The whole concept of “The Great Circle of Being” is fantastic, and is really a way of telling the Gospel story. That being said, there are some gems in this book that are worth the price of admission. Gaitley could have shaved off a hundred pages and accomplished his goal more efficiently. It tries to do too much, and I found it difficult to stay focused on where it was taking me. While the concept is amazing, unfortunately the book doesn’t hold together well. So this drives us toward action and apostolate. United with Christ, we should desire to bring others into this union.
He redeems us, unites us with himself, and transforms us into himself. We have communion with the Trinity through the Second Person. Point Two: Transforming Communion with Christ. We’re created in the image of God and therefore constantly yearn to be in eternal communion with him, which is our final goal. Gaitley takes the reader on this journey through three “Points of Communion” that form the three sections of the book. “This circular movement, or Great Circle, can also be likened to a journey, the Great Journey, the great movement of all of creation from the Trinity and back to the Trinity.” God is the source of everything and its final destination “making one big, circular movement.” Gaitley further explains: Thomas Aquinas’ concept of the “Great Circle of Being.” This is the idea that all of creation emerges from God and is destined to return to God. Superimposed on this investigation of communio is St. Gaitley proposes the concept of communio as a sort of interpretive key.Ĭommunio is a Latin word meaning communion, but it’s also a theological term that grew out of the Second Vatican Council and was further developed by Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI). To explain this essential truth of the Trinity, Fr. Understanding the Trinity through communio So, needless to say, I was thrilled to see a book illuminating this idea. The Catechism #234 says the Trinity is the “source,” the “most fundamental and essential teaching.” If that’s true, then it should inform everything and everything should have it’s explanation in it. In the book’s title, “The One Thing” refers to the only thing necessary, the essential thing. Namely, that the Trinity is the foundational truth of Catholic Faith, and understanding the Trinity allows you to understand all Christian doctrine. This premise has been the cornerstone of my teaching strategy for the last 10 years. I was excited about this book when I first heard the title.