Index Page - The Divine Trinity

Definition of Terms. When the Church speaks about the Divine Trinity she uses Precise Words whose Meaning has been determined by various Church Councils and Documents in the course of 2000 Years of History. A limited Basic Listing of Terms is provided below.
Appropriation	Appropriation is defined as a Way of Speaking about the Trinity in which Acts, Common to all Three (3) Persons, are Attributed-to an Individual Person, such as Sanctification to the Holy Spirit.
Circumincession	The Mutual Indwelling of the Trinity: "Because of this Unity, the Father is entirely-in the Son and entirely-in the Holy Spirit; the Son is entirely-in the Father and entirely-in the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit is entirely-in the Father and entirely-in the Son". (Denzinger 704)
Consubstantial	Having the same Substance.
Generation	The Production of One Living Being from Another, both having the same Nature.
Mystery	A Divinely Revealed Truth whose very Possibility cannot be Rationally Conceived before it is Revealed and, after Revelation, whose Inner Essence cannot be Fully Understood by the Finite Mind.
Person	An Individual, Incommunicable Substance of a Rational Nature. This Definition applies to Human Beings and Angels, as well as to God.
Procession	The Origin of One from Another . . . One Proceeding from another. There are Two (2) Internal Divine Processions: the Generation of the Son and the Spiration of the Holy Spirit.
Relation	Is an Ordination or Reference of One-thing to Another.
Spiration	A Type of Divine Proceeding, from the noun "Spirit" which means "Breath".

Index to Pages
on
The Divine Trinity

trinity_ani.gif (6574 bytes) The word "Trinity", which is not found in the Bible, First appeared in the 2nd Century and means in a collective sense "Three Persons in one Essence". It was First used by Theophilus of Antioch in Greek; the Latin "Trinitas" was First used by Tertullian (ca. 220).

The Trinity is the Term employed to Signify the Central Doctrine of the Christian Religion -- the Truth that in the Unity (1) of the Godhead there are Three (3) Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, these Three (3) Persons being Truly Distinct one from another. Thus, in the words of the Athanasian Creed: "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not Three Gods but One God". In this Trinity of Persons the Son is Begotten of the Father by an Eternal Generation, and the Holy Spirit Proceeds by an Eternal Procession from the Father and the Son. Yet, notwithstanding this Difference as to Origin, the Persons are Co-Eternal and Co-Equal: all alike are Uncreated and Omnipotent. This, the Church teaches, is the Revelation regarding God's Nature which Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came-upon Earth to Deliver-to the World: and which She Proposes-to Man as the Foundation-of Her Whole Dogmatic System.

For Catholics who want to know more about God, it is not sufficient to Stop the Investigation once the Existence and Nature of the Divinity have been established. This is done Philosophically in Metaphysics; it is done Theologically in the First Treatise in Dogmatic Theology which is called De Deo Uno or The Unicity of God. The reason for this is that we know, through the Revelation of Jesus Christ, that in God there is a Loving Community of Persons -- Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The Mystery of the Holy Trinity is the Central or Basic Mystery of the Christian Faith.

In Catholic Theology there are at least Three (3) Absolute Mysteries. They are the Trinity, the Incarnation, and Divine Grace or the Supernatural. By an "Absolute Mystery" is meant One that Totally Surpasses the Capacity of the Created Mind. Thus, the Trinity is an Absolute Mystery in the sense that even the Blessed in Heaven, including the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Angels, do not Completely Understand It. Nor will they ever Totally Grasp It for all Eternity. It simply Exceeds the Power of the Created Intelligence.

Just because the Trinity is an Absolute Mystery, it does not follow that we cannot know anything about It. As a matter of fact, we know quite a bit about the Trinity. It is a Mystery, however, that can be known only as the Result of Revelation. The Human Mind, reflecting on the Beauty and Power of Nature, could never arrive at the Tri-Personal Inner-Life of God. Thus, it is only through the Revelation of Jesus Christ that we know about the Intimate Relation between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament there are a few Hints about this Truth; in the New Testament it is 'Fully-Revealed' by God's Only Begotten Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Satan Sez

The Trinity is too deep a Mystery for you to Understand. I, Satan can't even Understand it myself. Saint Thomas Aquinas spent a great part of his life trying, and Failed. Its only for Seminary Professors, Philosophers, Theologians, and the like. Not only that, aside from being Incomprehensible, the Doctrine is Absolutely Impractical. It will in no Way, Shape or Form have any effect on your Life.

The Truth about the Holy Trinity

If you are in the State of Sanctifying Grace, the Holy Trinity dwells in you in a very Special and Personal way. God is an Intense and Eternal Lover. It was because of His Love that He Created you, and it is because of His Love that He wishes to be United with you, to be present in you in a very Special Way. It is most important for us to realize that God's Grace is more than merely some Created Thing that God imprints on us as a Sign of His Ownership -- it is not just a Brand Mark or a Tag of Ownership signed "God". The Full meaning of Sanctifying Grace is that God Himself, that is, the Holy Trinity -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is Personally Present 'in-me' in a way that He is not Present in the rest of the Material Universe. God's Presence in the Soul affects both our Knowledge and our Love.

Prayer to the Holy Trinity

(By Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity)

Prayer to the Holy Trinity

(By Saint Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church)

Solemnity of the Holy Trinity

(by Father Charles Irvin, M. Div, J.D.)

The Divine Trinity in Our Daily Life

(by Father Paul A. Duffner, O.P.)

The Baltimore Catechism on The Holy Trinity

(Lesson 3: On The Unity and Trinity of God)

The Catechism of Trent on The Holy Trinity

(Written under the Supervision of Saint Charles Borromeo)

The Divine Trinity

(by Father Paul A. Duffner, O.P.)

The Unity and Trinity of God

(Dogmas concerning the Unity and Trinity of God
compiled from "Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma" by Dr Ludwig Ott)

Mary's Relationship with the Trinity

(by Pope John Paul II)

Paraclete - Third Person of the Divine Trinity

Providence of First Person of the Divine Trinity

Jesus Christ - Second Person of the Divine Trinity

Mary - Mother of Jesus

A Short Ten Lesson Course on the Holy Trinity

(by Father Kenneth Baker, S.J.)

On the Love of the Three Divine Persons for Man

(In this Treatise Saint Alphonsus Liguori considers the Love shown to us by the Father in our Creation; Secondly, the Love of the Son, in our Redemption; and Thirdly, the Love of the Holy Ghost, in our Sanctification.)

New Catechism on the Holy Trinity

Catechetical Teachings of Pope John Paul II

(By Father Richard M. Hogan & Father John M. LeVoir
from the Catechetical Teachings of Pope John Paul II)

Trinity Hymn, Te Deum Laudamus -
Holy God We Praise Thy Name

trinityhours.jpg (31880 bytes)

Written by Ignaz Franz, translated by
Fr Clarence Alphonsus Walworth (1820-1900).

Holy God, we praise Thy Name
Lord of all we bow before Thee;
all on earth Thy scepter claim,
all in heaven above adore Thee;
Infinite Thy vast domain,
everlasting is Thy reign.

Hark, the loud celestial hymn
angel choirs above are raising;
Cherubim and Seraphim
in unceasing chorus praising,
fill the heavens with sweet accord;
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord!

Lo, the Apostolic train
Join, Thy sacred name to hallow:
prophets swell the loud refrain,
and the white-robbed Martyrs follow;
and, from morn till set of sun,
through the Church the song goes on.

Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee,
While in essence only One,
undivided God we claim Thee:
and, adoring, bend the knee
while we own the mystery.

Thou art King of glory, Christ:
Son of God, yet born of Mary;
for us sinners sacrificed,
and to death a tributary:
first to break the bars of death,
Thou has opened Heaven to faith.

From Thy high celestial home,
Judge of all, again returning,
we believe that Thou shalt come
in the dreaded Doomsday morning;
when Thy voice shall shake the earth,
and the startled dead come forth.

Therefore do we pray Thee, Lord:
help Thy servants whom, redeeming
by Thy Precious Blood outpoured,
Thou hast saved from Satan's scheming.
Give to them eternal rest
in the glory of the Blest.

Spare Thy people, Lord, we pray,
by a thousand snares surrounded:
keep us without sin today,
never let us be confounded.
Lo, I put my trust in Thee;
never, Lord, abandon me.

Amen

Prayers to the Divine Trinity

Thanks be rendered to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for all the Graces with which I have been laden in the past.

Thanks be rendered to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the Graces with which I am laden now.

Thanks be rendered to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the Graces with which the Supreme Goodness will crown me in the future.

Amen

Omnipotence of the Father, help my weakness and save me from the depths of misery.

Wisdom of the Son, direct all my thoughts, words, and deeds.

Love of the Holy Spirit, be the source of all the activity of my mind, that it may be conformed to the Divine Will.

Amen

Father, You sent Your Word to bring us Truth and Your Spirit to make us holy. Through them we come to know the Mystery of Your Life. Help us to worship You, one God in Three Persons, by proclaiming and living our faith in You.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen

Prayer of Thanksgiving to the Holy Trinity -
by Saint Catherine of Siena