LATEST NEWS & EVENTS

May 11, 2011

New Vice RectorAppointed
to Holy Trinity Seminary

Bishop Kevin Farrell has appointed Father Keith Koehl to the position of Vice Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary effective January 1, 2012.  Father Koehl, a native of LaGrange, Texas, is a priest of the Diocese of Austin. 

Father Koehl holds a Bachelor of Music (Emphasis in Education) from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Divinity degree from the University of St, Thomas in Houston, Texas.  Father Koehl attended Holy Trinity Seminary from August 1990 through May 1992 as a pre-theologian.  He attended major seminary at St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston, Texas.  Father Koehl was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Austin on May 24, 1997.

Father Koehl has most recently served from 2006 until now as the pastor of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Hutto, Texas.  While there he guided and oversaw the establishment of a new site for the church and parish offices as the parish grew to over 600 families.  His previous assignments have included parochial vicar at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Austin (1997-2001) and parochial vicar at St. Mary’s Catholic Center and Campus Ministry at Texas A&M University in College Station (2001-2006).

In announcing Bishop Farrell’s appointment of Father Koehl, Holy Trinity Rector Monsignor Michael Olson stated, “Father Koehl comes to us with solid experience as a good parish priest and as a kind and effective pastor.  I have known and respected Father Koehl for many years and I am grateful to him for his generosity in saying ‘yes’ to serve as the Vice Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary.  I am grateful to Bishop Farrell for appointing Father Koehl and I am especially grateful to Bishop Joe Vasquez for his generosity in permitting Father Koehl to leave parish ministry for the sake of seminary formation.  Father Koehl brings with him a happiness and joy in his 14 years of priestly ministry.  I am delighted to welcome him to Holy Trinity Seminary.”

May 10, 2011

Holy Trinity Seminary to Host
Annual Vocation Awareness Program

Members of the Serra Club from throughout North Texas gathered at Holy Trinity Seminary on March 26, 2011 for Mass and Brunch to initiate preparation for this summer’s Vocation Awareness Program (VAP) to be held at Holy Trinity Seminary from June 24 through June 26, 2011. The VAP has become an annual event at Holy Trinity Seminary for young men and women between the ages of 18 and 40 to gather under the sponsorship of Serra in order to inquire into priesthood and religious life with diocesan and religious vocation directors and representatives from around North Texas.

The weekend includes time for meditation and prayer, sacramental confession, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and Mass. This prayer time is supplemented by presentations, panel discussions, question and answer sessions, one on one personal conferences with priests, sisters, and brothers who serve as the staff for the VAP. There is no cost for attendance. Anyone interested in participating in the VAP should contact Fr. Rudy Garcia, Vocation Director of the Diocese of Dallas (rgarcia@cathdal.org) or Fr. Kyle Walterscheid, Vocation Director of the Diocese of Fort Worth (kwalterscheid@fwdioc.org).

April 1, 2009

Holy Trinity Seminary Hosts
2009 Saint Andrew Dinner

On Thursday, March 26, 2009, Holy Trinity Seminary was proud to serve as the site for the semester’s 2009 St. Andrew’s Dinner. Close to sixty (60) college-aged men attended the event in order to consider the possibility that God might be calling them to serve as priests. These men had been invited by parish priests, friends, and family as men having the requisite qualities to be good priests and so to take the time to listen for God’s call.

The evening began in Holy Trinity’s chapel with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Solemn Vespers presided by Father Rudy Garcia followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. After prayer, all enjoyed an Italian dinner followed by a viewing of the vocation video Fishers of Men and the chance to listen to the vocation stories of Holy Trinity seminarians Michael Baynham and Zachary Packard. The evening concluded with remarks by Dallas’ Bishop Kevin Farrell who encouraged all in attendance to keep an open mind and not to close themselves off from the reality of God’s presence in their lives. Bishop Farrell remarked on his own priestly vocation as being without regret and filled with challenge and surprises beyond his expectation even when confronted by doubt or human limitation.

Anyone open to the possibility of God’s Call to priesthood in his life is invited to contact the vocation director of his diocese to learn more about discernment and priestly formation.