‘You are valued by God’

— Archbishop during annual prison visits

By Kaelanne Jordan

mediarelations.camsel@catholictt.org

Archbishop Jason Gordon’s annual prison visits have become catalysts for introspection and transformation. His words during the weekly visits December 12–15 reminded the residents that their value is intrinsic, unchanging, and rooted in the profound love of a higher power.

At the start of his talk, Archbishop Gordon prompted the inmates at the Youth Transformation and Rehabilitation Centre (YTRC) – formerly known as the Youth Training Centre – on Wednesday 13 to consider the challenges of giving and receiving. Receiving, he said, is not always easy as it exposes individuals to vulnerability. “…[and] that’s why a relationship with God is sometimes difficult because in relationship with God, we are not in control or in charge, we are not the ones setting the pace.”

He affirmed the whole joy of Christmas is that God gave us “the best gift that we can ever receive” – the gift of His Son, Jesus.

“There’s no better gift. That’s the gift of all gifts because when God gave us His son, what He gives us is really Himself, and in giving us Himself, He gives us what’s most important, love.”

Archbishop Gordon posed another thought-provoking question to the residents: “How challenging is it to give and receive love?” In response, one inmate candidly expressed the difficulty in both giving and receiving love.

The Archbishop offered his own insight, suggesting that the ability to give and receive love hinges on a prerequisite — the foundation of self-love. He emphasised that without self-love, the task of extending and accepting love from others becomes difficult.

“You can’t give what you don’t have. And the first person, the only person who’ll be there with you for the rest of your life, is you and God…. but if you don’t love you, can you really love somebody else?” the Archbishop questioned.

He observed today’s culture base value on what people own. “What’s the real value of you?” he questioned. Soliciting responses from the residents, Archbishop Gordon maintained one’s value is “deeper than that”.

Archbishop Gordon pressed the significance of material wealth by stomping on a US one-hundred-dollar bill extracted from his wallet. Probing the residents, he inquired whether they would still desire the crumpled note. In response, one resident asserted that money “isn’t everything,” while another noted its lack of value “in here”.

The Archbishop posed another question: “Has the money lost its value?” He declared that even if subjected to the unlikeliest of conditions, including being stirred in a toilet, the value of the money remained unchanged.

“My point is that what you go through, what you’ve done and what you’ve not done doesn’t change your value. Your value is not based on what’s happened in your life or what you’ve experienced or what you’ve done…your value is who you are as a child of God,” said Archbishop Gordon.

And because we are all children of God, that value is more important than anyone can imagine ,“but the person who has to see that first is you”.

“If you can’t see that you have real value then you’re going to spend your lives doing foolish things that make no sense. God sees your value and what you’ve done doesn’t change that value one cent, one iota,” the Archbishop said.

He then beseeched the residents to allow themselves to see their value and to allow themselves to embrace love extended by themselves, God, and others. For this to happen, he called on them to constantly choose to make better choices daily even within the confines of the YTRC.

During the Q&A segment, the Archbishop revealed he has seen a “remarkable openness” during this year’s visits. “There is a real sense of wanting something more. Last year was very different. There is a tremendous, good spirit and that speaks to the difference between guarding and growing,” he said.

During the visit, invited guests Nicholas Khan and Michael Sennon gave words of caution and encouragement to YTRC residents. Both Khan and Sennon were juvenile offenders and served time in prison—Khan, 15 years in T&T prisons and Sennon, 31 years in a US prison.

The day marked Khan’s 11 months of freedom. He cautioned the residents to stay away from the gangs, noting the notorious ‘6’ and ‘7’ numerical affiliation will land them 42 years.

Meanwhile Sennon, a US deportee reminded the residents that this is their journey, not their destination.

“It’s what you do with the freedom when you get out. Take advantage of every opportunity. It ain’t over yet,” he stressed.

The Archbishop’s visit commenced Tuesday 12 at the Golden Grove prison (men and women) and concluded at Carrera on Friday 15.

In a Q&A session held earlier at the Maximum Security Prison (MSP), a Cuban inmate requested the Archbishop’s assistance in acquiring Bibles to share the Word “to everyone”. Archbishop Gordon responded by informing the gathering that 200 Bibles were currently en route to the chapel and that they would be arriving “soon”.