Pope Francis asks faithful to pray for Hati, a country ravaged by gang violence

The Holy Father addressed his prayers to the Haitian population, subjected to gang violence.

Pope Francis, during a general audience organized on Wednesday February 28, asked the faithful around the world to pray for populations victims of conflicts.
The head of the church included Haiti in his appeal, a country whose population has been facing violence from gangs who kill, rape and steal for several years. The Holy Father also addressed his prayers to the people of Burkina Faso, victims of terrorist attacks perpetrated in a church last Sunday, leaving at least fifteen dead and two injured, reports Vatican News.

During his speech, this media stressed that Pope Francis is moved by the situation in Haiti because of the crimes and kidnappings orchestrated by armed gangs in the metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince and certain provincial towns. . Faced with this situation, Pope Francis launches a call to prayer for the Haitian people.

The Catholic Church is often the victim of armed gang violence in Haiti. Six Brothers of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart who run the John XXIII school were kidnapped. The incident occurred on Friday February 23 in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince. The Congregation had announced the closure of the doors of the Jean XXIII institution until further notice. During the same day, the vicar of the Saint Yves church, the Reverend Father Berthony Jean and members of the Amen television staff were also kidnapped.

It is worth remembering the kidnapping of 6 nuns belonging to the congregation of the Sisters of Sainte-Anne, passengers and their driver on January 19. They were on their way to the university when the vehicle was stopped by armed men who then got into the minibus taking all the passengers hostage. The nuns and other victims were released five days later.