About Us

Texts, emails, and conversations buzzed as we threw possible magazine names around. Yet as the brainstorming unfolded, I found myself returning to the question: “But what will the magazine be about?”

Though unnamed, our magazine was finally in motion. As Mikaela researched printing, distribution, and layout design and I brainstormed for themes and article ideas, I noted that the seeds of an idea almost seven years old were finally beginning to grow. What had once been a dream was becoming a reality. 

But we still needed a name. Our aim was to create a magazine where world weary travelers could return to their roots and find respite on this journey to Heaven, and we wanted the name to encompass that goal. We needed a word that could weave together both the beautiful and trivial moments of everyday life as a Catholic in the modern world. 

After much deliberation, I started to wonder if both the English and Latin languages had failed us. However, though I’d given up, Emily was determined to find a winner. At last she proposed the Latin word Trivium, which means crossroads: three (tri-) roads/ways (via). It was perfect. We finally had a title. 

Here at the crossroads, when the darkness of the modern age seems to fall around us, we do not lose hope and despair. Though we know that the path ahead will be fraught with challenges, we find comfort in coming together to rest for a moment, to share the gifts we have been given, and to muse upon the mystery of God’s love. 

From Trivium also came the adjective trivialis, meaning “found everywhere, commonplace.” As the seasons ebb and flow, we are called back to the same simple truths and the roots we came from. As we stumble down the paths of life, we gather snatches of knowledge and wisdom, learning with delight that the struggles and joys we encounter are not new to us, but were also experienced in generations past. Though the modern world has its own unique set of challenges, we find that the paths to Heaven have always been lined with common things. 

Sitting down to write this introduction, I cannot help but reflect that since the seeds of Trivium have finally begun to sprout and blossom, the season of planting has come to an end, to be replaced by a season of nurturing. The act of nurturing can only begin when there is something to nurture. It presupposes the existence of soil, seeds, and garden. But nurturing is not limited to caring for kitchen gardens. It extends to every aspect of our lives, from the food we eat to the clothes we purchase, our appreciation for the great outdoors, the connection we have to our ancestors, the books our children read, and the communities we foster.

To properly grow as a Catholic in the modern world, it is not enough to plant the seeds of religious practice, intellectual endeavors, deep friendship, strong community, personal health, and flourishing family life. Each day we must continue to recommit to these goals, nurturing them, and helping them put down firm roots in our lives. With God’s grace, our simple efforts will thrive and blossom, preparing us for a harvest of abundance and joy in our Heavenly home. 

Though we may be tossed in a sea of chaos, where the noise of the modern world strives to drown all that is good, true, and beautiful, let us take a moment in this magazine to rejoice in sharing the truth of being made in God’s image and likeness. Some of you have shared in this gathering of hopeful festivity by contributing articles, reflections, or poetry, others by sharing beautiful pictures. Yet even more of you participate by lending an attentive ear and bringing Trivium Magazine into your home. Whether through reading or writing, the words we each share become windows into each of our souls, slowly opening our eyes to the marvelous mystery of the other.  

Looking back over the past few months of working on Trivium, what strikes me most is how many times I’ve received words of encouragement when I mention this project. In an increasingly loud world, where everyone has a platform for sharing their opinions, I’ve been worried that starting a new magazine might simply add to the cacophony. But as the weeks have passed, and our number of contributors and subscribers have grown, I have come to realize that Trivium is something different. 

Trivium Magazine isn’t meant to be fast content (all those rounds of revisions definitely taught me that!). It isn’t meant to provide dopamine hits, or a place for endless hot-takes. Rather, we seek to live out our motto, and truly “reclaim truth at the crossroads of modern life.” As you physically hold this magazine in your hands, read it to yourself, or share it with others, may each page bear witness to the beautiful truth that we are wonderfully made by a loving Creator: body and soul. 

Rachel Gerring
Executive Editor