Commissioned to Serve
In an evening prayer service at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle on June 15, 2026, Bishop Gregory Parkes presented four individuals who have completed formation in the Lay Pastoral Ministry Institute (LPMI) with a Certificate in Lay Leadership Ministry.
In an evening prayer service at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle on June 15, 2026, Bishop Gregory Parkes presented four individuals who have completed formation in the Lay Pastoral Ministry Institute (LPMI) with a Certificate in Lay Leadership Ministry.
Bishop Gregory Parkes formally commissioned these students to serve in ministry leadership in parishes throughout the diocese. Fifteen participants of the Southeastern Pastoral Institute’s (SEPI) Escuela de Ministerios also received certificates for completing the first level of formation.
During this service, Bishop Parkes’ encouraging words invited the LPMI and SEPI graduates to share their wisdom as they go out and serve their parishes and ministries. He also thanked the families, friends, and pastors for their support and patience.
To receive the certificate and be commissioned, the LPMI participants completed one year of discernment and three years of academic and spiritual preparation. In addition to the time spent in 16 classes each year, participants spend 20 hours of apprenticeship observation in a ministry outside of their parish during the second year of formation. In the third year and final year, they initiate or enhance that ministry in their home parish as a practicum in ministry. Over the course of their formation, they also participate in various workshops and a retreat at the end of each year. This class began the year of discernment in September 2022.
Those being commissioned from LPMI, their parishes and ministry areas are:
Timothy Bruggeman (Espiritu Santo) – Ministry Service and Awareness / Ministry Fair
Fanny Bryant (Holy Family) – OCIA Ministry
Gloria Waite (St. Timothy) – Ongoing Marriage Ministry
Kenneth Waite (St. Timothy) – Ministry to the Homebound
The 15 participants in the SEPI School of Ministries spent 10 weekends in Spanish-language classes on the Bible, the History of the Church in the United States, Liturgy and Sacraments, Ecclesiology, Christology, and Mariology. Their next studies will be Level II. Those who received certificates are:
Juan Hernández Zelaya, Sebastian Segura (Most Holy Redeemer)
Josefina Heredia Gómez, Roberto Gómez (Santa Maria Mission)
Angela Salas, Carmen E. Quizhpi, Catalina Martínez Flores, Juana Tuz Martínez, Karla Delgado, Leticia Hernández Escalante, María Guadalupe Cruz Vega, Miguel Ángel Cruz Cortes, Nallely Dolores Franco Vargas, Ricardo Rivera Pérez, Yuleima del Mar Cruz (Light of Christ)
To learn more about the Lay Pastoral Ministry Institute and Southeast Pastoral Institute, click here.
