Mount Angel Abbey Hosts International Theological Workshop on Eucharist, Trinity and Synodality
Eucharist and Trinity as Source and Form of the Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission
(SAINT BENEDICT, Ore.)- The Mount Angel Institute at Mount Angel Abbey and Mount Angel Seminary are hosting a unique theological and ecclesial gathering titled “Eucharist and Trinity as Source and Form of the Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission.” The Workshop is being held this week from September 29 to October 3, 2025, gathering Seminary faculty and theologians from around the world.
The Workshop addresses the Eucharistic and Trinitarian dimensions of Christian life as the source and shape of the Church’s synodal identity and mission.
“We are so honored that Cardinal Grech and Msgr. Piero Coda wanted to hold this workshop at Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary, and we feel, by the grace of God, that we are ready to host such a gathering,” stated Abbot Jeremy. “For more than 30 years our Seminary faculty has been working on these very themes, and we have in place a theological curriculum that systematically connects the parts of the Eucharistic celebration to the various themes that are studied in the theological academy. In this light, Trinity and Synodality appear as central themes of what all Catholics encounter in any celebration of the Eucharist. This workshop shares our faculty’s experience with other theologians from around the world, and through Cardinal Grech we have a direct channel to share our findings throughout the Universal Church.”
The Workshop’s objectives include contributing to the broader Synodal Process of the Catholic Church, expanding upon the first and second sessions of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2023-2024, establishing continued theological reflection on synodality.
Program Highlights
The Workshop features daily Mass, communal prayers with Mount Angel’s monastic community and academic sessions involving short theological contributions followed by group dialogue. Theological contributions from Mount Angel Seminary faculty include:
- Eucharist, Trinity and Communion Ecclesiology with Shawn Keough, PhD
- Eucharist, Trinity and Life in Christ with Liam de Los Reyes, PhD
- Eucharist, Trinity and Mystagogy with Anna Petrin, PhD
- Eucharist, Trinity and Christian Humanism with Ted Papa, PhD
- Eucharist, Trinity and the Arts with Katie Jo LaRiviere, PhD
- Eucharist, Trinity and Tradition with Justin Coyle, PhD
- Eucharist, Trinity and Synodality with Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, STD
Following each theological contribution is a period of prayerful silence, allowing the participants to listen to the Holy Spirit and reflect on what they heard and received. The dialogue that follows consists in sharing the fruits of this prayerful reflection to discern the movements and inspirations of the Holy Spirit.
*Full daily schedule available upon request
The Workshop also welcomes Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod from the Vatican. Now that the Church is in the implementation phase of the Synod, Cardinal Grech has expressed the importance of having “synodal experiences, to experience the conversation in the Spirit that has made our communities grow so much.” His presence and participation at the Fellowship of Scholars highlights the significance of this theological workshop and its methodology for the universal Church. While he is at Mount Angel, the Cardinal is also holding a session with all the seminarians of Mount Angel Seminary. The workshop also welcomes Msgr. Piero Coda, the head of the Vatican’s International Theological Commission.
Please direct media inquiries to Dr. Amanda Staggenborg, Director of Communications and Engagement, at amanda.staggenborg@mtangel.edu.
Additional photos from the Fellowship of Scholars are available on Flickr.
About Mount Angel Abbey
Mount Angel Abbey, a Benedictine monastic community founded in 1882, is dedicated to a life of prayer, work, pastoral ministry, hospitality and education. Mount Angel Seminary, the largest seminary in the West, forms men for the Roman Catholic priesthood. The Abbey Foundation of Oregon supports the monastic community’s mission of service to the Church.