Keith Bentley, parishioner at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Clearwater, has served in Youth Ministry for 18 years and has seen firsthand the difficulties that young people are facing in our world today. In response, he is helping to launch a new ministry that seeks to prevent the tragedy of suicide.

“We're going to pilot a program at Clearwater Central Catholic High School where we're partnering with BayCare,” shared Bentley. “We're going to be instructing the staff, administration, and parents of the students as to how to identify the stressors in their teens lives and how to deal with them.”

The Lay Pastoral Ministry Institute (LPMI) of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg has equipped Bentley to discern, develop, and implement this new ministry. Each year, many respond to this call by participating in formation programs such as LPMI and the Southeast Pastoral Institute (SEPI), programs which develop and train leaders in the faith to better serve in their ministries.

“I wish every Catholic in our diocese would go through LPMI. I’ve learned more about our faith—the beauty of our faith and the commitment in it—than I’ve learned throughout my 61 years,” shared Bentley. 

“The commitment that you make is to grow deeper in your faith and deeper in relationship with God, and it's well worth the time to do so. The level of my journey in faith has been elevated to a point that I never could have even imagined.”

On June 24, 2025, four individuals graduated from LPMI and three others advanced their studies with SEPI.

Dale Brown, Director of Lay Ministry Formation has the privilege to walk with both the LPMI and SEPI students through the entirety of their journeys and has done so for 22 years. This accompaniment has impacted her in a profound way.

“Realizing some 400 people have gone through the program since I've been in it, and to sit down and say I've had a role in somebody's faith life is just mind blowing,” said Brown.

LPMI graduates and those completing the first level of SEPI believe they have been strengthened and formed to fully enter into the area of ministry to which God is calling them. SEPI specifically focuses on forming leaders who can serve effectively while also integrating and uplifting the Hispanic community.

“If I can put it in one word, it’s formation,” shared Hugo Gonzalez, parishioner at St. Cecelia Catholic Church in Clearwater, who just completed his first level of SEPI. “I’m like a sponge and try to absorb as much as I can because I know that my [Hispanic] community is needed. I noticed that we don’t have the formation that we should have [at my parish] so I know it is very important.”

Bishop Gregory Parkes acknowledged that the call to service is for everyone and is not limited to program participants.

“Today's commissioning and celebration gives us an opportunity to reflect on the role of lay ministry in the life of the Church,” he said in his homily.  “The Second Vatican Council taught us in the document Lumen Gentium, that by virtue of our baptism, all the faithful are called to participate in the mission of the Church. Lay ministry is not simply a nice thing to do, but rather it's a necessity, a vocation that is rooted in the very life of Christ and His Church.”

He concluded his homily in gratitude for those who are now prepared to more deeply serve others in the diocese.

“I thank you for stepping forward with courage to answer God's call to serve. Let us give thanks to God for those who serve in lay ministry. Let us pray that more will hear and respond to God's call with generosity and with courage. And may God's abundant blessings be with you as you are commissioned to go forth and to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ through word and action.”

Congratulations to this year’s commissioned ministers and their areas of service:
Keith Bentley (St. Catherine of Siena, Clearwater) – Suicide Awareness and Prevention for Youth
Pauline Papino (St. Thomas the Apostle, Homosassa – St. Monica Ministry for Families of Fallen-Away Catholics
Peggy Paul (Nativity, Brandon) – Hope Warriors: Support for Those Facing Cancer Treatment
Sandy Soto (St. Paul, Tampa) – Taking Faith Forward: Faith Formation for Seekers and Believers Alike

Congratulations to participants of SEPI who completed Level I of formation:
Yahir Bonet (Incarnation, Tampa)
Hugo Antoni Gonzalez (St. Cecelia, Clearwater)
Dalida Zelaya (Most Holy Redeemer, Tampa)

LPMI is a four-year formation program that consists of a year of discernment followed by three years of human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation. This provides tools and development so that they can succeed in parish ministry.

SEPI is a two-year educational and service program that develops and trains individuals to be leaders in the faith with the integration of the Hispanic community. This consists of classes of theological teaching and pastoral leadership.

For more information about LPMI and SEPI, please visit www.dosp.org/lpmi.

LPMI and SEPI are funded by contributions to the Catholic Ministry Appeal. For more information or to make a contribution, please visit www.dosp.org/catholicministryappeal.

To view photos from the event, click the arrows below.