Catholic Archbishop Arrested In Haiti

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28980, 22 August 1959, Page 13

Catholic Archbishop Arrested In Haiti

PORT AU PRINCE (Haiti), August 21. Authorities yesterday ordered the arrest of Monsignor Francois Poirer, the Archbishop of Port au Prince, the highest Roman Catholic Church official in the predominantly Catholic country of Haiti.

He was accused of ’ having criticised public authorities. American Associated Press reported that reports from Vatican City last night said Vatican circles were gravely disturbed over developments in Haiti.

The arrest order was the latest in a series of incidents involving Government and church authorities of the negro republic. Earlier this week President Francois Duvalier, of Haiti,, decreed the expulsion of two priests. On Tuesday night steel-helmeted police entered Port au Prince Cathedral and scattered a group of persons believed to be silently protesting the expulsion order.

The Port au Prince District Attorney, Max Duplessy, issued the arrest order for Monsignor Poirer, who is a French national. A spokesman for Haiti’s Justice Department said the action was taken because of a communique the Archbishop published on Wednesday in the Catholic newspaper, “La Phalange.” It crisicised the Government for expelling the two French priests,

and said no reason was given and church authorities were not consulted. President Duvalier said on Tuesday that the priests were being expelled “for reasons of internal security.” The two priests left Port au Prince yesterday for New York A heavy police escort accompanied them to the airport terminal.

The priests are Father Etienne Grinenberger, rector of Saint Martial, Haiti’s largest Catholic college, and Father Joseph Marrec, for more than 20 years the pastor in the town of Saint Marc. The order directing police to arrest Monsignor Poirer was issued under Articles 165 and 166 of the Penal Code, which prohibits religious authorities to censure or criticise acts of public authority.

Mr Duplessy issued a warrant yesterday calling for the Archbishop to appear. He changed it to a warrant for arrest when Monsignor Poirer failed to present himself at the office of the District Attorney.