A life of obedience must start by listening to God’s call

Newly installed Roman Catholic Bishop of Kingstown Charles Gordon has encouraged the church to become courageous as they live out a life ordered by Christ’s will.{{more}}

Gordon was officially installed as Bishop during a ceremony at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Kingstown, on Friday, September 23, 2011.

The ceremony was attended by Archbishops within the region, as well as local Monsignors and Fathers of the Catholic Church, Religious Sisters, Government officials and other invited guests.

Gordon, giving an exhortation, encouraged the church to live in obedience to the Gospel. A life of obedience, he stated, must start by listening to God’s call.

“We have to practise obedience to the Gospel and that means all of us must start listening and hearing and discerning, and answer God’s call in the small and the great things in our lives,” Gordon said.

He also stated that the church should be fearless in spreading the Gospel of Christ within the society. Gordon stated that we live in challenging times, as the church is being hit on every side, adding that persons no longer seem to want to hear the message of Christ and that materialism seems to be guiding the lives of people.

Gordon further admonished the people that church is not a popularity contest. “We do not decide what we do or what you all do based on popular opinion or some poll our there. We do what we do, and we will live how we live with courage, with joy and with conviction because we are true in Christ.” Gordon said.

The church, he added, should be a source of love, a source of healing and a source of reconciliation within the land. Gordon also explained the church’s aim to reach every person with the love of Christ.

“We will stand against the grievous crimes in the society and we will work together with those who are victims of crimes to ensure the consolation of the love of God reaches every person, because if we are to preserve life, we must stand true with the victim and the perpetrator, knowing that God loves them both and proclaiming clearly that this love is irrefutable, and this love is true and we must become a bold expression of this love.” Gordon said.

Stating that his first stage as Bishop to both the Diocese of Bridgetown and Kingstown is to listen deeply, he added that he has already written Dioceses a letter on the Life of Grace. A life of Grace through reconciliation, through hospitality and a life of prayer, Gordon stated. He added that as a church the only way to measure ourselves is by asking “Have we or have we not lived how Christ has asked us.”

Bishop Jason Gordon is a Trinidadian national. He was formerly a Priest of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain and Vicar for Administration. He holds a Doctorate in Pastoral Theology from the University of London and was also appointed Parish Priest of Holy Rosary and St Martin de Porres in Gonzales in 2004. He was appointed Regional Episcopal Vicar of the Northern Vicariate and was awarded by the City of Port of Spain in 2005 and 2011, and the Gonzales Pan Group in 2007 for his contribution to transforming the community of Gonzales, through a participatory government model.