Archbishop Drexel Gomez Dies at 88
Archbishop Drexel Gomez, a leading Caribbean Anglican figure who served as Bishop of Barbados and later as Archbishop and Primate of the Church in the Province of the West Indies, has died at 88. A native of the Bahamas and a long-time mentor of Caribbean clergy, Gomez was remembered for modernising the church and strengthening regional ties.
Archbishop Drexel Gomez, a towering figure in Caribbean Anglicanism who served as Bishop of Barbados and later as Archbishop and Primate of the Church in the Province of the West Indies, has died at the age of 88. According to reports, Gomez passed away at the Nassau home of his son, Damian Gomez, after a period in hospital for pneumonia following surgery and a subsequent diagnosis of stomach cancer.
Family members had earlier asked for national prayers for his recovery and continued ministry. Born on January 24, 1937, in the Berry Islands and raised in Nassau where he worshipped at St. Agnes Church, Gomez trained at Codrington College in Barbados — then affiliated with Durham University — receiving his degree in 1959.
He was ordained a deacon that year and a priest in 1961. He later served as diocesan secretary in The Bahamas before being consecrated and enthroned as Lord Bishop of Barbados on June 24, 1972, at 36 — the first Caribbean-born bishop in that diocese’s nearly 200-year history and one of its youngest leaders.
During two decades in Barbados Gomez built a reputation as a reform-minded and dynamic leader who modernised church governance, deepened lay participation and broadened the Anglican Church’s role in public life. He lectured at Codrington College and mentored generations of clergy across the Caribbean — many of whom have served or continue to serve in the Virgin Islands and the wider Province.
He was also the last occupant of the historic Bishop’s Court residence in Barbados. In 1992 he was translated to the Diocese of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands and, in 1996, elected Archbishop and Primate of the West Indies, a role he held until his retirement on December 31, 2008.
In 2003 Gomez was appointed to the Lambeth Commission on Communion and contributed to the Windsor Report, which sought to address deepening disputes within the worldwide Anglican Communion. A theological conservative, Gomez opposed the ordination of non-celibate gay clergy and the blessing of same-sex unions, describing such moves as "aggressive revisionist theology," but he consistently urged dialogue and unity, supporting discussions under the Anglican Covenant framework.
Even in retirement he remained active in church life; in 2022 he presided over events marking the 50th anniversary of his episcopal consecration. He is survived by his wife, Carol Gomez; children Damian, Dennis, Dominic and Deborah; and 11 grandchildren. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley paid tribute, calling him a "soft-spoken gentleman" whose warm smile and distinctive voice left a lasting impression.
For residents of the British Virgin Islands, Gomez’s death is a moment to recognise the enduring influence of Caribbean Anglican leadership and the regional bonds he helped strengthen.
Primary source: VINO