Trinity’s Triumph

I’m not Catholic, but I know as much as the average layperson. The thought of becoming a priest is very foreign to me, and I have many questions. Michael J. Wickham’s Catholic adventure, Trinity’s Triumph, answers quite a few of those questions.

Under the tutelage of Monsignor Gregory Heck (Joe Morton), Mike (Adriel Irizarry), Tom (Young Mazino), and Joe (Joshua Wills) are three best friends/students working their way through seminary before embarking on priesthood. The Monsignor has taken a liking to the three and sees God working in great ways through them.

Trinity’s Triumph then takes us through the journey of the priesthood while asking tough questions and making tough decisions along the way. The first obstacle comes from Mike, who decides to quit halfway through his studies. Tom and Joe are specifically told to break off all communication with Mike, which, of course, they do not do.

“…takes us through the journey of the priesthood while asking tough questions and making tough decisions along the way.”

The film focuses primarily on the three students and follows two main threads: their friendship and the priesthood. Throughout the film, Mike, Tom, and Joe’s friendship is constantly tested, with Mike leaving seminary and Tom questioning the priestly vow of celibacy. Do you turn your back on your friend when/if they fall short of their calling? At the same time, Monsignor Gregory is there with sage advice, making several wise decisions along the way.

Regarding the priesthood, Trinity’s Triumph uses its time to bring us into the lives of the priesthood and future priests. I’ve already mentioned the vow of celibacy, but the film also gets into the realm of abuse by priests. But more than anything else, we see how priests are called into action for the well-being of their parishioners when one falls into the grips of drug addiction.

I may not be Catholic, but I’ve seen more than my fair share of Evangelical faith-based movies, and this has the look and feel of the genre. The budget is low, the sets are clean, and the cast is at various points of the acting spectrum. Morton is the dramatic anchor. Each scene plays out like a series of mini-plays. If anything, the most significant similarity between Wickham’s film and your typical faith-based movie is that it’s overly positive with accents of potentially dark situations.

There’s nothing inflammatory here, though controversial subjects are addressed. In the end, goodness and virtue win out in Trinity’s Triumph. Though I like my stories dark and my human conflict to be gritty, this is a good film to open the door a bit to the world of the priesthood.

For screening information, visit the Trinity’s Triumph official website.