D071 Governance support for the Diocese of Haiti and leadership for Dioceses in Crisis
Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,
That the 81st General Convention recognize the interim Standing Committee of the Diocese of Haiti as the ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese; and be it further
Resolved, That the President of the House of Deputies and the Presiding Bishop provide support to the interim Standing Committee in appointing a Provisional Bishop to provide oversight and healing, and to conduct an election for a Diocesan Bishop
Explanation
The Episcopal Church has been present in Haiti since the 1860s. The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is a part of Province II and has the largest membership of any diocese in The Episcopal Church.
In 2019, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin retired. There has still not been an election of a successor. Since 2019, the Standing Committee has been the ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese of Haiti.
In 2022, several diocesan officials, including members of the Standing Committee were arrested for arms trafficking. The Standing Committee was accused of misusing the tax exemption of the Diocese. The Haitian government threatened to revoke the religious privileges held by the Diocese.
In response to those events, a group of senior clerics elected an interim Standing Committee to avoid the revocation of privileges. The Haitian government has recognized the interim Standing Committee. The interim Standing Committee has not been officially recognized by The Episcopal Church.
The canons have no provision for dealing with this situation and the political events in Haiti. This situation requires extraordinary intervention by the General Convention.