Adult Faith Formation

Every disciple of the Lord Jesus shares in this mission. To do their part, adult Catholics must be mature in faith and well equipped to share the Gospel, promoting it in every family circle, in every church gathering, in every place of work, and in every public forum. They must be women and men of prayer whose faith is alive and vital, grounded in a deep commitment to the person and message of Jesus. (Our Hearts Were Burning within Us:  A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States, USCCB, 2001)

Adult Faith Formation at Holy Trinity aims to form adults in the fullness of the faith through scripture study, lectures, and sacramental preparation to increase knowledge of the faith, encourage a life of prayer, and promote active involvement in the parish community.

Brian Flanagan, PhD, serves as Adult Faith Formation Consultant and can be contacted at bflanagan@trinity.org.

Sign up here for weekly Adult Faith Formation updates!

* indicates required

Upcoming Faith Formation Opportunities

Children’s Mental Health and Wellness

Sunday, March 30, 10:15 am, Trinity Hall - Please register here for childcare
Wednesday, April 2 | 7:00 pm on Zoom - Please register here for the zoom link

To continue our series on Faith, Hope, and Mental Wellness, we will be hosting a conversation for parents, grandparents and other family members about children's mental health, facilitated by Bridget Tansey, School Counselor at Holy Trinity School, and Anne Marie Kaufmann, Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation.

Book Discussion Group

Thursday, March 27 | 7:15 - 8:45 on Zoom

The parish holds a weekly book discussion group on Thursdays at 7:15 pm on Zoom. We'll be starting a new book this Thursday, March 27, Touch the Wounds: On Suffering, Trust, & Transformation by Czech theologian Tomáš Halík.  This Thursday we'll be reading the preface and first three chapters, p. 1-31 in the print edition. of No previous experience with the book discussion group is required, so purchase a copy from the retailer of your choice and join us on March 27  to discuss the final section on “God's Beloved Creation."

To get the zoom link, and/or to get a pdf of this week's readings, email Brian Flanagan at bflanagan@trinity.org.

 

Past Events

50 Years of the Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice

If you missed our workshop on Saturday, March 8, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Jesuit decree on the Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice, recordings of the two panels are now available on youtube.

The first panel discussed the history, theology, and spirituality of the Decree on the Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice, with panelists Fr. David Hollenbach, S.J., Pedro Arrupe Distinguished Research Professor at Georgetown University; Anne Marie Kaufmann, Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation at Holy Trinity Parish; and Fr. Kevin Gillespie, S.J., Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish.

The second panel discussed the fruits of the decree in a variety of Jesuit institutions and ministries, with panelists panelists Kelly Ryan, President of Jesuit Refugee Services; John Carr, Founder of the Initiative for Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University; Annie Selak, Director of the Women's Center at Georgetown University; and Nicholas Napolitano, Provincial Assistant for Justice, Ecology, and Reconciliation, USA East Province of the Society of Jesus.

Do I Need a Priest or a Therapist?


If you missed our conversation on Catholic Approaches to Mental Health and Wellness with Marie Raber,
M.S.W., Ph.D., former Dean of the National Catholic School of Social Service at the Catholic University of America, and Eugene Morris, LICSW, counselor and instructor at the National Catholic School of Social Service, you can now view it on youtube.

Theologies of Mental Health


If you missed our conversation with Dr. Jessica Coblentz, author of Dust in the Blood: A Theology of Life with Depression, and Dr. Stephanie Edwards, author of Enfleshed Counter-Memory: A Christian Social Ethic of Trauma, the first in our Faith, Hope, and Mental Wellness Series, you can now view it on youtube.

Christmas Carol Stories

Sunday, December 15, 10:15 am, Trinity Hall

To celebrate Gaudete Sunday, we'll be singing some of our favorite Christmas carols together and talking about the theological ideas and spiritual treasures within them. No musical talent is required, and we'll have hot chocolate and goodies. And if you want to learn more about Christmas carols on your own or while you're driving or exercising, check out the Podcast "Hark" from America magazine!

Fr. James Martin, S.J. discusses his book "Come Forth" at Holy Trinity

September 15, 10:15am Trinity Hall

On Sunday, September 15, bestselling author Father James Martin, S.J. discussed his book "Come Forth" before a packed audience at Holy Trinity Parish in Georgetown.

Father Martin's book explores the story of Jesus’s greatest miracle—the raising of Lazarus from the dead—and what Jesus means when he calls each of us to “come forth.”

Ten Years of Pope Francis's Diplomacy—A Hidden Strength!

March 12, 10:15am Trinity Hall
On the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the election of Pope Francis, the parish is hosting acclaimed journalist Victor Gaetan.  Pope Francis did not come to the papacy with extensive experience in international diplomacy as did Pope Pius XII and Pope Paul VI. Yet, the Holy Father has excelled, behind the scenes, in the diplomatic domain, from Cuba to South Sudan to the UAE. Join a discussion with journalist Victor Gaetan, author of God's Diplomats:  Pope Francis, Vatican Diplomacy, and American Armageddon about this hidden aspect of the Francis pontificate.
Victor Gaetan is senior international correspondent for the National Catholic Register. He contributes to Foreign Affairs magazine, America magazine, Catholic News Service, and  others.Mr. Gaetan will speak about global diplomatic efforts toward peace and understanding that Pope Francis  has pursued during his decade long papacy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Strangers No Longer” (Eph 2:9): The Mission of the Jesuit Refugee Service in Kenya

Sunday, November 20, 10:15 am, Trinity Hall

Fr. Bill O’Neill, S.J., professor emeritus of social ethics at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University and a visiting professor of Hekima University College in Nairobi, has been a member of the Mission and Identity team of the Jesuit Refugee Service since 2019.  As a member of the team he served in the Kakuma refugee camp in Northwestern Kenya.  He will share about his experience in Kenya and the challenges of refugee resettlement.

Please note the Kakuma refugee camp is experiencing a funding crisis.  Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated.  For more information about the Kakuma refugee camp, click here.  To donate, click here.

 

Mary's Magnificat and Hannah's Song

Sunday, December 11, 10:15am, Trinity Hall

A special faith formation event sponsored by the Women Who Stay to celebrate the Women Who Sing!  Hannah, the mother of Samuel, and Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus, are two prophetic voices of Advent that are muted in our Catholic Sunday Lectionary.  Many of us know Mary’s Magnificat in the first chapter of Luke, but did you know that the entire song she sang while visiting her cousin Elizabeth is never read as the Gospel on any Sunday during any liturgical cycle?  And the prophetic song of Hannah that Mary echoes is also never heard in any Sunday Mass either?  We’ll explore these voices absent from the Lectionary.