Bittersweet farewell for Bishop Gordon

The Most Rev. Dr. Charles Jason Gordon, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgetown, Barbados will be leaving this island towards the end of December to be installed and elevated to the post of Archbishop of Port-of-Spain.

News of the official appointment made by Pope Francis, current Pope of the Catholic Church, came recently. Gordon, 58, will replace Archbishop Joseph Harris, who submitted his letter of resignation to the Pope in March.

During a press conference convened at the Bishop’s Office located at Ladymeade Gardens, Jemmotts Lane, St. Michael on Friday afternoon, Archbishop-elect Gordon noted that while he thanks God for this higher level of service, he feels a bit of “trepidation” in moving to a larger Diocese, but is willing and ready to serve. What he will miss most about Barbados, having spent six years here after being ordained as Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgetown on September 21, 2011, is the ‘incredible relationships” built over that period of time.

“Service in the church is always a strange and interesting thing…When I was asked to leave Port-of-Spain to come to Kingstown and Bridgetown, it was a difficult leaving, and when I had to leave Kingstown so that I would be in Bridgetown alone, which I knew was something that had to happen, it was still a difficult leaving. And this time now, leaving Bridgetown to go to Port-of-Spain, it is also a difficult leaving,” he explained, while reflecting on his journey.

“After six years of working together and building life and sharing moments and sharing life in the church, you really get into a rhythm, but you also get into a lot of relationships and you are able to find different ways to get people to work together toward a common good. [You] also build relationships with people all over. So the real challenge is all these incredible relationships that have been built over these six years, that have been very supportive, that have worked together, [I have been] rallied around and that’s really the bitter part in the sweet,” he said with a mix of joy and sorrow.

“The people of Barbados have become such a part of my heart in the six years, especially in last year-and-a-half,” he said.

However, he later stated with a smile, “I thank God for God’s call. I have said yes to the Holy Father to become Archbishop of Port-of-Spain on the due date of installation. I also recognise the wonderful joy that Barbados has been”.

Quoting famous poet and playwright William Shakespeare, he ended with the words, “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

Monsignor Vincent Harcourt Blackett and Father Clement Paul who were present, both indicated that the Diocese of Bridgetown will surely miss its Bishop, as under his leadership much was achieved.

Some of his achievements include Synod 2014, the establishment of a Catholic Media Centre, Social Justice Programmes and the promotion of Family and Youth Evangelisation, among others.
(RSM)