La violence ne doit pas nous décourager

Pope Leo XIV called for the immediate release of all hostages and urged leaders to ensure the safety of the population in Haiti following a recent massacre. During the Angelus on August 30, the Pope expressed his prayerful solidarity with the victims and their families, asking for an end to all forms of violence.

The appeal follows a deadly attack in the hills near Port-au-Prince during the night of August 23 and 24. Armed gangs killed 47 people, injured 22 others, and kidnapped more than 50 individuals, including children. During the assault, gunmen entered homes and shot civilians, including those who had sought refuge in a church.

Maddalena Boschetti, a lay missionary who has served in Haiti since 2002, described the country as being in a state of war. She noted that expanding gang violence makes daily tasks such as traveling, praying, and finding food increasingly difficult, while rising prices worsen the existing humanitarian crisis.