The Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis Prime Minister Commonwealth of the Bahamas 11 March 2019 on the Passing of Monsignor Preston Moss:
It is with profound sadness that the Bahamas and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese mourn the death of Monsignor Preston A. Moss, the former Vicar General of the Archdiocese, who would have celebrated his 80th birthday in October of this year.
On behalf of the Government and people of the Bahamas, and on my own behalf and that of Patricia, I offer condolences to Monsignor Moss’s family, here in the Bahamas and abroad, and to the clerics, religious and lay people of the Archdiocese.
For more than 50 years, Monsignor Moss faithfully served as a priest of the Roman Catholic community. He served as Vicar General for many years and on church bodies and commissions locally and overseas.
He was the pastor of a number of churches in New Providence, and served as rector of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. His ministry extended throughout the country, including missions in the Family Islands.
He was a Bahamian prince who also served on a number of government boards. His half a century of ministry coincided with our national development as a sovereign Bahamas. Monsignor Moss played an essential role in our country’s development, and the indigenization of the local church.
He was known for his holiness and pastoral care. His ministry of love, mercy and reconciliation touched many Bahamians over a number of generations. He walked with grace and dedication in the footsteps of Christ.
Monsignor Moss was known for his powerful preaching ministry at home and abroad, including throughout the Antilles Episcopal Conference. He greeted one and all with the word, “Peace”, which served as a blessing and a sign of grace.
Like many others, I was fortunate to be inspired by the life and ministry of a saintly pastor, who counselled scores of Bahamians, including prisoners. He was especially committed to the poor and immigrants.
He cared for the sick and dying, and those often neglected and abandoned by society. He saw in others the figure of Christ, always demonstrating his respect and defence of the dignity of all regardless of circumstance of birth.
His is a profound loss for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese and the people of the Bahamas and the region.
Monsignor Preston Moss’s stellar life serves as an example for those committed to the spiritual life and the common good. His charisma was one of love and gentleness.
He taught us how to live, how to love, and how to die with dignity and with peace. We pray for his eternal soul. May he rest in peace.
I join the Archdiocese in “commending Monsignor Moss to God in prayer.”
