Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity

The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) is a Society of Apostolic Life within the Roman Catholic Church. It was founded in 1958 by Father James H. Flanagan, a priest from the United States. The Society maintains missions in various countries, describing itself as Marian-Trinitarian, Catholic, missionary, and family. Membership in the Society includes priests, permanent deacons, religious sisters, religious brothers, and the lay faithful.

The charism (gift) which the Society brings to the universal Church is to be disciples of Jesus through Mary, living in Marian-Trinitarian communion and serving on ecclesial family teams in areas of deepest apostolic need. While in the seminary, Father Flanagan realised that organizations 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, permanent deacons, religious sisters, religious brothers, and lay faithful in all of its communities, no matter how small.

In 1957, five years after his ordination to the priesthood, Flanagan approached Cardinal Cushing, then Archbishop of Boston, with his idea. Cushing gave his support. Soon after, Edwin Byrne the Archbishop of Santa Fe 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 an aspirancy year in either Belize or Belcourt, North Dakota. This is a year when the aspirants 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