Fr Jean-Marie “Fritz” Ligonde

It was a journey of faith that led the Rev. Jean-Marie “Fritz” Ligonde from Haiti, to Mexico, to New Jersey, and then to Florida. As a young child in Haiti, Father Fritz played at being a priest. He has no memory of those days but his parents told him that everyday he would build an Altar in the backyard, use one of his mother’s dresses as vestments, pretend to read the gospel, and go through all the motions of Mass. When he was in the third grade he became an altar server and would go to church early every morning. His parents did not even know he was serving. His father said that he knew from the time Ligonde was a child that he was going to be a priest. However, as the only son in his family, his father was not in favor of him entering the priesthood. Thus, they sent him to public school. His family next sent him to Port au Prince for his secondary education, where he faithfully continued to attend church, but he would not tell his friends. After secondary school he attended a Jesuit retreat where a priest mentored him. Later he went to a retreat for those wanting to enter the priesthood. Despite a serious relationship with his girlfriend, he felt called to become a priest. He went to Ignatius of Loyola and became a Jesuit. After three years he felt that he wanted to go to seminary. He was sent to Mexico for his novitiate, a period of spiritual training and preparation, but did not finish and returned to Haiti.

“I felt something was missing in my life,” he said. After six months he immigrated to New Jersey. That was in November of 1985. He continued to pray and was led to attend a deaconate ordination in December.

“I felt my vocation there. I was touched by the Spirit. I wanted to talk to someone but I couldn’t speak English,” said Father Fritz. There was a priest there who spoke Spanish, a language he was fluent in. The next day there was a call from the Rector of Seton Hall University. He was interviewed by a nun who spoke French and admitted to seminary on January 13, 1986.

“My vocation became came stronger at seminary,” he said. He was ordained on October 7, 1989 in Newark, New Jersey. “I love being a priest. I couldn’t choose a better life.” Father Fritz moved to Florida in 2000 to care for his ailing mother. He was incardinated into the Diocese of Venice in 2005. He served as parochial vicar of St. Francis Xavier Parish, Fort Myers, and director of Haitian ministry. Prior to his ministry in Fort Myers, he served as parochial vicar to St. Charles Parish in Port Charlotte.

In his letter to the parishioners of St. Finbarr, Bishop Frank Dewane of the Diocese of Venice stated, “that he is a man of prayer and deep pastoral solicitude for his people.”

When asked about what challenges he faces, he said, “People can be very religious but it’s a challenge to see their faith grow in the Lord, and become a contagion for the whole world that Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord.” One of his goals is to have St. Finnbarr physical environment become more of a church.