By Omar Anderson, Gleaner WriterROMAN CATHOLIC Archbishop, the Most Reverend Edgerton Clarke, 75, has stepped down as head of the archdiocese due to age constraints.
News of his resignation broke yesterday at the Stella Maris Roman Catholic Church in St. Andrew, where the annual meeting of the Roman Catholic's diocesan directors was held.
The vacancy created by Archbishop Clarke's resignation is to be filled by 71-year-old Archbishop Lawrence Burke, a Jamaican who has been archbishop of Nassau, Bahamas, for several years.
"The Holy Father (Pope) has told me to tell him (Clarke) that he has done a wonderful job and that he is happy with what he has done with the archdiocese of Kingston," said Archbishop, the Most Reverend Emil Tscherrig, the Pope's ambassador for the Caribbean.
"He has asked me to thank him on behalf of the ministry which is taking care of evangelisation in Rome," Archbishop Tscherrig added.
ROMAN CATHOLIC LAW
Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, Archbishop Clarke said he turned 75 on Valentine's Day, and tendered his resignation because Roman Catholic law forbids him to continue beyond that age in that capacity.
"It's a great relief to be free of administering the archdiocese, and not having concerns for priests and various pastoral activities," he said.
Appointed in 1994, but installed the following year, Archbishop Clarke, who spent 27 years as bishop of Montego Bay, said his major concern during his tenure was to promote the gospel and have parishioners live the gospel message. He said he would have liked to have seen more unity among various denominations, culminating in an intensified common sense of purpose.
He said the highlights of his career included more young men expressing a desire to enter the priesthood, and parishioners playing a more involved role in the church.
The archbishop noted that the low points in his tenure have been few. "My usual disappointment is when people don't measure up to expectation."
INCLUSIVE IDEOLOGY
A former St. George's College student, Archbishop Clarke, a justice of the peace, attended St. John's Seminary in Massachu-setts in the United States. He was ordained to the priesthood in February 1960 and was also ordained bishop of Montego Bay in November 1967.
Reacting to the archbishop's resignation, Monsignor Richard Albert said his tenure was characterised by his inclusive ideology when managing the archdiocese.
"He let people know he wanted to hear their views, he didn't come in with a heavy hand, and he always tried to foster consensus among church members," Albert said.
