Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon of Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago spent many years in spiritual desolation, has mediated between gang leaders and offers important advice for young people today.

00:00 Who is Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon?
1:52 Audience Question: How can we help youth transition to an adult faith?
5:50 How Catholicism was incultured in Trinidad
9:00 The challenges of answering a call from God
11:31 What enables some people to say "yes" to God?
12:45 Major faith influences: the Archbishop's parents and the 'charismatic renewal'
17:20 When the Archbishop (finally) said "yes" to the priesthood
21:30 Spiritual darkness in the journey to a vocation
25:52 Lessons from periods of spiritual desolation in our lives
30:20 Praying through gang mediation and serving the poor
35:52 Reflecting on mystical moments: "a light turned on" and "the world came back in 3D."
41:34 How the Archbishop prays day by day
43:29 Audience Question answered by the Archbishop: How can we help youth transition to an adult faith?
46:54 The important differences between desolation and depression

Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice column on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/07/22/father-james-martin-desolation-spiritual-life-251166

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