Statement of the University of San Francisco upon conferring honorary doctorate upon Rev. Gerard Jean-Juste:
“Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste, champion for the poor and
oppressed in Haiti, received an Honorary Degree from
University of San Francisco on September 11, 2006.
Fr. Jean Juste, an outspoken human rights advocate and
tireless worker on behalf of the poor in his native
Haiti for more than 40 years, has promoted democratic
ideals, fostered respect for human rights, advanced
the rule of law, and established food programs for
hungry children. His efforts have led to persecution,
exile, and imprisonment.
Fr. Jean-Juste challenged members of the University of
San Francisco community to use their faith to make a
difference in the lives of others during the homily he
delivered at the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit on
Sept. 11.
"Live free and help others live free in God," Fr.
Jean-Juste said. "Be spiritually healthy, and help
others stay spiritually healthy by the power of God.
Help our brothers and sisters in the name of Jesus,
under the influence of the Spirit, to taste Heaven
while living on earth."
He encouraged everyone to follow the Mass' Gospel
reading (Luke 4:16-21) and bring glad tidings to the
poor, liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to
the blind, and to let the oppressed go free. Toward
the end of the Mass, Fr. Jean-Juste was awarded with
an honorary doctorate, in large part because of his
work in those areas.
Fr. Jean-Juste is known as an outspoken human rights
advocate and a tireless worker on behalf of the poor
in his native Haiti. He has promoted democratic
ideals, fostered respect for human rights, advanced
the rule of law in Haitian society, and established
food programs for hungry children in Port-au-Prince.
"The work of Fr. Jean-Juste in Haiti and in the United
States serves as an inspiration and example of how one
individual can make a profound difference in the lives
of those most in need," the degree citation states.
"In honoring Fr. Jean-Juste, the University of San
Francisco also hopes to deepen public awareness about
the plight of the poor in Haiti and throughout the
world. Fr. Jean-Juste embodies the university's core
mission of educating minds and hearts to change the
world."
Fr. Jean-Juste's efforts have led to persecution,
exile, and imprisonment.
During the homily, Fr. Jean-Juste referenced his
imprisonment, saying that prior to his two arrests, he
had been dreaming of going on a campaign to wake up
the American continent about issues of poverty and
spur others to action.
"Some countries on the continent America are rich,
overdeveloped, while some neighboring countries wish
to share their technology to get rid of misery,
poverty, and feed and educate the poor ones," he said.
Oppression, he said, is a mortal sin that crushes "the
little ones, denying them their rights." Yet freedom
lovers who work in the spirit of the Lord cannot be
stopped - prison, torture, and even death cannot stop
the message spoken by those so moved, he said.
"Threats of all kinds meant nothing to the Apostles,
to most of the early Christians, and still do not
scare many of us in our times," Fr. Jean-Juste said.
"The good news of Jesus must be preached and lived
from generation to generation. God's kingdom must
come."
After Fr. Jean-Juste's most recent imprisonment in
Haiti, people from around the world who knew him
pressured the United States to intercede with the
Haitian government to release him from jail so that he
could be treated for pneumonia and leukemia. He was
finally set free in January to come to the United
States for medical treatment.”
“Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste, champion for the poor and
oppressed in Haiti, received an Honorary Degree from
University of San Francisco on September 11, 2006.
Fr. Jean Juste, an outspoken human rights advocate and
tireless worker on behalf of the poor in his native
Haiti for more than 40 years, has promoted democratic
ideals, fostered respect for human rights, advanced
the rule of law, and established food programs for
hungry children. His efforts have led to persecution,
exile, and imprisonment.
Fr. Jean-Juste challenged members of the University of
San Francisco community to use their faith to make a
difference in the lives of others during the homily he
delivered at the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit on
Sept. 11.
"Live free and help others live free in God," Fr.
Jean-Juste said. "Be spiritually healthy, and help
others stay spiritually healthy by the power of God.
Help our brothers and sisters in the name of Jesus,
under the influence of the Spirit, to taste Heaven
while living on earth."
He encouraged everyone to follow the Mass' Gospel
reading (Luke 4:16-21) and bring glad tidings to the
poor, liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to
the blind, and to let the oppressed go free. Toward
the end of the Mass, Fr. Jean-Juste was awarded with
an honorary doctorate, in large part because of his
work in those areas.
Fr. Jean-Juste is known as an outspoken human rights
advocate and a tireless worker on behalf of the poor
in his native Haiti. He has promoted democratic
ideals, fostered respect for human rights, advanced
the rule of law in Haitian society, and established
food programs for hungry children in Port-au-Prince.
"The work of Fr. Jean-Juste in Haiti and in the United
States serves as an inspiration and example of how one
individual can make a profound difference in the lives
of those most in need," the degree citation states.
"In honoring Fr. Jean-Juste, the University of San
Francisco also hopes to deepen public awareness about
the plight of the poor in Haiti and throughout the
world. Fr. Jean-Juste embodies the university's core
mission of educating minds and hearts to change the
world."
Fr. Jean-Juste's efforts have led to persecution,
exile, and imprisonment.
During the homily, Fr. Jean-Juste referenced his
imprisonment, saying that prior to his two arrests, he
had been dreaming of going on a campaign to wake up
the American continent about issues of poverty and
spur others to action.
"Some countries on the continent America are rich,
overdeveloped, while some neighboring countries wish
to share their technology to get rid of misery,
poverty, and feed and educate the poor ones," he said.
Oppression, he said, is a mortal sin that crushes "the
little ones, denying them their rights." Yet freedom
lovers who work in the spirit of the Lord cannot be
stopped - prison, torture, and even death cannot stop
the message spoken by those so moved, he said.
"Threats of all kinds meant nothing to the Apostles,
to most of the early Christians, and still do not
scare many of us in our times," Fr. Jean-Juste said.
"The good news of Jesus must be preached and lived
from generation to generation. God's kingdom must
come."
After Fr. Jean-Juste's most recent imprisonment in
Haiti, people from around the world who knew him
pressured the United States to intercede with the
Haitian government to release him from jail so that he
could be treated for pneumonia and leukemia. He was
finally set free in January to come to the United
States for medical treatment.”