Bishop Gerard County, CSSp was born in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies, on December 15, 1960. He attended primary and secondary schools in Woodbrook, in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, then he worked in the banking sector, holding positions of leadership. He entered the Spiritan Novitiate in Port of Spain, and professed his temporary vows on September 9, 1991. He completed his philosophical and theological studies at the St. John Vianney Regional Seminary in Trinidad and Tobago. He was ordained a priest on January 21, 1996.
After his ordination, he was sent to the Spiritan mission in Mexico where he served for nineteen years in a number of ministries within the Congregation in Mexico, including bursar and director of youth pastoral care, parish priest of St. David Roldan Lara in the diocese of Tampico, and Provincial Superior of the Spiritan Mexico Group.
Having finished in October 2015 his service as major superior in Mexico, he returned to Trinidad and was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Spiritan Community in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago.
He was appointed Bishop of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on December 22, 2015 and ordained February 20, 2016, the feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle.
Coat Of Arms of Bishop Gerard County, C.S.Sp
It is customary in the Church for each Bishop to have his own Coat of Arms. As the distinctive mark of his office a Bishop has a hat, cords and twelve tassels placed around the shield. In coloured reproductions these are all green, in addition there is a cross behind the shield with one cross bar.
Looking at Bishop County’s shield we see that it is divided into three fields. In the upper field there is the Barque of Peter, an ancient symbol of the Church. The Barque is driven by the powerful breath of the Holy Spirit, which is emblazoned on its sail. Bishop County is a member of the missionary Congregation of the Holy Ghost (Spiritans).
In the lower left-hand field are the three diamonds culled from the National Flag, representing St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands – gems of the Caribbean. A red rose, symbol of the love which inspires the Bishop’s motto is superimposed on the diamonds.
In the lower right-hand field is the letter M proclaiming the Blessed Virgin Mary Patroness of the Cathedral and to whom the Bishop has always had a strong devotion.
Bishop County’s Motto
For his motto Bishop County has chosen the commandment of Jesus to his disciples.“Love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)
This is meant to remind the Bishop and all others that Jesus loved us to the point of laying down his life for us, and there is no greater love than to give one’s life.