We’ve long been drawn to the vision of the family as a place where we learn to live in communion—with God and with one another. That’s why we were especially excited to read Rev. James Brent O.P.’s The Father’s House: Discovering Our Home in the Trinity, which invites readers to see the Christian life through the lens of our identity as children of the Father and our call to participate in the life of the Holy Trinity.
In this interview, Fr. Brent shares the story behind the book, the challenges facing families today, and why he believes ordinary families can become places of love, peace, and communion even amid the noise and pressures of modern life. He also reflects on how family life can become a practical school of Trinitarian love—and offers a simple encouragement for families who may feel like they’re just trying to keep up with daily life.
We’re excited to share this conversation and hope it encourages you to rediscover your own home as a place where the life of the Trinity can be lived and encountered.
For obvious reasons, we love your The Father’s House: Discovering Our Home in the Trinity. What inspired you to write it, and who did you have in mind as you were writing it?
Fr. Brent: The Father’s House began as a retreat for college students. After leading the retreat for many students for many years, a priest who leads a campus ministry urged me to write it up as a book. So, I wrote it primarily with undergraduates in mind, but it has been used in many formation programs beyond college campuses—in seminaries, parishes, and apostolates.
What are the two or three most important takeaways you hope readers will put into practice in their own homes, families, and relationships?
Fr. Brent: The purpose of our lives is to participate in the life of the Holy Trinity. We do so by following Jesus Christ on the way of friendship in the Church and drinking deeply of his Spirit of Love. The most important thing is that we hold fast to Jesus Christ in faith, guard his grace in our hearts, strive to live according to the law of love, and practice the Beatitudes. My book goes into the details on all these points.
As you look at the culture today, what do you see as the three biggest obstacles to families living out the vision that you have outlined in The Father’s House?
Fr. Brent: The first is noise—screens and distractions everywhere—so much busyness. The second is a resulting breakdown of deep communication between people, especially within families. The third is that the hearts of men and women lack peace. The lack of peace in families is especially devastating to the development of children. One of the most important lessons in the book is in chapter four. It is the lesson about remaining vigilant over our hearts. Another lesson is about the need to turn the eyes of our heart often to our loving Father in the heavenly places.
These obstacles can feel overwhelming for busy families. What gives you hope that ordinary people—including families navigating a very difficult cultural moment—can actually live this out?
Fr. Brent: Jesus gives me hope. He came to give us the Spirit and the Spirit is mightier than all the problems of this world. Those who put their trust in the Lord will not be disappointed, and I have seen more than a few married couples with many children build a home which is an abode of love and an oasis of peace in today’s crazy world. The key is to believe in the revealed mysteries of God, draw near to the Eucharist, watch and pray.
Looking back, was there a turning point in your own life when the content of The Father’s House really became personal for you—a moment when the theology stopped being just academic and started being something you lived?
Fr. Brent: Yes, when I was in formation for the priesthood. I read through the whole Gospel of Matthew, but as I did so I underlined every verse in which Jesus refers to his Father. I then went back and meditated on all the underlined verses over an extended period. What emerged in my heart was a most amazing portrait of God the Father. He is quite different than you or I might imagine, if only we would listen to Jesus.
At Trinity House, we speak of the family as a “communion of persons,” drawing on the Catechism, 2205: “The Christian family is a communion of persons, a sign and image of the communion of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit.” How do you see the themes of The Father’s House connecting to this vision of the family as a reflection of Trinitarian life?
Fr. Brent: The purpose of our lives is to participate in the Holy Trinity, but family life—more than anything else—really teaches us how to do so in practice. To the extent that spouses realize their calling is to model for their children the communion of the Holy Trinity, the easier it will be for their children to grow in faith and to accept spontaneously and easily that this really is what life is all about—life is all about dwelling in the Father’s House. The formation programs of Trinity House are perfect for helping spouses live up to their high calling.
We love how Pope Leo XIV is frequently drawing on the theme of “communion”—he’s used the word well over a hundred times in talks and homilies so far, tying it directly to the Trinity as a model of persons united in love. How do you see this papal emphasis on communion speaking to families today, and to the vision in The Father’s House?
Fr. Brent: Families are the place where communion can be most deeply lived and experienced, because families are the place where people are most present to each other, share what is going on most deeply in their minds and hearts, and simply do life together. To the degree that families actually live this way, and it takes much grace, families really imitate the life of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
For someone who feels like they’re just trying to survive—keeping up with work, kids, and daily life—and wonders whether the vision you outline in The Father’s House is even realistic, what is one small, practical first step you’d encourage them to take this week?
Fr. Brent: Remember the Holy Trinity dwelling in your heart. You carry the Trinity within you wherever you go—even in the midst of work, kids, and daily life. To remember the indwelling Trinity makes all the difference.
➤ In the podcast episode “How Theology Answers the Questions of Philosophy”, Fr. Brent discusses God, the human soul, happiness, faith, and his book The Father’s House: Discovering Our Home in the Trinity. This gives readers a broader introduction to the theological foundation behind his book. (Catholic Theology Show)
➤ “Aquinas 101’ Teaches College Students, Others Thomistic Philosophy” is useful for introducing Fr. Brent as a Dominican philosopher and teacher. The article explains how the Thomistic Institute launched ‘Aquinas 101’, a free course consisting of 85 to 90 short videos that introduce who St. Thomas Aquinas was, explain the basic concepts of his philosophy, and outline his masterpiece, the Summa Theologiae and notes Fr. Brent’s role among its presenters. (National Catholic Register)
➤ “A Brief Meditation on the Our Father” by Fr. Brent explains how the Our Father is a school of Christian identity. Jesus teaches us this prayer because He wants to share His own relationship with the Father with us. Through the Holy Spirit, Christians are invited to approach God not merely as a distant Creator, but as “Our Father.” (SpiritualDirection.com)
➤ Are you a parent, priest, director of religious education, or principal interested in building community among families at your parish or parish school? Discover all the details here, and easily schedule a 15-minute discovery call with our team here. Dioceses can benefit from a special offer: three subscriptions for just $999 (or $499/year for your parish). Take the first step toward strengthening community among families at your parish right here!
➤ We’re hiring at Trinity House Community! The Director of Ministry Development will lead the effort to expand Trinity House Community Groups nationwide, bringing the family formation and fellowship model to dioceses, parishes, and parish schools across the country, and will also collaborate with the Co-Director in growing the ministry’s donor base. Learn more and apply here.
➤ We’re hiring at Trinity House Cafe + Market! For Heaven in Your Home readers within driving distance of Leesburg, VA, we’re looking for a part-time barista (10–20 hours/week) to join the Trinity House Cafe + Market team! If you enjoy serving others, creating a welcoming atmosphere, and being part of a ministry of hospitality, we’d love to hear from you. Learn more and apply here.
➤ For Heaven in Your Home readers in northern Virginia: Come and see the St. Jerome Institute (SJI) of Northern Virginia! As a new high school at the St. Philip Catholic Church campus in Falls Church, SJI aims to cultivate friendship, joy, and wonder through seminar-style classrooms, an integrated Catholic curriculum, and low-tech learning. Bring your questions to the Open House on November 14th, 3-5pm and enjoy refreshments, a seminar demonstration for parents, and a seminar sample for students! RSVP to the Open House here.
➤ For those in the Washington, DC area, registration for the Nov. 14th conference Together in Holiness is open! Soren will be giving one of the talks. Engaged and married couples are invited to visit togetherinholiness.org/washington to learn more and register.
“The purpose of our lives is to participate in the Holy Trinity, but family life—more than anything else—really teaches us how to do so in practice… The formation programs of Trinity House are perfect for helping spouses live up to their high calling.”
—— Rev. James Brent, O.P.
