Spirit and Truth

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Spirit & Truth?
What kind of experience can a young adult expect to find at Spirit & Truth?
So, what happens every Friday Night at Spirit & Truth?
Isn't Adoration kind of spooky?
I hear that there is praise and worship at Spirit & Truth. What is praise and worship?
Is Spirit & Truth Catholic?
Is Spirit & Truth "charismatic" or part of the Charismatic Renewal?
Why does Spirit & Truth hold gatherings for young adults?
Is Spirit & Truth intended to replace regular participation in parish life?
Is service a part of Spirit & Truth?

What is Spirit & Truth?

Spirit & Truth is a community of people in their 20's and 30's. Its mission is "to bring young adults into a relationship with Christ through worship of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, study of Church teachings and sacred scripture, and celebrations of Catholic traditions, while forming a community of life-giving relationships." We gather once a week for adoration, music, and fellowship. Our other activities include social events, trips, and robust service experiences. It is Eucharist adoration that forms and nourishes our community.

What kind of experience can a young adult expect to find at Spirit & Truth?

Real people.
     A real experience.
            The Real Presence.

That's the Spirit & Truth experience.

Real people. Real people come to Spirit & Truth. Young adults with lives, concerns, experiences, and hopes just like you attend the weekly community gathering. The community is not a reclusive group of religious fanatics.

A real experience. The young adults of the Spirit & Truth community are all looking for the same thing: a real experience in life, particularly in their faith lives. And Spirit & Truth delivers just that: a real experience in faith. In casual discussion, as well as in more formal talks by speakers, you'll have an opportunity to discuss and reflect on issues and topics relevant to life and faith in our world.

The Real Presence. Spirit & Truth is centered around the Eucharist. We believe that providing young adults with the opportunity to have a true experience with Jesus Christ during Eucharist adoration is a powerful and effective way to strengthen our bonds with God and with one another.

So, what happens every Friday Night at Spirit & Truth?

Besides adoration, which occurs in a reverent, yet spirited setting, you can expect to hear relevant and exciting talks offered by our members, learn about relevant matters of our faith, hear and sing vibrant praise and worship music, and spend time getting to know other young Catholics who are also seeking more in their faith life.

Essentially, you'll hang out in a relaxed atmosphere with other young people. You'll have an opportunity to hear the Word of God, hear how other young people relate to God, and more importantly, experience Christ through Adoration. Orthodoxy is important to us, and that just means "right worship."

The community hangs out informally for up to an hour after each gathering. It's a great time to socialize and get to know people. People have been known to go out afterwards and continue relationship building.

Isn't Adoration kind of spooky?

Only if we don't understand what's going on. The practice of Catholics adoring the Lord is encouraged by our Church leaders, including the bishops and the Pope. It's a common method of worship that is steeped in tradition and becoming more popular with young people. If we allow ourselves to know that Jesus is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, the experience can be transforming. It's the real deal, and that's what many young people want—to "cut to the chase," so to speak.

At Spirit & Truth, we try to create a fertile ground on which to meet Jesus. That includes a mix of inspiring music, reverent praise, and quiet time.

If we really believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, then we should not be afraid of the tradition of adoring Him there. How amazing is it that we have the opportunity to be in front of our Lord, to pray with Him, to adore Him, to love Him, to heal, to experience Him?!

I hear that there is praise and worship at Spirit & Truth. What is praise and worship?

Every Sunday at Mass, when the priest invites us to give thanks to God, we respond "It is right to give him thanks and praise."

We say this every Sunday, but we often don't give it much thought, or even mean it. Praise and worship is a part of every Catholic's experience. It's simple. The Creator of the Universe, God, has given us many things to be thankful for, and we desire to show God our appreciation. We praise and thank Him for this and all that he has done. Even in times that we do not feel thankful, praise is an "act of love and obedience" on our part that we should make an effort to do every day. Worship is not done for our own sake, but for God alone, who is "an audience of one" during this time.

Is Spirit & Truth Catholic?

Spirit & Truth is unabashedly Catholic. People who make up our community continually remark that Spirit & Truth has helped them make Catholicism part of the very rhythm of their lives.

However, all are welcome at Spirit & Truth.

Is Spirit & Truth "charismatic" or part of the Charismatic Renewal?

All kinds of spirituality are welcome at Spirit & Truth. Pope John Paul II called us to "the new evangelization," to minister to people with new ardor and zeal. That simply means to minister to people in an exceptional way. We try to be relevant and creative. We aim to be authentic, exciting, and reverent at the appropriate times. We encourage people to worship God in a way that is fitting and respectful to God and at the same time matches their spirituality.

Why does Spirit & Truth hold gatherings for young adults?

Let's face it. People in their 20's and 30's are absent from the pews in most of our local parishes. The reasons for their absence are as varied as the people in the age group. We see two big ones:

People in this age group do not feel suited for many of the common parish ministries and activities. Many don't fit into the age-specific groups, as they feel that they are either too old for youth ministry (which has a strong presence in many parishes) or too young for other events and activities. Therefore, young adults do not often participate in parish life, for a lack of young adult-oriented programs.
Many young adults have fallen away from the Church during their post-high school years. Many have lost their Catholic identity or do not respond to formal, organized religion.

Spirit & Truth draws people from a large geographic area in New Jersey. A certain number of young people are needed to form community, and because young people are reluctant to come back to the Church, this seems to be best achieved at first by drawing on people from many parishes.

The objective to spread Spirit & Truth to as many locations and parishes as possible. We encourage people to start Spirit & Truth young adult communities on their own and at their own parishes. We have the tools to help with this task. Unfortunately, at this time, young adult ministry is not as mature as youth ministry.

Is Spirit & Truth intended to replace regular participation in parish life?

No. It is intended to be a temporary Catholic formational community for young adults. All community members are strongly encouraged to attend Mass weekly at a parish and to look for every opportunity to be involved in parish life. The ideal scenario for participation in Spirit & Truth is temporary and related to his or her vocational and spiritual development state in life.

Is service a part of Spirit & Truth?

Yes. We periodically provide opportunities to serve our community in different ways. This occurs on both an informal and on an organized basis. See the Service Opportunities page for more information.