Archbishop Pantin, a saint

Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe Archbishop Pantin is a saint?   

Is Archbishop Pantin a saint? This is a burning question. We will only get a definitive answer to it after a long and thorough process that begins here in the Archdiocese and then goes on to Rome, to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. The Church has a long tradition of how people are declared saints. In early times, it was by popular acclaim; as the Church matured, a process was put in place. The process is rigorous and needs much dedication and attention.

If there is a reason to believe a person has the qualities of sanctity, a petition is sent to Rome with relevant documentation. If it is sufficient, the person is declared a Servant of God. This was done for Archbishop Pantin in October 2013, and we got official recognition that we can call him Servant of God in January 2014.

In the case of the Servant of God Gordon Anthony Pantin, the Archdiocese intends to prove the heroicity of virtues, and the inquiry must be instructed on “the life, the heroic virtues and the reputation of holiness and of intercessory power.”

First the arch/diocese, or those promoting the cause, needs to collect all the facts on the person’s life. They also need to have people make an official declaration, under oath, regarding the probable cause of sanctity. The writings of the person whose cause is being promoted must be read by two independent theologians who must judge if there is anything contrary to faith or morals in the writings.

Then, a history of the person is written by a historical commission. Finally, testimonies are collected. All of this needs to be put into a dossier and sent to Rome for evaluation. This is a very big task that takes a lot of work, dedication and precision.

At the end of this process, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints decides on whether the Servant of God can be considered Venerable, i.e., they have lived a heroically virtuous life; the process can then go to the next stage.

The next stage is beatification, when the person could be called blessed. This stage requires a miracle through the intercession of the candidate. For many years, we knew St Martin as Blessed Martin. This is the penultimate stage.

With growing acclamation, miracles and a cult growing around the person as an intercessor, the person finally becomes a saint. Again, this process is conducted in Rome, and a solemn decree is given.

Sanctity

So why do you believe Archbishop Pantin is a saint? Remember, on All Saints’ Day, we celebrate all the saints who died and are not officially declared a saint. It is not against the process to believe a person is a saint before they are declared such. In fact, only if you believe the person is a saint will there be enough energy and commitment to carry the cause forward through these difficult stages. So yes, I believe Archbishop Pantin is a saint. I believe he is with God. I believe his life was one of extraordinary heroic virtue.

Commitment to life

Archbishop Pantin bore witness to the value of life, no matter the circumstances of the person or the stage of life that was being questioned. He fearlessly opposed abortion on every occasion. His opposition was not just in words or statements. It was also in founding the Mary Care Centre for Unwed Mothers.

At a time when there was a push towards abortion in the nation, the Archbishop said he could not oppose abortion while there was no place to care for the young unwed mother who was in trouble with her family because of pregnancy. Mary Care was born out of this commitment and continues today as part of his legacy.

In the area of capital punishment, Archbishop Pantin opposed the death penalty long before Catholic opposition was official. In Trinidad and Tobago, the death penalty is still in law books. It has not been used for some time because of legal and moral opposition.

In the 1980s and 90s, a group of young lawyers used their skill to petition the Privy Council in London (our highest court of appeal) in every instance when the State tried to use the death penalty.

Archbishop Pantin was their spiritual companion and guide. He often went to court at odd hours of the night to sit in his cassock and pray the rosary while petitions were brought to the local court for a stay of execution.

He wrote and spoke about the death penalty in the Catholic and secular media. He was a fierce opponent to taking a life—whether that of an innocent unborn child or a person convicted of murder. He was consistent in his teachings on life.

A young priest once went public, in opposition to the Archbishop, calling for the hanging of a known criminal, saying that the State had a right to take his life. Others in society also opposed his view. He was unshaken by the opposition or by the clamour of the society to hang. He steadfastly opposed the death penalty and held to his moral conviction.

In 1995, Pope John Paul II wrote Evangelium Vitae, calling the death penalty into question in our modern era. In 2018, the Catechism of the Catholic Church was updated, and in 2020, Pope Francis officially opposed the death penalty in all forms, regardless of circumstances. Archbishop Pantin was ahead of his time.

Attuned to Providence

On countless occasions, I have heard people say they were in need and Archbishop Pantin dropped in to visit them and gave them help at a most opportune time when they were at their wits’ end and begging God for help.

I had the privilege of being in the Cathedral for long hours when the Archbishop’s body lay in state. People wanted to speak to someone about their last encounter with the Archbishop. With tears in their eyes, mourning a close friend, they told of their last encounter.

Story after story had a familiar pattern. They were in desperate need, and the Archbishop dropped in unexpectedly with a gift that was just what they needed—mostly cash but sometimes a prayer, sometimes a word of advice. It was always seen as God’s providence in answer to prayer. Sometimes, the providence came through an unexpected phone call and a kindly word of comfort or advice. I have often wished I had a camera set up to record all the stories I heard at the Cathedral when the nation mourned the loss of its beloved archbishop.

What was most impressive was that most were told by simple, humble people living in far-off parts of Trinidad and Tobago. He may have been on his way to Mass, and he happened to drop in to see them.

The miracle for me was the overwhelming number of people, from different parts of the nation, who each had his or her specific detail about their encounter with the Archbishop, which defined him as an instrument of God’s providence.

Key Message:

Archbishop Pantin had many qualities associated with a saint. We need to pull all of our information together to let Rome decide. We continue to ask his intercession to help us on our journey.

Action Step:

If you believe Archbishop Pantin is a saint, please write to us and tell us why. If you have had any memorable experience with him or through his intercession, please let us know.

You can email beatification@catholictt.org

Scripture Reading:

Wisdom 3:1-9