BOSTON -- Bishop Cristiano Barbosa made an unusual request to the assembly during Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Jan. 1 -- "pardon my French."

Thankfully, he was speaking literally. Celebrating the annual Haitian Independence Day Mass on Jan. 1, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, he delivered a blessing in French. When he was ordained an auxiliary bishop of Boston in 2024, he promised that he would learn the language to better communicate with the archdiocese's Haitian community.

"I'm still behind," he said in his homily. "I don't know if I'm going to promise, but I'll try, okay?"

Jan. 1, 2026, marked the 222nd anniversary of Haiti's liberation from French colonial rule. Over 750 people filled the cathedral for this year's Mass, which has been organized by the Archdiocese of Boston's Haitian Apostolate since Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley established the annual tradition in 2004. Lorna DesRoses, the Archdiocese of Boston's Evangelization Consultant for Ethnic Communities and the daughter of Haitian immigrants, told The Pilot that the Mass was a way "to ask God's help during this difficult moment when so many are living in fear, anxiety, and uncertainty."

The anxiety comes from dismaying reports coming out of Haiti, a nation plagued by gang violence and poverty, and immigration policies in the U.S. Thousands of Haitians fleeing their deteriorating homeland in recent years were granted Temporary Protected Status, allowing them to live and work in the U.S. legally. Many of those new arrivals came to Boston, which has the third-largest Haitian community in the U.S. after New York and Miami. The Trump administration has revoked TPS for Haitians, among other nationalities, and many immigrants' legal status will expire on Feb. 3.

"Many people have been detained," DesRoses said. "The Archdiocese of Boston has met regularly with Haitian priests to listen to their concerns and offer support, information about resources, and solidarity. Parishes that serve the community are doing so much to provide both pastoral and practical care, including prayer, accompaniment, material assistance, and referrals to trusted resources."

The first waves of Haitian immigrants fled the dictatorships of Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier and his son Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier. They were attracted to Boston's universities and job opportunities in the healthcare sector. The majority of the early immigrants, like the majority of Haiti's population, were Catholic. Haitians celebrate their independence by going to Mass and eating soup joumou, a squash-based dish that enslaved people in Haiti were not allowed to eat.

"After independence, preparing and having soup joumou was one of the first acts of the newly free people," DesRoses said.

Nine parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston have Haitian communities. Representatives of seven of those communities -- St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Mattapan, Christ the King in Brockton, Mission Church in Roxbury, Our Lady of Grace Church in Chelsea, Immaculate Conception in Everett, and St. Ann Church in Somerville -- participated in the liturgy by serving as lectors, handling the collection, and presenting the gifts to the altar. Prayers were offered in French, Haitian Creole, and Spanish. Music was provided by the archdiocese's Haitian Community Choir.

"Many were buoyed by Bishop Cristiano's homily encouraging us to remember our identity as children of God and to seek Mary's intercession for the country of Haiti and those living here in the U.S.," DesRoses said.

In his homily, Bishop Barbosa joked that he was glad Haiti and his home country of Brazil were in the same group for this year's World Cup and would not have to play each other.

"I have dear friends, religious men (and) women, working in Haiti," he said. "And they love the place, they love the country, as you do. And we all know that we ... did not leave our countries because we don't like our countries. It's quite the contrary because we love the place, but we are also looking for something, even to help back home."

The bishop reflected on the Holy Family and the humility of Jesus coming to Earth as a poor child born in a manger, forced to flee for his life with his parents. Mary and Joseph said yes to God, Bishop Barbosa said, and he told the assembly to do the same.

"We see a lot of hatred," he said. "We see violence. We see poverty, divisions, we see things the way they should not be, but the Nativity of the Lord in those conditions tell us that all depends on God."

He said he did not have a solution for the suffering of immigrants in the U.S., or the violence and poverty in Brazil and Haiti.

"But God can do what we cannot do," he said. "What we can do is to respond to him and say 'Yes, Lord, I understand, and I will live with your child.'"

After Mass, Father Garcia Breneville, coordinator of the Haitian Apostolate and pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, said that the Haitian people rely on God, "who has never abandoned us throughout our tumultuous history."

"Haitians take pride in being the world's first Black nation and the second independent country in the Americas," he said. "But we also feel the concern and disappointment over ongoing failings and daily divisions. Despite setbacks, we remain resilient and hopeful."

The celebration concluded with the singing of "La Dessalinienne," Haiti's national anthem.