Our FOURTH issue of The Personalist is printed and will be in your mailboxes after Easter! Below is a beautiful reflection from Rev. Robenson Siquette, a Jesuit priest, who came to visit the Harrisburg Haitian community in February. He wrote a reflection about his time here in Harrisburg in English and Haitian Creole. Read this and more in The Personalist.
Hoping in the Midst of Uncertainty
By Rev. Robenson Siquette, SJ
On February 21 and 22, 2026, I went to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at the invitation of James Murphy of St. Martin de Porres Catholic Worker. The purpose was to meet with the local Haitian community, listen to their fears, clarify the situation surrounding TPS, and reflect together on how to live in a time marked by uncertainty and the threat of deportation. A few days earlier, I had reread the message of Pope Leo XIV for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees. His words accompanied the entire encounter: “Many migrants, refugees and displaced persons are privileged witnesses of hope. Indeed, they demonstrate this daily through their resilience and trust in God, as they face adversity while seeking a future in which they glimpse that integral human development and happiness are possible.” In Harrisburg, those words became flesh.
A Community Gathered Despite Fear
On Saturday, February 21, the meeting began at noon in the Catholic Worker house. Haitians from the area had prepared a flyer with my photo and the details of the gathering. Many came, but others did not dare. We began with a brief introduction where each person introduced themselves: their name, the city they came from in Haiti, and what they hoped to receive from the meeting. I then asked a few questions: Who am I? Where do I come from? With whom do I live? How am I feeling right now? What would I like to share? Very quickly, the realities surfaced. Some shared that federal ICE agents had already carried out arrests in the area. Families live with the constant fear of being stopped. Parents hesitate to take their children to school. Many are working, yet fear follows them everywhere.
We spoke about TPS (Temporary Protected Status), which allows people to work legally and protects them from deportation for a designated period. I explained that TPS is an administrative and political measure. It does not define a person’s value. It says nothing about their dignity, their faith, their courage, or their story. For now, a judge has blocked the termination of TPS, allowing beneficiaries to continue working. But no one knows what the future holds. This uncertainty weighs heavily on people’s minds. Many have children born in the United States. These children are American citizens. Parents live with a painful question: what will happen if we are deported? Should we leave our children here? Should we take them to a country they do not know? It is normal to be afraid. It is normal to fear family separation. It is normal to fear losing work, housing, stability. Fear does not make us weak. It makes us human. And as a Jesuit priest from Haiti who has accompanied migrants at borders, their fears were painfully familiar to me.
Living Without Panic, Without Naivety
One of the central questions was this: how do we live today without giving in to panic, yet without being naïve? We focused on concrete steps. Stay properly informed. Avoid rumors circulating on WhatsApp. Rely on trustworthy sources. Reach out to reputable organizations, lawyers, churches, and nonprofits. Explore whether you may qualify for other forms of relief: asylum, work visas, adjustment of status. Keep documents in order: passport, birth certificate, contact information for a lawyer. Make simple family plans. If I am arrested, who will take care of the children? Where are the important documents? Who should be called? Preparing does not betray hope. It is an act of responsibility. I invite them not to live in the shadows. Continue working, educating your children, building community. Isolation weakens, but solidarity strengthens. Pope Leo XIV wrote: “In a world darkened by war and injustice, even when all seems lost, migrants and refugees stand as messengers of hope. Their courage and tenacity bear heroic testimony to a faith that sees beyond what our eyes can see and gives them the strength to defy death on the various contemporary migration routes.” In Harrisburg, that tenacity was visible. These men and women have survived earthquakes, poverty, and exile. Their national history is one of resistance.
Hardship, Yet Dignity Intact
The neighborhood where many Haitian families live is modest. Some depend on food distributions. Others receive donated clothing from local organizations. Yet in the midst of this hardship, I witnessed profound dignity. Parents working tirelessly. Mothers protecting their children with fierce love. Young people who want to study and build a future. Pope Leo insists that “migrants and refugees are recognized as brothers and sisters, part of a family in which they can express their talents and participate fully in community life.” The question is clear: are we ready to recognize these brothers and sisters as full members of our human family?
The Holy Father commented on the pastoral letter issued on November 13 by the U.S. bishops during their plenary assembly in Baltimore. They rejected mass deportations and affirmed that national security and human dignity are not incompatible. The Pope called their statement “very important” and invited all Americans to listen carefully to what they said. He acknowledged that no country is required to have open borders. Every nation has the right to determine who enters, how, and when. But he added that treating people who have lived good and productive lives in the country for years with violence or disrespect is troubling. Those words echoed powerfully in that room in Harrisburg.
The Wound of Violence
During the discussion, a painful topic emerged: violence within the community. I was told about three women who had been killed by their husbands in recent years. I heard about a recent case in which a man stabbed his wife at home and, while walking down the street with the knife used in the murder, was shot by the police. I was shaken. Poverty, stress, constant fear, and isolation can intensify tensions. But nothing justifies violence, especially against women. I urged the community not to remain silent. To report dangerous situations. To seek help before it is too late. The Catholic Worker offered its space for regular meetings, dialogue, prevention, and accompaniment. Protecting women, supporting couples in crisis, breaking the silence; this too is part of defending human dignity.
Prayer, Desert, and Lent
We began the gathering with prayer, and we ended with prayer. Together we prayed: Lord, sustain us in our uncertainty. Give us wisdom to act, courage to persevere, and faith not to despair. The next day, Sunday, we celebrated Mass for the First Sunday of Lent. The Gospel recounted Jesus’ temptations in the desert. I told the community: you too are walking through a desert. The temptation may be despair, anger, or withdrawal. But the Gospel reminds us that we are not alone. Christ knew hunger, weakness, and trial. He remained faithful. Lent is not a journey we walk alone. It is a journey with Christ, sustained by prayer, the Word, and shared life.
Faces, Names, and Hope
After the meeting, we shared a Haitian meal. Some stayed to tell me their personal stories. I visited families who had been unable to attend. I left marked by the fear and suffering of this community, yes. But above all, marked by hope. A lucid hope, not a naïve one. A hope that knows political decisions can change overnight. A hope that knows TPS could disappear. Yet a hope that insists human dignity does not depend on any document. I was especially moved by James Murphy and Renée D. Roden of the Catholic Worker, tireless companions present at every step, attentive to each person. Their concrete commitment embodies the spirit of the Catholic Worker: solidarity lived not as a slogan, but as daily practice.
I thank God for this encounter. One concrete example revealed the strength of what happens when people gather and support one another. During the meeting, a Haitian woman shared a deep concern. She had an upcoming court appointment related to her asylum case. She was living in Harrisburg, but her court hearing was scheduled in New Jersey. She was afraid to go. She was alone and had no one to accompany her, and she feared missing the appointment. In the meeting, she was able to share her situation openly. Help emerged from the community. People of goodwill from the Catholic Worker and others stepped forward to accompany her. Some helped her travel to the court, and others assisted with translation during the process. This simple but powerful moment revealed something essential: when people meet, speak honestly about their struggles, and support one another, real help becomes possible. Community bears fruit. That experience embodied what I had tried to emphasize during the gathering. Isolation deepens fear, but solidarity opens paths that seemed impossible before.
As I left Harrisburg, I reflected again on the words of Pope Leo XIV: migrants are messengers of hope. It is something I saw and experienced. These men and women live with legal fragility. They face the fear of deportation. Yet they continue to love, to work, to raise their children, and to pray. They remind us of something essential: hope is not the absence of problems. It is the decision not to let fear have the final word. The invitation to our Church and communities is to have the courage to recognize them truly as brothers and sisters, as members of one human family. In Harrisburg, in the heart of winter and at the beginning of Lent, I saw a desert. But I also saw the first signs of Easter.
Espwa nan Mitan Ensètitid
Nan dat 21 ak 22 fevriye 2026, mwen te ale Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, sou envitasyon James Murphy nan St. Martin de Porres Catholic Worker. Objektif la se te rankontre kominote ayisyen ki nan zòn nan, koute difikilte yo, klarifye sitiyasyon ki antoure TPS la, epi reflechi ansanm sou kijan pou viv nan yon tan ki make pa ensètitid ak menas depòtasyon. Kèk jou anvan, mwen te li ankò mesaj Pap Leo XIV pou 111yèm Jounen Mondyal Migran ak Refijye yo. Pawòl li yo te akonpaye tout rankont la: “Anpil migran, refijye ak moun ki deplase yo se temwen privilejye espwa. Vrèmanvre, yo montre sa chak jou atravè rezilyans yo ak konfyans yo nan Bondye, pandan y ap fè fas ak advèsite epi y ap chèche yon avni kote yo wè posiblite pou devlopman entegral ak kè kontan.” Nan Harrisburg, pawòl sa yo te vin pran lavi.
Yon Kominote ki Rasanble Malgre Laperèz
Samdi 21 fevriye a, rankont la te kòmanse a midi nan kay Catholic Worker ya
. Ayisyen ki nan zòn nan te prepare yon afich ak foto mwen ansanm ak detay sou rankont la. Anpil moun te vini, men gen lòt ki pa t oze vini. Nou te kòmanse ak yon ti entwodiksyon kote chak moun te prezante tèt yo: non yo, vil yo soti an Ayiti, ak sa yo te espere jwenn nan rankont la. Apre sa, mwen te poze kèk kesyon: Kilès mwen ye? Ki kote mwen soti? Ak kiyès mwen ap viv? Kijan mwen santi mwen kounye a? Ki sa mwen ta renmen pataje? Byen vit, reyalite yo te parèt. Gen moun ki te pataje ke ajan federal ICE yo te deja fè arestasyon nan zòn nan. Fanmi yo ap viv ak yon pè konstan pou yo pa arete yo. Paran yo ezite mennen pitit yo lekòl. Anpil nan yo ap travay, men laperèz la swiv yo tout kote.
Nou te pale sou TPS (Temporary Protected Status), ki pèmèt moun travay legalman epi pwoteje yo kont depòtasyon pandan yon peryòd detèmine. Mwen te eksplike ke TPS la se yon mezi administratif ak politik. Li pa defini valè yon moun. Li pa di anyen sou diyite yo, lafwa yo, kouraj yo, oswa istwa yo. Pou kounye a, yon jij bloke desizyon pou mete fen nan TPS, sa ki pèmèt benefisyè yo kontinye travay. Men pèsonn pa konnen sa lavni ap pote. Ensètitid sa a lou anpil sou lespri moun yo. Anpil gen pitit ki fèt Ozetazini. Timoun sa yo se sitwayen ameriken. Paran yo ap viv ak kesyon ki fè mal anpil: kisa k ap rive si yo depòte nou? Èske nou ta dwe kite pitit nou isit? Èske nou ta dwe mennen yo nan yon peyi yo pa menm konnen? Li nòmal pou yo gen kè sote. Li nòmal pou yo pè separasyon fanmi. Li nòmal pou yo pè pèdi travay yo, kay yo, estabilite yo. Laperèz pa fè nou fèb. Li fè nou moun. E kòm yon prèt Jezuit ki soti Ayiti, ki abitye akonpaye migran nan fwontyè yo, mwen abitye ak laperèz sa yo, doulè sa yo familye pou mwen.
Viv San Panik, San Nayifte
Youn nan kesyon santral yo se te sa: kijan pou nou viv jodi a san nou pa tonbe nan panik, men san nou pa vin nayif tou? Nou te konsantre sou kèk etap konkrè: Rete byen enfòme. Evite rimè ki ap sikile sou WhatsApp. Konte sou sous enfòmasyon ki serye. Kontakte òganizasyon serye, avoka, legliz ak òganizasyon san bi likratif. Gade si gen lòt fòm pwoteksyon ki ka aplikab: azil, viza travay, ajisteman estati. Nou te pale tou sou enpòtans pou kenbe dokiman yo nan lòd: paspò, batistè, enfòmasyon kontak pou avoka. Fè plan senp pou fanmi an: si mwen arete, kiyès ki pral okipe timoun yo? Ki kote dokiman enpòtan yo ye? Ki moun pou’m rele? Prepare pa vle di nou pèdi espwa. Se yon zak responsabilite. Mwen te envite yo tou pou yo pa viv nan lonbraj. Kontinye travay. Kontinye edike pitit yo. Kontinye bati kominote. Izolman ap fè yo vin pi fèb, men solidarite ap fè yo vin pi fò. Pap Leo XIV te ekri:
“Nan yon mond ki vin fè nwa akoz lagè ak enjistis, menm lè tout bagay sanble pèdi, migran ak refijye yo parèt kòm mesaje espwa. Kouraj yo ak tenasite yo bay yon temwayaj ewoik sou yon lafwa ki wè pi lwen pase sa je nou ka wè.” Nan Harrisburg, tenasite sa a te vizib. Gason ak fanm sa yo siviv tranblemanntè, povrete, ak egzil. Istwa nasyonal yo se yon istwa rezistans.
Difikilte, Men Diyite a Rete Entak
Katye kote anpil fanmi ayisyen yo ap viv la modès. Gen moun ki depann de distribisyon manje. Gen lòt ki resevwa rad, don nan men òganizasyon lokal yo. Men menm nan difikilte sa yo, mwen te temwen yon diyite pwofon. Anpil paran ki ap travay san pran souf.
Manman ki ap pwoteje pitit yo ak yon lanmou fò. Jèn ki vle etidye epi bati yon avni. Pap Leo ensiste ke: “migran ak refijye yo dwe rekonèt kòm frè ak sè, kòm manm yon fanmi kote yo ka eksprime talan yo epi patisipe totalman nan lavi kominote a.” Kesyon an klè: Èske nou pare pou rekonèt frè ak sè sa yo kòm manm konplè nan fanmi imen an?
Pap la te fè kòmantè sou lèt pastoral evèk Etazini yo te pibliye 13 novanm pandan asanble plenyè yo nan Baltimore. Yo te rejte depòtasyon an mas epi yo te afime ke sekirite nasyonal ak diyite moun pa opoze youn ak lòt. Pap la fè konnen deklarasyon yo a “trè enpòtan” epi li te envite tout Ameriken pou yo koute ak anpil atansyon sa yo te di. Li te rekonèt ke okenn peyi pa oblije gen fwontyè louvri. Chak nasyon gen dwa deside kiyès ki antre, kijan, ak kilè. Men li te ajoute ke trete moun ki ap viv pandan plizyè ane nan peyi a, ki mennen yon vi onèt ak pwodiktif, avèk vyolans oswa mank respè se yon bagay ki boulvèsan. Pawòl sa yo te sonnen avèk anpil fòs nan sal rankont lan nan Harrisburg.
Blesi Vyolans lan
Pandan diskisyon yo, yon sijè douloure parèt: vyolans andedan kominote a. Yo te rakonte m gen twa fanm ki pèdi lavi yo nan men mari yo nan kèk ane ki sot pase yo. Mwen te tande tou yon ka resan kote yon nonm te bay madanm li plizyè kout kouto lakay li, epi pandan li t ap mache nan lari a ak kouto krim nan nan men li, lapolis te fizye’l. Sa te boulvèse m anpil. Povrete, estrès, laperèz konstan ak izolman ka ogmante tansyon yo. Men pa gen anyen ki jistifye vyolans, espesyalman kont fanm yo. Mwen te ankouraje kominote a pou yo pa rete an silans. Rapòte sitiyasyon danjere yo. Chèche èd anvan li twò ta. Catholic Worker ofri espas li pou rankont regilye, dyalòg, prevansyon ak akonpayman. Pwoteje fanm yo, sipòte koup ki nan kriz yo, kraze silans lan; sa tou se yon pati nan defann diyite moun.
Lapriyè, Dezè ak Karèm
Nou te kòmanse rankont la ak lapriyè, epi nou te fini li ak lapriyè. Ansanm nou te priye:
Seyè, soutni nou nan ensètitid nou. Ban nou sajès pou nou aji, kouraj pou nou pèsevere, ak lafwa pou nou pa dezespere. Nan dimanch, nou te selebre Lamès pou Premye Dimanch Karèm. Levanjil la te pale de tantasyon Jezi nan dezè a. Mwen te di kominote a: nou menm tou n ap mache nan yon dezè. Tantasyon an ka dezespwa, kòlè oswa abandon. Men Levanjil la raple nou ke nou pa poukont nou. Kris la te konnen grangou, feblès ak eprèv. Li te rete fidèl. Karèm se pa yon chemen nou mache poukont nou. Se yon chemen ak Kris la, soutni pa lapriyè, Pawòl Bondye a, ak lavi pataje.
Vizaj, Non ak Espwa
Apre rankont la, nou te pataje manje ayisyen. Gen kèk moun ki te rete pou rakonte m istwa pèsonèl yo. Mwen te vizite kèk fanmi ki pa t kapab vini. Mwen te kite Harrisburg make pa laperèz ak soufrans kominote sa a, wi. Men sitou make pa espwa. Yon espwa ki klè, pa yon espwa nayif. Yon espwa ki konnen desizyon politik yo ka chanje nan yon bat je. Yon espwa ki konnen TPS la ka disparèt. Men yon espwa ki ensiste diyite moun pa depann de okenn dokiman. Mwen te espesyalman touche pa James Murphy ak Renée D. Roden nan Catholic Worker, de konpayon ki pa janm bouke, ki prezan nan chak etap, atantif ak chak moun. Angajman konkrè yo montre lespri ak misyon Catholic Worker: solidarite ki pa sèlman yon slogan, men yon pratik ki dwe kontinye chak jou.
Mwen remèsye Bondye pou rankont sa a. Yon egzanp konkrè montre fòs sa ki ka rive lè nou reyini epi sipòte youn lòt. Pandan rankont la, yon fanm ayisyen te pataje yon gwo enkyetid. Li te gen yon randevou nan tribinal ki gen rapò ak dosye azil li. Li t ap viv Harrisburg, men odyans li te pwograme nan New Jersey. Li te pè ale. Li te poukont li epi li pa t gen pèsonn pou akonpaye li, epi li te pè rate randevou a. Nan rankont la, li te kapab pataje sitiyasyon li ouvètman. Èd te parèt nan kominote a. Moun ki gen bon kè nan Catholic Worker ansanm ak lòt moun te pran inisyativ pou akonpaye li. Gen moun ki te ede li ale nan tribinal la, epi lòt moun te ede ak tradiksyon pandan pwosesis la. Moman te senp men pwisan, sa a revele yon verite esansyèl: lè moun rankontre, pale onètman sou difikilte yo, epi sipòte youn lòt, èd reyèl vin posib. Kominote pote fwi. Eksperyans sa a te montre sa mwen te eseye mete aksan sou li pandan rankont la: izolman ogmante laperèz, men solidarite louvri chemen ki te sanble enposib anvan.
Pandan mwen t ap kite Harrisburg, mwen te reflechi ankò sou pawòl Pap Leo XIV: migran yo se mesaje espwa. Se yon bagay mwen te wè ak eksperimante. Gason ak fanm sa yo ap viv ak frajilite legal. Yo ap fè fas ak laperèz depòtasyon. Men yo kontinye renmen, travay, leve pitit yo, epi priye. Yo raple nou yon verite esansyèl: espwa pa absans pwoblèm. Se desizyon pou pa kite laperèz gen dènye mo a. Envitasyon an pou Legliz nou an ak pou kominote nou yo se gen kouraj pou rekonèt yo vrèman kòm frè ak sè nou, kòm manm yon sèl fanmi. Nan Harrisburg, nan mitan sezon fredi a ak nan kòmansman Karèm nan, mwen te wè yon dezè. Men mwen te wè tou premye siy Pak la.