Father Allan Figueroa Deck to Open ‘Haiti: One Table Many Partners’ Conference

WASHINGTON—Father Allan Figueroa Deck, a Jesuit theologian and expert oncultural diversity, will deliver the opening keynote address at the “Haiti: OneTable Many Partners” conference in Washington, June 1-3.

“Haiti: One Table Many Partners” will behosted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Catholic ReliefServices (CRS) at The Catholic University of America. The conference willinclude Haitian and U.S. Church leaders who are involved in parishpartnerships, evangelization, church reconstruction and those working insustainable development. In addition to expert speakers, the conference willfeature workshops on partnership projects in areas such as medical missions,catechesis, reconstruction, education and livelihoods.

Other keynote speakers are Bishop ChiblyLanglois of Les Cayes, Haiti, president of the Haitian Episcopal Conference; ArchbishopThomas J. Wenski of Miami, chairman of the USCCB Haiti Advisory Group; andCarolyn Woo, president and CEO of CRS.

There are over 400 U.S. parishespartnered with parishes in Haiti and many other Catholics who are involved inhelping Haiti in one way or another.

“We are privileged to have such arich assembly of wisdom and experience among our speakers,” said Bishop GeraldKicanas of Tucson, chairman of the CRS board. “This conference will prove aunique learning experience for all involved.”

“What will be special about thisconference is the opportunity for U.S. and Haitian Catholics to interact withone another and reflect on their partnership together,” said Bishop GuySansaricq, retired auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn and a member of the HaitiAdvisory Group. “The dialogue and learning will come from, and benefit, bothAmericans and Haitians. We will share the Eucharist together and enjoy manyopportunities for networking and building our collective vision of solidarityand relationship.”

The conference will explore bestpractices in small-scale development work and share information on earthquakeresponse and rebuilding, especially through the Partnership for Church Reconstruction in Haiti (PROCHE). PROCHE isthe reconstruction entity started by the Haitian bishops, with the assistanceand support of the USCCB and other Catholic agencies, to rebuild destroyedChurch structures in Haiti.

Registration for the first nationalconference on solidarity is now open at: https://onetable.crs.org/

For more information, e-mail @email; or call(410) 951-7245.

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