The Trinity
Video Resources
Understanding the Trinity
An introduction to the mystery of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Catholic theology.
The Father in Scripture
Exploring biblical references to God the Father and His relationship with creation.
Jesus Christ: The Son of God
Understanding Christ's divine nature and His role in the Trinity.
The Holy Spirit's Role
Discovering the third person of the Trinity and His work in the Church.
Concepts
The doctrine of the Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them.
The Trinity is One. We do not confess three Gods, but one God in three persons, the "consubstantial Trinity". The divine persons do not share the one divinity among themselves but each of them is God whole and entire.
The divine persons are really distinct from one another. God is one but not solitary. "Father", "Son", "Holy Spirit" are not simply names designating modalities of the divine being, for they are really distinct from one another.
Questions & Answers
This is a profound mystery that surpasses human understanding. The Trinity means that there is one God who exists eternally as three distinct persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, yet there is only one God. They are distinguished by their relations of origin: the Father generates, the Son is begotten, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.
The Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith because it reveals who God is in His inner life. Understanding the Trinity helps us grasp God's nature as a communion of love, which is the model for all Christian relationships. Through Baptism, we are brought into relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We experience the Trinity through prayer, sacraments, and our relationship with God. We pray to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. In the Eucharist, we encounter Christ who brings us to the Father by the power of the Spirit. The Trinity's life of love flows into our lives, enabling us to love God and one another.