Bishop Luis Secco (77) has retired. The Dio­cese of Willemstad will be led by Archbishop Jason Gordon of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, during the transition period until a succes­sor is named. The Vatican has appointed Gordon as apostolic administrator.

Secco has officially been Bishop of Willemstad since 2001. A year earlier, he was appointed as aux­iliary bishop coadjutor of the dio­cese that includes the six islands of the former Netherlands An­tilles. He was appointed bishop in 2001. At the time, Secco suc­ceeded the late Wilhelm Michel

 

“Wim” Ellis (1926-2003). Secco, a Salesian, became acquainted with Curacao in 1980, as a priest of the Buena Vista parish, where he was active from 1980 to 1985. In the following years he was on the island for various intervals, until his appointment in 2000.

Father Curtis Meris, chan­cellor of the diocese, on Tuesday described the peri­od under Secco as blessed. “It is God who ultimately decides who is appointed bishop. The reasons are not known to us. But in recent years, Bishop Secco has done a lot for the diocese. It concerns work that is vis­ible, but also work that was done in the administrative field. We are very grateful to him for everything he has done,” said Meris.

The chancellor specifically mentioned the work that Secco has done for the ben­efit of the young people of the diocese.

Secco’s retirement took effect on Tuesday, Meris confirmed. From now on, he will go through life as an emeritus bishop. He will thus retain the title, but not function as a bishop.

Archbishop Gordon will arrive in Curacao on Friday. He has been ap­pointed by the Vatican as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Willemstad. It regards a bishop who is appointed by the pope to temporarily take on the pastoral management and care of a diocese during a transitional period.

Gordon will lead the Dio­cese of Willemstad from Trinidad. The intention is that he appoint a vicar who will act as representative in his absence. Who this will be is not yet known.

It is also unclear how long the archbishop will serve as apostolic administrator. The diocese is now in a transitional period.

It is possible that a new bishop will be appointed at the end of this period. However, this falls under the responsibility of the Vatican.

Gordon was born on March 17, 1959, in Trini­dad. He is currently the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trinidad and Tobago. He was appointed to this posi­tion in 2017.

Before this, he was ac­tive as a priest in the par­ish of Gonzales, just out­side Port of Spain, before being ordained bishop of Bridgetown on Saint Vin­cent and the Grenadines, and of Kingston, Jamaica (2011). The archbishop is also currently vice chair­man of the Antilles Episco­pal Conference, the Antil­lean Bishops’ Conference, which consists of bishops and archbishops of (for­mer) English, French and Dutch areas in the Carib­bean.

Gordon is known in the region for his opposition to death sentences and as a peacemaker in local dis­putes and gang violence. His first Holy Mass is scheduled for this coming Sunday morning at 11:00 in the Church of Santa Famia.

The Diocese of Willems­tad expressed its deepest gratitude to Secco for his tireless dedication, pastoral care and spiritual leader­ship. It said his legacy of service, marked by his un­wavering commitment to the people of Curacao, Bo­naire, Aruba St. Maarten,

St. Eustatius and Saba, will continue to be a source of inspiration for generations to come. “We pray for his health and blessings as he begins this new chapter in his life.”

The Daily Herald.