Cardinal Chibly Langlois, the first and only Haitian cardinal in the country’s history, is the current president of Haiti’s Bishops’ Conference who has focused on helping the young and the poor in his country, especially after a series of natural disasters.

Born on November 29, 1958, in La Vallée, Haiti, Langlois came from a poor family, which greatly influenced his future work and perspective. He pursued his religious education at the Grand Séminaire Notre-Dame of Port-au-Prince, studying philosophy and theology. Later, he obtained a licentiate in pastoral theology from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.

Langlois was ordained as a priest on September 22, 1991, for the diocese of Jacmel. His career in the Church progressed rapidly, and on April 8, 2004, he was appointed Bishop of Fort-Liberté by Pope John Paul II. Later, on August 15, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Bishop of Les Cayes.

A significant milestone in Langlois’ career came in February, 2014, when Pope Francis elevated him to the College of Cardinals. His appointment was historic, as Langlois became the first and only Haitian cardinal in history. Notably, he was also the only new cardinal elevated in that consistory who was not an archbishop.

Cardinal Langlois has been known for his tireless work, particularly in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake when he became a leader in the rebuilding efforts and in providing spiritual support. He has been an advocate for the people, especially focusing on creating opportunities for youth and emphasizing the importance of education. His efforts in providing schooling for impoverished children have been particularly noteworthy.

In terms of leadership roles, Langlois has served as the president of Haiti’s Bishops’ Conference since December 2011. He has also been appointed to several Vatican bodies, including the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and the Secretariat for Communications.

Cardinal Langlois has faced some challenges and controversies during his tenure. In 2021, he was injured during the Haiti earthquake when the bishop’s residence partially collapsed, killing a priest and two employees. In 2022, he was involved in a serious car accident, leaving him with several fractures.

In 2014, the cardinal criticized voodoo as being a “big social problem” in Haiti, arguing that the religion offers “magic” but no real solutions to a population deprived of justice and a political voice. He linked Haiti’s belief system to its chronic political problems, which he said forced poor Haitians – the overwhelming majority of a population of ten million – to seek solutions in voodoo. His comments were critically received by some in the country.

Given Cardinal Langlois’s focus on the social and humanitarian challenges facing Haiti, such as poverty, violence and the consequences of natural disasters, there is no available record of him commenting on other issues.

Cardinal Langlois is known to speak French, English, Haitian Creole, and Italian.