The Diocese of Allentown: Diocesan Administration: Catholic Education

Institute for Lay
Ministry

The Institute for Lay Ministry offers a three-year Ministry Formation Program intended to prepare laymen and laywomen to serve as Pastoral Ministers, a title defined by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Commission on Certification and Accreditation.
"A Pastoral Minister is one who is responsible for a specific area of pastoral duties, such as visitation of the sick or the Rite of Christian Initiation, parish outreach and the like. A Pastoral Minister is under the direction of the Pastor, Pastoral Associate or other pastoral member. The position has limited program responsibilities and decision-making authority."

Mission Statement
Guided by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, the Ministry Formation Program sponsored by the Institute for Lay Ministry of the Diocese of Allentown provides education and formation in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council for laymen and laywomen desiring to live their baptismal call through ministry and service to the people of God.

The Goals of the Program are:

To respond to ministerial needs as identified by the local Church.
To nurture the on-going human growth and development of the
          participants.
To foster an integrated spirituality rooted in Baptism.
To provide solid theological foundation for effective Pastoral Ministry.
To support and enhance the recognition and development of ministerial
          skills needed for pastoral ministry.
Primarily, to form the whole person as a disciple of Jesus Christ with a
          love for His Church and her; teachings.
About us
Jeanine Breault, M.A., Director

Jeanine has worked within the Diocese of Allentown for the past 19 years. She earned her M.A. in Spiritual Theology from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Religious Studies Division. She served as the Coordinator of Adult Formation at Holy Family Parish in Nazareth for fourteen years. In 2000 she was hired as the Assistant Director of RENEW 2000 and became the Director of the Office of Adult Formation in 2003.
Jeanine and her husband Bob are members of Holy Family Parish in Nazareth. They have five children and five grandchildren.

Mary Fran Hartigan, M.A., Assistant Director
Mary Fran joined the Diocese of Allentown as the full-time Assistant Director of Adult Formation and the Institute for Lay Ministry in March 2008. She earned her M.A. in Systematic Theology from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Religious Studies Division.
Mary Fran is a parishioner of St. Catharine of Siena Parish in Reading.

Jessica Walters, Part-time Assistant Director
Jessica has worked in the Diocese of Allentown for the past three and a half years. She is currently the part-time Assistant Director of Adult Formation and the Institute for Lay Ministry. She has her BA in Theology from DeSales University, and is currently pursuing her Master degree in Systematic Theology from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.
Jessica lives with her husband, Jim, and her one-year old son, Aiden, in Sellersville, PA and is a parishioner at St. Agnes Church.

Post Office Box F  •  Allentown, PA  •  18105-1538
Copyright 2003 The Catholic Diocese of Allentown
Disclaimer and Terms of Use