New Archbishop Of The Archdiocese of Port of Spain
As you entered the Church for the 6:00PM celebration of the Holy Eucharist, you could sense an immense joy and a great sense of pride that was almost bursting at the seam. The parishioners of St. Ann’s of the Archdiocese of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad had much to be joyful and proud about.
As he walked up the centre isle of the church, he reverently bowed to the alter, then as usual, checked to ensure that all was in place for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Then he went into the sacristy to be vested. As the celebration started, the choir sang, “Enter, rejoice and come in. Enter, rejoice and come in. Today will be a joyful day. Enter, rejoice and come in.”
Fr. Joe started Mass in the normal way, “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN.” Then just before the Penitential Rite, and with great joy in his eyes, Fr. Joe looked at the congregation and asked, “Well I guess you heard what happened,” and with that, the church went up in applause. What was all the joy about? Well after much speculation about who would succeed Archbishop Edward Gilbert when he retires at the end of this year, the Archdiocese of Port-of-Spain finally got it’s answer.
On Friday July 8th, 2011, at 12:00 noon Vatican time – which was 6:00AM Trinidad & Tobago time, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI announced that Father Joseph Harris C.S.Sp. has been appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain. Fr. Joe is a member of the Congregation of the Holy Ghost Fathers (Spiritans), and was ordained to the priesthood in 1968 by Archbishop Anthony Pantin, the first local Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Port-of-Spain. After being ordained a priest, Fr. Joe spent thirteen years on mission in Paraguay at a time when the Catholic Church was under serious attack. It was a time when the lives of priest were in jeopardy for preaching the Gospel. Some of his other appointments included being appointed as the Rector of the Regional Seminary of St John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs here in Trinidad, where he served in this capacity for six years.
In his sermon on Friday 8th July, where he shared briefly on the Gospel passage of the day, which was taken from Matthew 10: 16 – 23, where Jesus said to his Apostles: “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves,” Fr Joe admitted that his new appointment would have its challenges, but asked for the prayer support of his congregation.
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI also announced that Msgr. Jason Gordon has been appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgetown in Barbados and of the Diocese of Kingstown in St. Vincent. Fr. Joe will be ordained on Wednesday September 14, 2011, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Port of Spain, Trinidad, while Msgr. Gordon’s ordination will take place one week later on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 in the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Barbados.
May GOD’S grace be poured out in abundance on both of these His sons, who have given their lives in the service of His Church, the Body of Christ.
