Faith is one of the four core pillars of Blessed Trinity Catholic High School. For 21 years, students have gone through various religious courses to enhance their faith. In the past years, the pandemic put social gatherings on hold and strained religious devotion. But that did not stop Blessed Trinity. Virtual masses were held, and prayer was kept relevant while students were at home. More recently, when the light was found at the end of the tunnel, BT held the first all-school mass together in the traditional gym setting. Since life has almost gotten back to normal, so have our religious activities. We are learning new ways every year to grow in faith. Our Principal, Ms. Lancaster, answered her favorite questions regarding how she grew in faith during her time here at Blessed Trinity. Lancaster spoke fondly of her love for Easter, especially, “the Living Stations of the Cross… It is impactful and it makes us realize how much Jesus loves us.” Our faith grows stronger as the school year goes on, with Kairos retreats and clubs such as Ignite that help our students become more involved. As Ms. Lancaster told us, “Go on a Kairos retreat before you graduate- I have heard students say it changed their lives.” The retreats are a huge part of the students’ free will and choosing to grow closer to Christ.

 Christina Sweeney, a Junior and Kairos Leader, said, “[Going on retreats has] really opened my eyes to new ways of connecting with God.” Sweeney also noted that it “brought [her] out of [her] comfort zone and showed Christ in new and unique ways.” Kairos is one of the more prominent faith opportunities in the school, with retreats filling up rapidly each time. It gives students a sense of community, seeing others growing in faith. “When I first came to BT, I felt alone in my faith,” Sweeney says, “I didn’t realize there were so many people who really wanted to pursue Jesus.” 

Another club, Ignite, is an excellent way to connect with other students eager to grow in faith. Ignite meets weekly for Bible study, worship, and talks, all while enjoying a complementary Chick-fil-a breakfast. It is an excellent social event that brings dozens of people together. Mr. Grattan, a religion teacher, speaks out on the religion club. “It helps students find the right friends and encourage each other to live the right way.” He also feels the clubs and retreats are a big part of the students’ time here at Blessed Trinity. Blessed Trinity’s religious clubs are an easy, fun way to meet new people and grow closer to Christ. 

With the students becoming more eager to socialize and make up for the missed time while in quarantine, the demand for religious events is high. Fortunately, our new chaplain has come well prepared with plenty of energy and ideas. Deacon Avery is the newest member of Blessed Trinity. Though he just arrived at BT this year, he has made a big impact on students. Every day, he brings in Rice Krispie Treats to those in the religion hallway. By doing this, he has people more involved with each other and himself. His frequent appearances at pep rallies and Friday night football games have made him increasingly popular, as well as his entertaining but still deep and meaningful homilies during Communion services and Mass. Deacon Avery offers his own advice on how to get closer to Jesus at BT. He suggests that having a good group of friends who are willing to follow Christ is important because “If you have a good social group, it is much easier to grow in spiritual faith,” especially at the age where social circles are such a major influence. Deacon Avery, a graduate of St. Pius, also shows his love for Catholic education and how it influenced his decisions in life. “It is Catholic education that gave me the environment in which to be constantly growing and nurturing my Catholic faith,” he stated. With Deacon Avery heading the religious department, students should feel excited for what is to come from Campus Ministry.

With Ms. Lancaster and Deacon Avery leading our school on the right religious path, our students are becoming more religious every day. As heard from junior Christina Sweeney, “good things come when you’re out of your comfort zone.” Blessed Trinity students are surrounded by a great group of friends who will impact each other for the rest of their lives. The most important thing to remember is to seek Christ in daily life. He is always knocking, but it is the student’s job to open the door and let him in. Fortunately, Blessed Trinity’s community of good people and even better resources makes growing in faith accessible and easy.