Joseph Serge Miot
Encyclopedia
Joseph Serge Miot was a Haiti
an archbishop
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He was the ninth Archbishop of Port-au-Prince
, serving from 2008 until his death as a result of the January 12, 2010 earthquake
.
, Grand'Anse Department
on November 23, 1946. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on July 4, 1975 in the Diocese of Jérémie
.
On July 29, 1997, he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop
of Port-au-Prince
by Pope John Paul II
, because the people had been displeased with Archbishop François-Wolff Ligondé's supposed encouragement of the coup movement — the archdiocesan offices were burned in retribution. Archbishop Miot received his episcopal consecration
on the following October 12th from Archbishop Christophe Pierre, with Archbishops François Gayot
, SMM
, and Ligondé serving as co-consecrators
.
During his tenure, he denounced the incarceration of Fr. Gérard Jean-Juste
by the government of Prime Minister Gérard Latortue
; Miot later suspended Father Jean-Juste after the priest disobeyed orders to not present himself as a political candidate.
Miot succeeded Ligondé, becoming the ninth Archbishop of Port-au-Prince
upon the latter's resignation on March 1, 2008.
The Port-au-Prince Cathedral, archdiocese offices, and many other churches were destroyed by the earthquake
on January 12, 2010. Miot was killed when the force of the quake threw him off his balcony at the papal nunciature. Archbishop Bernardito Auza
, Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, the Apostolic Administrator
of the Archdiocese, said that he originally sought an immediate burial for Miot, but that it would have conflicted with local tradition. Miot was buried at Lilavois Cemetery on Saturday, January 23, 2010 immediately after his funeral Mass
. Celebrant
s presiding at the funeral Mass included Timothy Dolan
, Archbishop of New York and Chairman of the board of Catholic Relief Services
, Thomas Wenski
, Bishop of Orlando, and Archbishop Bernardito Auza
.
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He was the ninth Archbishop of Port-au-Prince
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince is a metropolitan diocese, responsible for the suffragan Dioceses of Jacmel, Jérémie, Anse-à-Veau and Miragoâne and Les Cayes....
, serving from 2008 until his death as a result of the January 12, 2010 earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
.
Biography
Miot was born in JérémieJérémie
Jérémie is the capital city of the department of Grand'Anse, in Haiti, with a population of about 31,000 . It is almost isolated from the rest of the country...
, Grand'Anse Department
Grand'Anse Department
Grand'Anse is one of the ten administrative departments of Haiti. Its capital is Jérémie.-History:...
on November 23, 1946. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on July 4, 1975 in the Diocese of Jérémie
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jérémie
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jérémie is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince.-Ordinaries:*Charles-Edouard Peters, S.M.M. *Willy Romélus *Joseph Gontrand Decoste...
.
On July 29, 1997, he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, because the people had been displeased with Archbishop François-Wolff Ligondé's supposed encouragement of the coup movement — the archdiocesan offices were burned in retribution. Archbishop Miot received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following October 12th from Archbishop Christophe Pierre, with Archbishops François Gayot
François Gayot
François Gayot was the Roman Catholic archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cap-Haïtien. Haiti....
, SMM
Company of Mary
The Missionaries of the Company of Mary is a missionary religious congregation within the Latin Church one of the 23 sui iuris churches which compose the universal Catholic Church. The community was founded by Saint Louis de Montfort in 1705 with the recruitment of his first missionary disciple,...
, and Ligondé serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
.
During his tenure, he denounced the incarceration of Fr. Gérard Jean-Juste
Gérard Jean-Juste
Fr. Gérard Jean-Juste was a Roman Catholic priest and rector of Saint Claire's church for the poor in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He was also a liberation theologian and a supporter of the Fanmi Lavalas political party, the largest in Haiti. In 1978, Father Jean-Juste founded the Haitian Refugee Center...
by the government of Prime Minister Gérard Latortue
Gérard Latortue
Gérard Latortue was the Prime Minister of Haïti from March 12, 2004 to June 9, 2006. He was an official in the United Nations for many years, and briefly served as foreign minister of Haïti during the short-lived 1988 administration of Leslie Manigat.In February 2004, the country suffered a coup...
; Miot later suspended Father Jean-Juste after the priest disobeyed orders to not present himself as a political candidate.
Miot succeeded Ligondé, becoming the ninth Archbishop of Port-au-Prince
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince is a metropolitan diocese, responsible for the suffragan Dioceses of Jacmel, Jérémie, Anse-à-Veau and Miragoâne and Les Cayes....
upon the latter's resignation on March 1, 2008.
The Port-au-Prince Cathedral, archdiocese offices, and many other churches were destroyed by the earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
on January 12, 2010. Miot was killed when the force of the quake threw him off his balcony at the papal nunciature. Archbishop Bernardito Auza
Bernardito Auza
-References:...
, Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, the Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
of the Archdiocese, said that he originally sought an immediate burial for Miot, but that it would have conflicted with local tradition. Miot was buried at Lilavois Cemetery on Saturday, January 23, 2010 immediately after his funeral Mass
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
. Celebrant
Celebrant
Celebrant may refer to:* Celebrant or Officiant, the leader of a liturgy or ceremony who is empowered to perform it** In the Catholic and Anglican churches, the celebrant is the person who celebrates a sacrament, e.g., the priest who celebrates the Eucharist or the bishop who ordains a priest*...
s presiding at the funeral Mass included Timothy Dolan
Timothy Dolan
Timothy Michael Dolan is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He is the tenth and current Archbishop of New York, having previously served as Archbishop of Milwaukee and Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis ....
, Archbishop of New York and Chairman of the board of Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Founded in 1943 by the U.S. bishops, the agency provides assistance to 130 million people in more than 90 countries and territories in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and...
, Thomas Wenski
Thomas Wenski
Thomas Gerard Wenski is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is currently Archbishop of Miami, having been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI on April 20, 2010 and installed on June 1, 2010...
, Bishop of Orlando, and Archbishop Bernardito Auza
Bernardito Auza
-References:...
.