To Serve in Truth
Welcome—I’m delighted you’re here. If you’re considering bringing me in for a keynote, retreat, workshop, or parish mission, here’s what I aim to offer: clear, faithful formation that helps people see why the Church’s teaching is true, good, and credible. I help people see what’s at stake in everyday life, and how the Church’s moral vision is not an abstraction but a coherent vision that stirs hearts and guides action. I draw on theology and philosophy, but always in service of living the faith, so your community leaves with a clearer sense of what the Church teaches, a framework for the faith that holds, and concrete practices they can carry into prayer, conversation, and works of charity.
From Doctrine to Discipleship
Parish Retreats & Missions
Prayerful renewal with clear teaching and concrete next steps for parish life.
Keynotes & Workshops
Engaging formation that clarifies the faith and equips leaders to act for the common good.
Formation & Discipleship
Small-group conversation that seeks to form conscience, deepens prayer, and strengthens habits of faith.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS SAY
JOHN’S PRESENTATION ON THE DIGNITY OF WORK AND THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS WAS BOTH MOVING AND DEEPLY EDUCATIONAL.
Ted P. | Peosta, IA | Retreat Coordinator
JOHN GETS RIGHT TO THE HEART OF IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. WHEN HE SPOKE AT OUR INSTITUTION, THE STAFF WERE INSPIRED AND SPURRED TO ACTION.
Dr. Ryan "Bud" Marr | Des Moines, IA | College Dean
EVEN THOSE WHO THOUGHT THEY ALREADY KNEW CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING FOUND THEMSELVES CHALLENGED TO GO DEEPER.
P.M. | Des Moines, IA | Theology Presentation Participant
About
To Serve in Truth is my speaking and formation apostolate, built to help Catholics recover coherence: clarity in what the Church teaches, and faithfulness in how we live it.
I draw from the Catholic intellectual and moral tradition to integrate faith and reason in a way that’s accessible, pastorally grounded, and oriented toward real life. My aim is to form conscience, deepen discipleship, and move communities toward concrete charity.
Through keynotes, workshops, retreats, and parish missions, I serve parishes and organizations that want engaging and enduring formation.
About John Huynh
I’m John Huynh, D.Min. I serve as Director of Social Justice for the Diocese of Des Moines and Catholic Charities. I’m a Catholic theologian, speaker, and formation leader who helps individuals and communities live the faith with coherence: where conviction becomes practice, and doctrine becomes discipleship.
My work often centers on Catholic social teaching, human dignity, conscience formation, and the integration of faith in public and professional life. I speak with theological rigor, but always with pastoral realism—because the goal isn’t simply to understand the Church’s teaching, but to embody it in charity, responsibility, and hope.
I’m also a husband and father, and I love soccer—coaching youth teams for years, playing whenever I can, and cheering on Arsenal.
Writing & Media
This page collects my writing and original media at the intersection of faith, reason, and lived discipleship. The pieces gathered here reflect ongoing theological reflection, pastoral concern, and a commitment to coherence in Catholic teaching and life. Some entries are brief reflections; others are more sustained essays or recorded talks.
I’ll continue adding to this page over time. New writing and media will focus especially on conscience formation, Catholic social teaching, prayer, and the integration of faith into ordinary life.