Prime Minister Davis’s Tribute at the State-Recognized Funeral of His Grace The Most Reverend Archbishop Drezel W. Gomez

“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord.

So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

Romans 14:8

Those words from the Apostle Paul speak to the heart of the man we gather to honour today.

For if ever there was a life that belonged wholly to the Lord, it was the life of His Grace, The Most Reverend Drexel Wellington Gomez.

He lived for the Lord in his service, in his discipline, and in his love for others.

And now, he rests in the Lord, at peace in the eternal embrace of the One he served so faithfully.

There are some names that have become fixtures in the Bahamian family, names that rise above time, that become part of our shared story, that remind us of what this small nation can produce when faith meets purpose.

Today we gather to give thanks for one such name: Drexel Wellington Gomez, a name that will forever be spoken with reverence, affection, and pride.

From the quiet shores of the Berry Islands came a child whose life would one day touch the world. From this Bahamian soil, so rich with resilience, belief, and grace, God raised up a servant who would guide, teach, and unite generations.

He began, as many of our finest sons and daughters have, with little more than faith and family. 

When his parents moved to New Providence, the young Drexel found his spiritual home at St. Agnes Church on Baillou Hill Road. There, under the high roof of that parish, he learned the meaning of worship, of discipline, and of community.

The call of God came early, quiet, steady, unrelenting. And Drexel Gomez answered it.

He went first to Codrington College in Barbados, then to St. Chad’s College at Durham University in England, not to chase titles or status, but to prepare himself for a life of service. 

And when he returned, he returned as a servant, humble, learned, ready to give his life to the Gospel.

Ordained a deacon in 1959 and a priest in 1961, he entered ministry with the conviction that faith must not only be believed, but lived. His sermons spoke to the mind, but his life spoke to the heart.

At just thirty-six, he was consecrated Bishop of Barbados, a moment of great honour, but one he bore with humility. He once said that leadership in the church was not a reward, but a responsibility. And indeed, he carried that responsibility with grace.

When he returned home in 1996 to serve as Bishop of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands, the people received him as one of their own, a son returning to serve the land that shaped him. Two years later, when he was elevated to Archbishop of the Province of the West Indies, his name was spoken across the region with admiration and respect.

Yet no matter how high he rose, he never forgot where he began. He never forgot the people who shaped his faith. And he never forgot that the true measure of leadership is not the title before or after your name, but the integrity behind it.

Archbishop Gomez was a man of intellect and principle. His mind was sharp, his words precise, but it was his heart that defined him.

He understood that the Church was not a monument to be admired, but a living body meant to heal. He believed that theology must never become detached from compassion, and that truth without love is incomplete.

In times of conflict, he was calm. In times of division, he sought unity. In moments when the Church wrestled with great moral questions, he reminded us that faith and reason are not enemies, but allies.

As Chairman of the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations and later the Covenant Design Group, he guided the Anglican Communion through one of its most turbulent chapters. He defended truth with firmness, but also with grace. And through his leadership, the world saw that The Bahamas, small in size but mighty in spirit, had given to the world a theologian of rare depth and discipline.

He represented our nation not just with intelligence, but with dignity.

From this soil came a man who carried himself like a cathedral, strong, steady, rooted in faith.

I speak of him today not only as Archbishop, but as a friend.

I first met him as a student at St. John’s College, through Father William Thompson, one of my teachers. Over the years, Archbishop Gomez became my mentor and, later, my confidant.

When I became Prime Minister, before I even entered my office, he came to bless it. He prayed for me, for my colleagues, and for our nation. It was a prayer that asked not for prosperity, but for purity, not for ease, but for endurance.

He often reminded me of a phrase that has stayed with me ever since: Primum non nocere — “First, do no harm.”

He said, “Brave, you are human. You will make mistakes. But never let those mistakes come from a heart that wishes harm. Always lead with conscience. Always lead with love.”

That was the heart of the man we remember today, intelligent, yes, but never detached. Strong, but never proud. Principled, but always compassionate.

Two weeks before he became ill, he came to see me. We talked about life and about faith, about the difficult balance between duty and compassion, and the quiet weight that comes with leadership.

He wanted me to meet one of his friends, Bishop Bill Atwood from Texas. Though he fell ill before that meeting could happen, I later met Bishop Atwood, and we both spoke of our deep admiration for Archbishop Gomez, two men from different worlds, united by the same respect for one remarkable Bahamian.

When he returned home from the hospital, I went to visit him. He could not speak, but he recognized me. His eyes were calm, knowing, and full of peace. In that moment, I saw a man who had lived fully, served faithfully, and was ready to rest.

He had finished his race, and he was ready to meet his Lord.

And so today, we remember him as both a man of the Church and a man of the people, a son of Bahamian soil who carried our flag across the world and brought honour to our name.

He showed us what it means to live for the Lord, to serve without selfishness, to lead without arrogance, and to love without condition.

He lived for the Lord, and now, he rests in the Lord.

His influence endures in the clergy he trained, in the leaders he guided, in the countless lives he touched. His wisdom will continue to shape this nation, this region, and this faith for generations to come.

To his beloved family, to the Anglican Diocese, and to all who called him teacher, father, and friend, I extend, on behalf of my wife Ann, my family, and the Government and people of The Bahamas, our deepest sympathy, condolences and gratitude.

The story of Archbishop Drexel Gomez is the story of what God can do through one faithful life, a life that began in the humblest of places and reached to the highest of callings.

He has fought the good fight.

He has finished the race.

He has kept the faith.

May his soul rest in peace, and may the Lord, whom he served so completely, welcome him home with the words:

“Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

May the angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs greet you at your arrival and lead you into the holy city, Jerusalem.