A fond farewell to Deacon Trevor

December 30, 2006
And a big thank-you to Kathleen Lyons for the pictures!

"As I prepare to embark on the next step of my life’s journey, I can’t help but think back on how the Spirit of God has directed me throughout my life. It was not like I have sat around waiting to receive some inspiration to follow a certain path. It is more like embarking on a journey and asking for help from the Spirit to guide me through all the obstructions and difficulties. Sometimes I received instructions and guidance to redirect my focus. Other times, I was instructed to go full steam ahead.

When I first left the Caribbean thirty-seven years ago to travel to Canada, I was planning to return to Antigua after completing my Commercial Pilot’s training. Within one year I had moved to New York to continue my training and when it was completed I could not find a suitable job as a commercial pilot. So I stayed in New York and continued in banking, which had become my full-time occupation. One year later, I was on the road again this time to England for a management training assignment. After a year and a half in Europe I returned to New York.

In those early days I came to see God’s hand in the day-to-day challenges of raising a family of four. My calling was to be the best parent I could be. Of all the obligations I have undertaken in my life none has been more demanding or satisfying than trying to raise a family with patience, faith, discipline and love. Even as the children became adults I still felt the pressure to be a good parent. My older friends tell me that this pressure never ends

As I began to grow older, questions started to creep into my mind such as – Is that all there is? What more does God want from me? It was while I was in that period of my life that I came to St. Martha’s and found new friends who were also struggling to answer the same questions for themselves. We were guided to a new program with the help of the Spirit. Deacon Clinton Lewis, Imogene Regan and Mary Koch were organizing faith-sharing prayer groups at St. Martha under a Diocesan program called Renew. I joined one of the groups and eventually became a facilitator. This changed my life.

While studying the bible and sharing our faith experiences we began to realize that we were all on the same journey to know more about our purpose in life. I learned to trust God and to become more aware of his promptings. One very clear message I received was that I should be an instrument by which others would come to know Him. I didn’t know how I could accomplish that but I trusted that He would show me the way. Five years later, I accepted the invitation to become a Deacon.

Through all the ups and downs of life, I tried to be attentive to what the Spirit was telling me. The messages didn’t come in a flash of lightning or the clap of thunder. They usually came to me in the whisper of a thought that didn’t go away until I acknowledged it. My decision to return to Antigua had its origin in such a thought that was prompted by an offer from the Minister of Finance of Antigua. So my parting will be a time of sorrow and joy. But the sorrow will be made more palatable by the fact that I will be returning to NY from time to time.

While in Antigua I will be offering my services as Deacon to the parish in which I received the sacraments of Baptism, First Confession, First Communion, Confirmation and Matrimony. I know that I will be able to serve them well because you all have trained me well. Please remember to keep me in your prayers.

I want to thank all of you lovely and generous people of St. Martha’s Haitian, Spanish and English speaking communities, who have always offered me your love. I also want to thank my fellow clergy, Msgr. Caldwell, Bishop Cabezas, Fr. Eden, Fr. Hynes and Fr. Madigan for your guidance. The staff of St. Martha’s is the most dedicated and caring you’ll find anywhere. I will miss you. Sr. Eileen and the Marianist brothers have been an inspiration. Thank you all.

In parting, let me share with you the words of a song that best reflect my sentiments.

I’ll be seeing you on every lovely summer day,

Everything that’s bright and gay and I’ll always think of you that way

I’ll see you in the morning star and when the sky is blue

I’ll be looking at the moon but I’ll be seeing you.

Your humble servant, Deacon Trevor"