Holy Trinity, Arouca celebrates 175th anniversary

Archbishop Jason Gordon believes that the real challenge in T&T is not the issue of “bandits, corruption and drug trade”; rather, it is the challenge of citizens “hesitating” in understanding the power of an “unstoppable force of love” inside them, transforming all to be a Trinitarian people.

“If we understand this, a lot of stupidity and backbiting will come to an end…it will just melt away. All the kind of negativity, gossip and mauvais langue that we constantly engage in will fade to oblivion. What will emerge will be a people that love God and whose love will be seen by the whole world,” Archbishop Gordon said at a Mass on the occasion of 175^th anniversary of Holy Trinity Parish, Arouca, May 27.

Reflecting on the Sunday’s Gospel (Mt 28:16–20), the archbishop observed that similarly, today’s faithful are hesitant in their belief of God and who God is.

He commented on the mystery of God being Father, Son and the Holy Spirit adding that most Christians “deal” with the Trinity in a sequel of developmental stages of one’s life in Christ.

“But that progression, it’s not summation. In the summation, we come to that place where we remain in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit…. And it’s this dynamism of love that is in the heart of the Trinity. That’s what we celebrate today….”

Archbishop Gordon warned if hearts were not opened to the mystery of the Trinity then there will be a continuance of carnage and hatred. “It is when we don’t understand that at the heart of the mystery is love and that this love lives inside of me and you and is transforming us to transform our world. When we don’t get that, we get the kind of hate we see in the streets every day. And it’s clear things are getting from bad to worse. That’s when we don’t understand the power that is ours as a people of the Trinity.”

Archbishop Gordon asked those gathered to consider the call of God in their lives to be Trinitarian people, re-evaluate if their life is reflective of the Trinity and to also consider whether they are people who allow the creative love of God to flow through them and their family.

Meanwhile, in his foreword message for the 175^th anniversary booklet, parish priest Fr Dexter Brereton CSSp noted that in the history of the Catholic Church in Trinidad, Arouca is first mentioned as one of the Amerindian settlements taken in charge by Aragonese Capuchin missionaries who arrived in the territory around 1758 from Venezuela. Since then, he said, the composition as well as the nature of the evangelising efforts of the Catholic Church have evolved.

“The role of pastors of the parish bears witness to the common thread uniting people of differing religious orders and nationalities: Spanish, French, Irish, Trinidadian, the establishment of the Kingdom of God in this part of the world.”

Fr Brereton hoped that God would continue to bless and unite their “feeble” efforts as they attempt to forge one united People of God out of men and women from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Rev 7:9). – KJ