NASSAU| His Grace, the Most Reverend Drexel Wellington Gomez, former Archbishop and Primate of the Church in the Province of the West Indies and one of the Caribbean’s most respected Anglican leaders, died on Tuesday morning at the age of 88 after a period of illness.
He was ordained to the diaconate on December 21, 1959, and to the priesthood on February 1, 1961. He was consecrated Bishop of Barbados on June 24, 1972, and later appointed Bishop Co-Adjutor of The Bahamas on February 10, 1995. He assumed the office of Bishop of The Bahamas on September 1, 1996, and was elevated to Archbishop of the Church in the Province of the West Indies on October 20, 1998. His ecclesiastical journey spans decades of faithful leadership and regional influence.
His Grace, The Most Rev. Drexel Wellington Gomez was born on January 24th 1937 in the Berry Islands of The Bahamas and moved to New Providence at the age of seven. Raised in the Anglican faith, he grew up at St. Agnes Church on Baillou Hill Road and attended Western Senior School. He pursued theological studies at Codrington College in Barbados and graduated from St. Chad’s College, Durham University, in 1959. He was ordained a deacon on December 21, 1959, and a priest on February 1, 1961.
Archbishop Gomez began his ministry as a parish priest, later serving as diocesan secretary administrator in The Bahamas and as a lecturer and principal at Codrington College. His episcopal ministry began in 1972 when he was consecrated and enthroned as Lord Bishop of Barbados at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael at age 36. In 1996, he was elected Bishop of the Diocese of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands and, in 1999, was elected Archbishop and Primate of the Church in the Province of the West Indies. He served in these roles until his retirement on December 31, 2008.
Throughout his ministry, Archbishop Gomez made substantial contributions to the global Anglican Communion. He attended the Lambeth Conferences in 1978, 1988, 1998, and 2008. He served as chairman of both the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations (IASCER) and the Covenant Design Group, which produced The Anglican Covenant. Known for his theological clarity and ecclesial leadership, Gomez played a central role in shaping the Province’s response to doctrinal controversies, particularly around issues of sexuality and church order. He was a leading voice among conservative Anglican leaders, contributing to the Windsor Report and working to uphold communion-wide standards of doctrine and discipline.
Despite his strong conservative stance, Gomez was a consistent advocate for unity, emphasizing the Anglican Covenant as the principal mechanism for healing division within the Communion. His leadership during times of significant global Anglican tension underscored his commitment to theological integrity, ecclesial order, and the witness of the church.
After retiring from active episcopal ministry in 2009, Archbishop Gomez remained engaged in church life. In 2022, the Diocese of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands honored his 50th anniversary of consecration as bishop with a weeklong celebration, including a lecture, pontifical eucharist, youth rally, and solemn evensong. Notably, he served as celebrant at the eucharist while Archbishop Howard Gregory, Primate of the West Indies, preached.
Archbishop Gomez is a prolific contributor to liturgical and theological discourse within the Province. His works include contributions to A Companion to the 1975 Experimental Rite for the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist (1976) and as editor of True Union in the Body? (2002), which addressed the Anglican Communion’s debates on the public blessing of same-sex unions.
Respected across the Caribbean and the wider Anglican world, Archbishop Gomez is recognized for his steadfast faith, scholarly leadership, and dedication to the unity and mission of the church.
To his wife Carol, children, grandchildren, siblings and wider church family we give GOD thanks today for his life and witness here on earth.
May the angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs greet you at your arrival and lead you into the holy city, Jerusalem.
May he rest in peace.
