Goal 3: Nurturing Pax Christi Port-au-Prince as an aspiring Pax Christi region
As it stands today, Pax Christi Port-au-Prince is an affiliated member of Pax Christi International yet aspires to become a full regional member. The establishment of ‘Pax Christi Haiti’ would involve, according to Pax Christi International bylaws, the expansion of membership groups outside of Port-au-Prince. If this were to become a reality, it would provide a greater capacity for leadership and support for additional peace building projects, like the one in Cite Soleil.
As proposed first steps in this process, Pax Christi Port-au-Prince aims to broaden support for their project, in country, through outreach to parish communities. Mailings throughout Port-au-Prince, the Peace Library and Resource Center, and a new website can raise awareness of the existence of Pax Christi Port-au-Prince among Catholics there.
One other innovative way of ‘catching the eye’ of parishioners is the creation of peace bulletin boards. As explained by the Pax Christi Port-au-Prince staff, the most common way parish announcements are dispersed is orally. Therefore, if the group offered physical boards where announcements could be posted, with the understanding that rotating peace messages or stories would be a central feature also displayed, it may be a welcome resource for the parish as well as a way to do outreach. To start, the five major parishes closest to the Pax Christi Port-au-Prince office will act as pilot parishes for this idea.