Fr. Wilgintz Goes to Haiti

By Fr. Steve Ryan, SDB, Director, Marrero Community

(Marrero, LA – March 25) – Fr. Wilgintz Polynice, SDB, a longtime member of our province who has spent the last seven years with the Salesian community in Marrero, is going to Haiti.

You may ask, “So what's the big deal? He goes to Haiti annually to visit family and check on his missionary projects there.” The deal is that he is transferring for three years to the vice-province of Haiti, with the blessing of our provincial, Fr. Dominic Tran, SDB, and Fr. Morachel Bonhomme, SDB, provincial of the Haiti province.

During the last seven years in New Orleans, Fr. Wilgintz has done amazing work for immigrants and the poor. He instituted a successful language school at Archbishop Shaw High School in the evenings and has helped over 200 men and women gain employment.

Additionally, Fr. Wilgintz has served the African-American community, as well as local parishes throughout the New Orleans area, during these years. The worldwide organization Food for the Poor is indebted to Fr. Wilgintz for preaching on their behalf numerous times a year throughout the country.

Fr. Wilgintz feels called to serve the poor in his country during this critical moment in Haiti's turbulent history. Many people in Haiti are suffering from violence, political chaos, gang brutality, and a lack of security. Our Salesians in Haiti are desperate for assistance to continue our mission for the young and the poor, and Fr. Wilgintz is responding to that need.

Fr. Morachel plans to assign Fr. Wilgintz as the director of the professional school in Cap Haitien.

Fr. Wilgintz is very grateful to the St. Philip the Apostle Province and will miss all of us as he moves to this assignment.