name, but Father Martin Kraus at Holy Trinity learned my name right away and never forgot it. I also felt a lot more informed and included in church life than I did growing up Catholic.

Interview by Rev. Matthew Brown

Three Angels with Black Jesus (c. 1960s)

artist: Edgar Brièrre location: University of Kansas, Spencer Museum of Art Lawrence, Kansas