Thank you for visiting our web site. Please be sure to check our “Important Links” page for news on our Missions or check out the Links on the lower right hand side of this page to access our blogs.
Holy Angels Hospice & Orphanage is dedicated to helping the children of Haiti - in particular, those who are terminally ill or have serious disabilities. We are the mission of Holy Angels Children’s Society, a federally registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charity based in Whiting, NJ. FR. John Bellezza is our CEO, Fr. Tony Cortesi is the founder of Holy Angels Children’s Home and Hospice.
Although Haiti is located only 700 miles from the coast of Florida, it is, in every sense, a world away. Haiti is a desperate nation where, for most of the population, providing the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter is a daily struggle. Add to this the devastation caused by the recent earthquakes and we have a desperate situation turned into a deadly crisis. As you may know, our orphans were spared, but their facility was destroyed.
As is often the case, it is the children who suffer the most. The availability of medical care in Haiti is limited, and infant mortality rates are the highest in the Western Hemisphere. Due to malnutrition and lack of medical care for mothers, many children are born with afflictions that are relatively rare, and usually treatable, in developed countries. Hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy are common, as are cleft palate and other crippling birth defects. In Haiti, these conditions represent a death sentence, and it is not uncommon for infants with any affliction to be left in the streets or garbage dumps to die, painfully and alone.
Our mission is to reach out to these children - the most helpless and voiceless among us. They are brought to us by parents who cannot care for them, through other medical missions and clinics, and sometimes they are simply left at our doorstep. We provide a safe haven - a clean, warm bed, regular nutritious meals, medications and medical care, and ensure that older children who are able can attend school. When possible, we arrange through local doctors or through the generous donation of services by doctors and hospitals in the U.S., for treatments or surgeries that will help some of these children live normal lives. Too often, however, all we can offer a child is comfort and prayer in their final days.
On this web site, we have included more information about our mission, operations and, most importantly, our children. You’ll also find information about how you can help us. Even a small donation of $20 or $25 can help us provide food or medication for a child for up to a month. We greatly appreciate the support that we have received from many churches and other religious and humanitarian groups. And if you cannot help us financially, we ask for your prayers.
Psalm 82 says, “Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.” We hope you will explore this site to learn more about how we are trying to follow that path.
May the Love and peace of Christ our savior be with you always
Fr. John Bellezza, Fr. Tony Cortesi
Holy Angels Children’s Society