Project Pierre Toussaint

The Haiti Fund, Inc., a non-profit corporation that was established by Carrier to oversee the Project, used a Fairfield University mailing address to accept donations. Carrier chaperoned many “Ignatian Immersion Experience” trips to Haiti with students from the University. In 2002, Perlitz was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree and delivered the commencement address. In 2005, Perlitz was the recipient of the Alumni Humanitarian Award at the annual Fairfield University Awards Dinner in New York City.

Then, in April 2006, for reasons still not entirely clear, Carrier was removed without warning as Director of Fairfield’s Campus Ministry to embark upon a sabbatical to prepare for his next assignment. Two years later in April 2008, Jesuit Provincial Thomas Regan, S.J., ordered Carrier to resign as Chairman of the Haiti Fund, Inc. and to resign from his non-salaried teaching position at the Sacred Heart Convent School in Greenwich. In October 2009, it was announced by the Provincial that Carrier was restricted from all public ministry. There have been no charges of child sex abuse that I am aware of against Carrier.

Keeping Secrets

In October 2008, I wrote to Dr. Mark Reed, Vice President for Administrative and Student Affairs at Fairfield University with a reasonable request to help protect children (at the time, Perlitz’s whereabouts were unknown).

I wrote:

“If a person were to visit the Fairfield University web site and enter “Douglas Perlitz” in the search bar, one would immediately view 25 Fairfield University press releases about Perlitz. After reading the press releases, one would think that Perlitz is a saint, a special individual who has devoted his life to helping others. Think about this. If the owner of a day care center googled Perlitz’s name as part of the hiring process, he or she would think they hit the jackpot and would most likely hire Perlitz immediately. They would have no idea that the Project Pierre Toussaint Board of Directors is on record as having fired Perlitz for the sexual abuse of children … Please ensure that the information about why Douglas Perlitz was fired as Executive Director of Project Pierre Toussaint (you can publish the Board’s public letter) is published on the Fairfield University website … Protecting innocent children from cunning and manipulative child molesters is everyone’s job, Dr. Reed.”

Link (here) to a lengthy in-depth story on the subject by Paul Kendrick, Fairfield class of 1972.

Photo is of the Project Pierre Toussaint headquarters in Haiti.