Thanks to Cats for sending in this one -- this is a nifty piece from the Chicago Tribune, profiling Peter and Paula Fitzgibbons and their multicultural family. Their two older children, Odeline and Sevvy, were adopted from Haiti seven years ago. Following the recent earthquake, Peter and Paula fear that their children may have no surviving biological relatives. However, the couple has tried to raise the children in a way that respects the culture of their birth, and so Odeline, Sevvy, and their little sister Isa "stand before an altar with their parents, light candles and call upon Papa Legba, the Vodou spirit and gatekeeper who admits other spirits into the sacred circle to hear the family's prayers."
Peter and Paula Fitzgibbons are Christians, but have always helped their kids celebrate Haiti's Vodou heritage as part of maintaining a connection to their birthplace. Paula, who is a former Lutheran pastor, says, "I'm at least presenting them with some part of their spiritual heritage. I can offer them enough that they will be familiar with Vodou when they get to the point of making their own choices about spirituality and religion."
In the days since the earthquake, Sevvy says he and Odeline believe their biological family can feel their prayers.
This is a great article about family, heritage, and how families who love one another can make different beliefs co-exist together. Paula says that right now it's hard to look at the photos of the devastation in Haiti, but, "We can stress the spiritual unity and the spiritual strength of their ancestors... We can teach them how incredibly strong and clever and resilient the people in their country are."
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Peter and Paula Fitzgibbons are Christians, but have always helped their kids celebrate Haiti's Vodou heritage as part of maintaining a connection to their birthplace. Paula, who is a former Lutheran pastor, says, "I'm at least presenting them with some part of their spiritual heritage. I can offer them enough that they will be familiar with Vodou when they get to the point of making their own choices about spirituality and religion."
In the days since the earthquake, Sevvy says he and Odeline believe their biological family can feel their prayers.
This is a great article about family, heritage, and how families who love one another can make different beliefs co-exist together. Paula says that right now it's hard to look at the photos of the devastation in Haiti, but, "We can stress the spiritual unity and the spiritual strength of their ancestors... We can teach them how incredibly strong and clever and resilient the people in their country are."
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This is incredibly beautiful and powerful. More and more people should make this family their example of how to co-exist respectfully and truthfully. I am glad you posted this.
Living in an interfaith family myself, keeping traditions while maintaining individual paths and connecting at the same time, can be a challenge but it is workable as long as all participants are as tolerant as this family is.
Blessed Be!
I am absolutely moved by this article, it shows how the bonds of love and family can overcome so many obsticles that even the most open-minded of peoples can have trouble with. I hope that this family continues to remain strong to itself, and grows onwards and upwards.
Very heart touching indeed. Knowing that people like this exist in our society again reaffirms the compassion and tolerance that resides amongst human beings.
Bravo to the Fitzgibbons for endorsing their children’s belief system, and empowering them to be cognizant of their traditions!
…that’s just awesome.
In an edition full of distressing news, this was definitely awesome to hear about.
I wish my parents were so tolerant. MIne are willfully ignorant–they give nothing else a chance because everything but what they believe is evil, lol. My parents would have tried to convert these two children–I am so happy for these children…this is a great accomplishment of coexistence.
This gives me hope in humanity.
I can’t wait to see what 2010 has in store for us.