The appointment of 58-year-old Jason Gordon as Archbishop-elect of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain has been welcomed inside and outside of T&T’s Roman Catholic community.
Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of St. Johns Bishop Robert Llanos described Gordon as an excellent choice.
“I am not surprised. I expected that he would be the most likely choice following the retirement of Archbishop Joseph Harris,” said Llanos who believes Gordon is the “ideal person to take the diocese forward.”
He described him as “a very forward thinking individual with a lot of energy and a creative mind.”
“The people of Trinidad and Tobago are in for an exciting ride going forward. He is not someone to sit back and wait for things to happen, he makes things happen. I can see him doing very well. He certainly has my support,” he said.
Llanos said one of the key things most bishops face is ensuring the clergy is taken care of and effective in their ministry. Another big challenge is education at the denominational level and at the tertiary level, as well from the Catholic perspective.
‘The world itself is full of many challenges which every diocese has to face. Every Bishop has to work with, and in some cases stand up against. The church has to speak out,” he said.
Bishop Gordon’s classmate at the Mt St Benedict Seminary, Father Peter de La Bastide, said the incoming Archbishop “has proven quite skilful in all areas of endeavour” and highlighted the work he did in Gonzales when he served there as parish priest.
“I expect great things from him. He is young, energetic and his appointment bodes well for the church,” he said.
Rhonda Maingot, co-founder of the Living Water Community where Gordon got his start as a youth member, said: “We thank God and pray for him and ask God to give him all the grace that he will need to be the kind of Archbishop God will like him to be in this beautiful island of Trinidad and Tobago.”
She said his appointment should come as no surprise.
“I would imagine the Vatican and those who have to suggest to the Holy Father who should be archbishop here would have looked at his giftedness and what he would bring to the people and the church,” she said.
Also welcoming the news was the appointment was president of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (Doma) Gregory Aboud who said the business community was extremely proud and hopeful for the future.
“I believe in my own heart that the energy and commitment which Father Gordon has shown in the past to issues related to equality and issues related to integrity will be an important guiding force to our country in the years ahead,” he said.