Seminarians and Archbishop Gordon retreat to the seaside

By Luke Walker

Barely one hour had passed after the final exam of the semester when the seminarians of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain were en route to Blanchisseuse to spend a weekend with Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon.

The regular post-semester retreat ran from December 19 –21, 2025 and is cherished by the brothers as an intimate space to check in with the Archbishop who has made an effort to be personally involved in their seminary formation.

Apart from some much-needed rest from the intensity of seminary life, the weekend offered an opportunity to reflect and realign with the vision of the priesthood required by the Church of tomorrow. Archbishop Gordon reinforced that future priests ought to be mystics in prayer and men whose humanity forms bridges for the people of God to encounter Christ rather than barriers.

The relaxed schedule of prayer and fraternal bonding centred around periods of deep conversation, prompted by two short films selected by the Archbishop.

The first film, ‘A Great Day’, dramatised the true story of a young priest who endures a wearisome day of ministry in which he anoints the man whom he later discovers was responsible for the death of his entire family. In a mystical encounter, the suffering Christ touches his trauma and transforms him into the powerful presence of Christ for this dying man.

As inspiring as the film was, it was also a warning to the seminarians to face traumatic experiences of their past with the guidance of the formation team so that they can experience true healing, without which their ministry will be ineffective or even harmful. If, instead, one opens every part of himself to be graced by Christ, then God can reveal His mercy to others precisely through these wounds.

In Charlie Mackesy’s animated short, ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’, the four titular characters develop a touching friendship in which each discovers the great value he adds to the group.

Through a Jungian lens, the seminarians gleaned that the protagonists represent different parts of their inner world that ought to be harmonised, not neglected.

Every beat of the film was a quotable piece of wisdom, such as the line, “Asking for help isn’t giving up, it’s refusing to give up.”

Building the synodal Church of the future begins today with the formation of seminarians. Knowing this, the Archbishop invested an entire weekend of quality time with his protégés, adoring the Lord in the Eucharist, sharing experiences at the dinner table, and discussing poignant films.

The brothers returned to the seminary on Sunday evening with renewed vigour to continue their journey.