Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity
Encyclopedia
The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) is a Society of Apostolic Life
within the Latin Rite branch of the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1958 by James Flanagan, a priest from the United States. The Society maintains missions in various countries, describing itself as "Trinitarian
, Marian
, Catholic, Missionary
, and Family.
Membership of the Society includes priests, sisters, brothers
and lay people
.
Father Flanagan’s realised that organisations where people work as a team, recognising and accepting individual talents, are the ones which are most successful. This is why the Society strives to have priests, sisters, brothers and lay members in all of its communities, no matter how small.
, Flanagan approached Cardinal Cushing, then Archbishop
of Boston
with his idea, and Cushing gave his support. Soon after, the Archbishop of Santa Fe, Edwin Byrne
invited Flanagan to his diocese
where he met his co-worker, Father John McHugh. The archbishop formally established the Society, as a pious union, on 16 July, 1958, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
.
After several meetings, those who feel called to be either a priest or brother in the Society spend a Candidacy year in either Belize
or Belcourt, North Dakota
. This is a year when the candidates experience living simply and without many material comforts, enabling them to better understand the work of the Society. Those who remain interested, begin the novitiate
year. Until 2011, this year was conducted in southern Colorado
; now the novices spend the time at the Society’s house in Corpus Christi, Texas
. This year is crucial, for it is then that the novices
and spiritual reading as well as silence in order to reflect on the vocation God
is offering and nature of their response. The spiritual development of the novice is of particular focus, especially through spiritual direction
. At the end the year the novices receive the habit
of the Society and take the promises of poverty, chastity and obedience. It is then that the person officially becomes a member of the Society, for
Following the novitiate, religious formation continues in one of two directions.
, Church history and Catholic doctrine.
This is followed by a pastoral year, the first six months of which takes place in a country other than the brother's native land. The remainder of the year is spent at the Society’s headquarters in Robstown, Texas
, where they learn how to operate within the framework of the Society’s ecclesial team structure.Brothers of the Society are not ordained and thus do not celebrate the Sacraments
. However, they serve in a variety of important apostolates according to the talents of each brother. These include such areas as prison ministry, people with HIV
, administration, counselling and parish work. A brother ministers
pursue their academic studies. Prior to 2011, the Society sent its students without any philosophy
for a two year course at Our Lady of Corpus Christi College in Texas
and those with philosophy for a four year theology
degree at the Angelicum in Rome. Beginning with the 2011-2012 academic year, all students were sent to Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan
which provides both philosophy and theology courses. The students live in a house of studies and commute to the seminary proper.
After completing their courses in theology, the candidates for ordination
participate in a pastoral year, six months of which is in a Spanish-speaking country and six months going through the Society’s Ecclesial Team programme. This is followed by perpetual promises, ordination to the Diaconate and then Priesthood between six and twelve months later.
For most newly-ordained priests, ordination is followed by an assignment to one of the Society's various communities, either in the US or abroad. However, some may be asked to attend the Angelicum in Rome for further studies.
After spending some time, normally a week, living with the Sisters, women who believe that they may be called to the religious life undergo what is called ‘Aspirancy’ during which they discern whether or not to begin the process. This is followed by a year-long postulancy period of living with the Community, during which time the women learn more about the practicalities of living the life of a Sister as well as deepening their relationship with God.
The postulancy is followed by a two year novitiate, at the beginning of which the women are clothed with the Society’s religious habit. The first year is devoted to living in one of the various apostolates. The second year is that required by Canon Law
during which the focus is on learning more about the evangelical counsels
, prayer
, spirituality and the Constitutions of the Society. At the end of the novitiate, simple promises are made; these are renewed annually for five years after which perpetual promises are made.
The Sisters serve alongside the other members of the Society in a variety of areas such as health care, education
, evangelisation, drug rehabilitation, homeless people, foster care, orphaned children and parish work. They also operate a bookstore which provides Catholic reading and devotional materials.
The purpose of the programme is to develop the lay missionaries' faith
, spirituality and sense of vocation
as well as foster a deeper understanding of what it means to be a missionary, understanding and respecting the culture where they will serve.
The Society serves in numerous countries.
In June, the Society responded, outlined the process which had taken place and that it had received a letter (dated 3 June 2001) from Corapi in which he said that he could no longer serve either as a priest or as a member of the Society. The Society's response also made it clear that no conclusion had been reached at that time. On 5 July 2011, the Society released another statement in which it said that all canonical norms had been followed and that Corapi did
In the same statement, the Society also asserted that Corapi had offered $100,000 to the woman making accusations in return for her silence and that he may have entered similar contracts with key witnesses who refused to supply the investigation with statements or documents.
Society of Apostolic Life
A society of apostolic life is a group of men or women within the Catholic Church who have come together for a specific purpose. Unlike members of an institute of consecrated life , members of apostolic societies do not make religious vows...
within the Latin Rite branch of the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1958 by James Flanagan, a priest from the United States. The Society maintains missions in various countries, describing itself as "Trinitarian
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
, Marian
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
, Catholic, Missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, and Family.
Membership of the Society includes priests, sisters, brothers
Lay brother
In the most common usage, lay brothers are those members of Catholic religious orders, particularly of monastic orders, occupied primarily with manual labour and with the secular affairs of a monastery or friary, in contrast to the choir monks of the same monastery who are devoted mainly to the...
and lay people
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
.
Charism
The charism (gift) which the Society brings to the universal Church is its Ecclesial Team method of ministry. While in seminarySeminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
Father Flanagan’s realised that organisations where people work as a team, recognising and accepting individual talents, are the ones which are most successful. This is why the Society strives to have priests, sisters, brothers and lay members in all of its communities, no matter how small.
Foundation
In 1957, five years after his ordination to the PriesthoodPresbyter
Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations, then a synonym of episkopos...
, Flanagan approached Cardinal Cushing, then Archbishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...
with his idea, and Cushing gave his support. Soon after, the Archbishop of Santa Fe, Edwin Byrne
Edwin Byrne
Edwin Vincent Byrne was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served in Puerto Rico, as Bishop of Ponce and Bishop of San Juan , before returning to the United States as Archbishop of Santa Fe .-Biography:Edwin Byrne was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Francis Charles and Anna...
invited Flanagan to his diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
where he met his co-worker, Father John McHugh. The archbishop formally established the Society, as a pious union, on 16 July, 1958, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid 13th centuries...
.
Religious formation
After several meetings, those who feel called to be either a priest or brother in the Society spend a Candidacy year in either Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
or Belcourt, North Dakota
Belcourt, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,440 people, 806 households, and 561 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 417.0 people per square mile . There were 856 housing units at an average density of 146.3/sq mi...
. This is a year when the candidates experience living simply and without many material comforts, enabling them to better understand the work of the Society. Those who remain interested, begin the novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
year. Until 2011, this year was conducted in southern Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
; now the novices spend the time at the Society’s house in Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
. This year is crucial, for it is then that the novices
“…better understand their divine vocation, and indeed one which is proper to the institute, experience the manner of living of the institute, and form their mind and heart in its spirit, and so that their intention and suitability are tested.”Thus, the novices are given the opportunity for longer periods of prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
and spiritual reading as well as silence in order to reflect on the vocation God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
is offering and nature of their response. The spiritual development of the novice is of particular focus, especially through spiritual direction
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing...
. At the end the year the novices receive the habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
of the Society and take the promises of poverty, chastity and obedience. It is then that the person officially becomes a member of the Society, for
“By religious profession, members assume the observance of the three evangelical counselsEvangelical counselsThe three evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection in Christianity are chastity, poverty , and obedience . As Jesus of Nazareth stated in the Canonical gospels , they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect"...
by public vow, are consecrated to God through the ministry of the Church, and are incorporated into the institute with the rights and duties defined by law.”
Following the novitiate, religious formation continues in one of two directions.
Brothers
Those called to be brothers begin what the Society terms an ‘Intellectual Year’ during which time is spent studying such things as the Sacred ScripturesBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, Church history and Catholic doctrine.
This is followed by a pastoral year, the first six months of which takes place in a country other than the brother's native land. The remainder of the year is spent at the Society’s headquarters in Robstown, Texas
Robstown, Texas
Robstown is a city in Nueces County, Texas, United States, and a western suburb of Corpus Christi. It was founded about 1906, and was named for Robert Driscoll Jr., a landowner...
, where they learn how to operate within the framework of the Society’s ecclesial team structure.Brothers of the Society are not ordained and thus do not celebrate the Sacraments
Sacraments of the Catholic Church
The Sacraments of the Catholic Church are, the Roman Catholic Church teaches, "efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper...
. However, they serve in a variety of important apostolates according to the talents of each brother. These include such areas as prison ministry, people with HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, administration, counselling and parish work. A brother ministers
...not by preaching with words, but in the example of the great St Francis who said, “Preach the Gospel always, and use words when necessary”.
Priests
Those called to the PriesthoodPriesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
pursue their academic studies. Prior to 2011, the Society sent its students without any philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
for a two year course at Our Lady of Corpus Christi College in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and those with philosophy for a four year theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
degree at the Angelicum in Rome. Beginning with the 2011-2012 academic year, all students were sent to Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
which provides both philosophy and theology courses. The students live in a house of studies and commute to the seminary proper.
After completing their courses in theology, the candidates for ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
participate in a pastoral year, six months of which is in a Spanish-speaking country and six months going through the Society’s Ecclesial Team programme. This is followed by perpetual promises, ordination to the Diaconate and then Priesthood between six and twelve months later.
For most newly-ordained priests, ordination is followed by an assignment to one of the Society's various communities, either in the US or abroad. However, some may be asked to attend the Angelicum in Rome for further studies.
Sisters
The Sisters affirm that:A vocation is a call from God. We have existed in the mind of God from all eternity and God has chosen this time in history to place us on this earth. He has a particular mission for each one of us and it is up to us to discover this wonderful plan. Some people are called to the single life, some people are called to the vocation of marriage and others to the vocation of religious life. When we find our vocation, we find our mission and we find the fullness of happiness.
After spending some time, normally a week, living with the Sisters, women who believe that they may be called to the religious life undergo what is called ‘Aspirancy’ during which they discern whether or not to begin the process. This is followed by a year-long postulancy period of living with the Community, during which time the women learn more about the practicalities of living the life of a Sister as well as deepening their relationship with God.
The postulancy is followed by a two year novitiate, at the beginning of which the women are clothed with the Society’s religious habit. The first year is devoted to living in one of the various apostolates. The second year is that required by Canon Law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
during which the focus is on learning more about the evangelical counsels
Evangelical counsels
The three evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection in Christianity are chastity, poverty , and obedience . As Jesus of Nazareth stated in the Canonical gospels , they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect"...
, prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
, spirituality and the Constitutions of the Society. At the end of the novitiate, simple promises are made; these are renewed annually for five years after which perpetual promises are made.
The Sisters serve alongside the other members of the Society in a variety of areas such as health care, education
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
, evangelisation, drug rehabilitation, homeless people, foster care, orphaned children and parish work. They also operate a bookstore which provides Catholic reading and devotional materials.
Lay missionaries
Those who feel called to this ministry undergo a period of prayerful reflection, discussion and basic training under the guidance of one of the Society’s priests and, preferably, with others of the same disposition. They also participate in the Ecclesial Team programme.The purpose of the programme is to develop the lay missionaries' faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
, spirituality and sense of vocation
Vocation
A vocation , is a term for an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity.-Senses:...
as well as foster a deeper understanding of what it means to be a missionary, understanding and respecting the culture where they will serve.
Missions
The Society serves in numerous countries.
- BelizeBelizeBelize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
: parishes, education, evangelisation, pro-life work and radio - United Kingdom: parish work in England and Wales
- GuatemalaGuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
: parishes and ministering to indigenous people - HaitiHaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
: parish work, food distribution, agriculture, education, community building - Italy: parish and school work in Subiaco and a parish in Rome
- MacauMacauMacau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
: Filipino migrants - Mexico: parishes, orphans, schools, health care, abandoned elderly people
- Papua New GuineaPapua New GuineaPapua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
: parishes, primary schools, justice and peace - PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
: parishes, education, formation of religious and social development - ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
: chemical dependency, AIDSAIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, rural workers - U.S.A.: parishes, education, youth camps, retreats, migrant workers, Hispanic and African-American communities.
Structure
The Society is led by a General Priest Council, composed of a General Priest Servant and four others. There are also two Regional Priest Councils, one for the Asia-Pacific Region and the other for the American Region.Recent controversy
In 2011 controversy arose concerning John Corapi, one of the Society’s priests, a man well known for his lively preaching, frequent appearances on EWTN and writing several books. Corapi was accused of breaking his promise of celibacy with more than one woman and of violating his vow of poverty by amassing significant wealth. The initial allegations were a shock to those Catholics who saw him as a defender of traditional Catholic teaching on all fronts. Along with complaints of being unfairly treated and that “certain persons in authority in the Church that want me gone…”, Corapi asserted his innocence but also said that he was resigning from the Priesthood.In June, the Society responded, outlined the process which had taken place and that it had received a letter (dated 3 June 2001) from Corapi in which he said that he could no longer serve either as a priest or as a member of the Society. The Society's response also made it clear that no conclusion had been reached at that time. On 5 July 2011, the Society released another statement in which it said that all canonical norms had been followed and that Corapi did
…have sexual relations and years of cohabitation (in California and Montana) with a woman known to him, when the relationship began, as a prostitute; He repeatedly abused alcohol and drugs; He has recently engaged in sexting activity with one or more women in Montana; He holds legal title to over $1 million in real estate, numerous luxury vehicles, motorcycles, an ATV, a boat dock, and several motor boats, which is a serious violation of his promise of poverty as a perpetually professed member of the Society.
In the same statement, the Society also asserted that Corapi had offered $100,000 to the woman making accusations in return for her silence and that he may have entered similar contracts with key witnesses who refused to supply the investigation with statements or documents.