Miss Maria Ruiz Villarino leads our Campus Ministry team, planning our school liturgies, retreat program, and other spiritual opportunities. She leads some of the most transformative aspects of the Trinity experience, the Kairos retreat, for juniors and its sister program, the Fourth Day retreat for senior students. Ask a Trinity graduate–these retreats change lives!
Fr. Meinert is the parochial vicar at Saint Theresa Parish, New Cumberland, as well as chaplain at Trinity. He spends a full school day each week greeting Trinity students in and out of the classroom, ministering to them, and administering sacraments. Father Meinert’s weekly presence allows students to connect personally with a clergy member, access sacraments such as Reconciliation as needed, and embrace the gift of Catholicism in their lives.
Mrs. Trish Bolster serves in our Campus Ministry Office, as well on Trinity’s Administrative team. She works with students on volunteer opportunities, for Mass preparation, and she is a regular leader on the junior year Kairos retreat.
As members of the Body of Christ, the Trinity community is called to participate in the faith life of the Church through our presence, worship, study, and service. At Trinity, we invite all students to develop a strong spiritual life through various offerings, including:
Weekly Mass is celebrated by our chaplain and sponsored by clubs and sports, and monthly Mass is attended by our entire school community. Prayer services recognize recognize holidays, community events, or unexpected tragedies. Holy Adoration is offered on First Fridays for our entire community. We also pause daily for prayer at the start and end of the day, before each class, and at midday with the Angelus. We remember Christ's blessing throughout our day and at every activity.
Service to others, to our school, and to our community stands at the heart of Trinity’s mission. As a school, we regularly organize donations to benefit our community: collecting food at Thanksgiving, clothing for the needy, and toys for children at Christmas are just a few examples. Jesus set the example of service, and we strive to emulate Him. All Trinity graduates give at least 80 hours of service as high school students, but many perform even more. Questions about the service program can be directed to Deacon Scott Root.
Trinity High School has joined the national effort to defend life for dozens of years at the March for Life, in Washington D.C., and more recently at the Pennsylvania March for Life in Harrisburg. Many Trinity students and staff choose to attend and speak the message that all life is precious–from the unborn to those who face unnatural death, including from euthanasia or the death penalty.
Beginning with Jesus’ 40 days in the desert and continuing with the example of countless saints, Catholics have a long history of retreating from the world for the purposes of reflection, refreshment, and education. At Trinity, our goal is to promote virtuous character, including the habit of retreat and spiritual reflection. To this end, and with the purpose of connecting with classmates, deepening a relationship with God, and developing life skills, Trinity sponsors a required retreat for students each year. The retreats range in focus, purpose, and even length, but all promote stronger relationships with one another and with God.
The Fourth Day Retreat is a transformative experience for Trinity seniors. The three-day retreat at St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania is based on The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. Students focus on understanding themselves, learning more about their classmates, and reawakening to the ever-present love of God. Students experience a new understanding of how God fits into their lives through peer and adult ministry, large- and small-group discussion, prayer, the celebration of Mass and the sacrament of Reconciliation. When students return, they are often “on fire” with their faith and ready to engage in a different way with the stresses of daily life.
Kairos been an integral part of the Trinity experience since the 1998, and many alumni have named these three days as the best of their high school lives. In order to have a greater impact for students, Kairos is now offered to juniors. The experience is a pre-requisite to the senior Fourth Day Retreat. Kairos grants students the chance to silence distractions and focus on who they are and where they are going.
Serving others is the bedrock of the Gospel. In their sophomore year, Trinity students focus on the Corporal Works of Mercy and go out to the community in small groups to serve with organizations devoted to helping the needy in the greater Harrisburg area.
Freshmen attend a one-day retreat in October on campus, during the school day. The retreat focuses on growing spiritually as individuals, building healthy relationships, and developing leadership skills.
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Phone: 717.761.1116
Fax: 717.761.7309
Email: communications@thsrocks.us
