A Message of Hope from the Antilles Episcopal Conference
This week, the bishops of the English, Dutch, and French-speaking Caribbean gathered for the 69th Annual Plenary Meeting of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC), hosted in the Diocese of Port of Spain. In a stirring address, Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon offered both a sobering analysis of current realities and a passionate call to hope.
“We see dark clouds,” the Archbishop began, pointing to global instability and regional crises—from the rise of violent crime to the inadequacies in education and the erosion of family life. “Our governments say crime is a national disaster. The World Bank tells us our education systems are failing our children. Families are under siege.”
Yet amid these stark truths, Archbishop Gordon declared a profound message: we are a people of hope.
He reminded the faithful that the same principles which once guided Caribbean leaders to independence and local churches to autonomy are still alive. “These are the same rules by which we became local churches, and Rome appointed local bishops for the first time.”
The Archbishop also underscored the importance of synodality, inspired by the Gospel of John: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” He emphasized that a synodal Church—one that listens, discerns, and walks together—is the path forward in these uncertain times.
“A synodal Church is not about ego. It is about listening to God’s voice and following Him—wherever He leads.”
Closing on a personal note, Archbishop Gordon expressed his faith in the people of the Caribbean. “You have been resilient in the face of scandal, secularization, and hardship. You are the reason I have hope.”
As the plenary continues, the bishops of the AEC reaffirm their commitment to guiding the Church in the Caribbean with courage, unity, and a deep reliance on God’s grace.