Archbishop’s Luncheon: Where Divine Guidance Meets Divine Dining!

By Meagan Roberts

Head Girl, Holy Name Convent, POS

On Monday, September 11 Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon hosted a luncheon for Head Girls and Deputy Head Girls from Holy Name Convent, Port of Spain, Holy Faith Convent, Penal and St Joseph’s Convent, St Joseph while engaging in thought-provoking conversations.

He encouraged the students to present questions which involved topics such as the Sacrament of Reconciliation, romantic relationships between young persons, and the creation of man and other topical issues.

While feasting on delicious dishes, including a delightful steamed fish in tamarind sauce, the Archbishop clued us into the direct link between Science and Catholicism, quite a controversial debate.

Instead of creating separate beliefs regarding the two parties, he provided an explanation for the powerful external force, that being our God above, who would have sparked the creation of the Big Bang, igniting our universe and in doing so creating what we know today.

He gifted us 12 Reasons to Believe in God, a text inspired by a young person much like ourselves, who pondered on human existence, and our faith in the Father.

Another disputed topic discussed was the LGBTQ+ community. We were brought to a deep and compassionate understanding that as individuals, these persons should not be treated as less than human. He emphasised that the opinions of those on both sides of the discussion on this issue ought to be respected.

The Archbishop cleared our confusion on the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation where God created a ministerial position, in the form of our priests who grant absolution of our sins.

He reminded us of the origin of this sacred act of repentance, where God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to purge humanity of sin. After Christ had completed His mission, He passed this power on to His disciples who were to become the first religious leaders of the Catholic Church, as in the scripture, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20:21–23) which he cited for us.

Thus we, as repentant Catholics, must remember the significance of Confession, and practise this sacred act often.

As the conversations eased into dessert, a creamy coconut mousse, and rich chocolate trifle, we got more in touch with personal relationships.

He gently encouraged that in young relationships we are called to discern what the Father intends for our devotion to be. We were reminded that in choosing our life partners, we must distinguish whether this is the calling the Father intended for us.

As young female leaders, the Archbishop reminded us that we each as individuals have worth that must be protected. He reminded us of our role in a relationship, as well as our male counterpart, where we must balance each other, instead of one person taking on more responsibility than the other, with regard to the upkeep of our relationships.

As a young woman in today’s society, I felt the solace that His Grace provided in our conversations, where our views, opinions and concerns were validated. Archbishop Jason is not only a strong leader of our Archdiocese, but a dynamic mentor to the young people of this nation, something we as developing individuals are quite grateful for.