Florida Catholic | Lay Ecclesial Ministers Receive Commissions

Lay ecclesial ministers receive commissions

Bishop Wenski commissions 24 members of the Diocese of Orlando Foundations for Lay Ministry class of 2008.

BETTY ANN WEBER | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 06.06.08

ANDREA KUDLACZ | FC
Cindy Levesque receives her commissioning medal from Bishop Thomas Wenski at a ceremony May 17 at the Cathedral of St. James.

ORLANDO | All 24 members of the Diocese of Orlando Foundations for Lay Ministry class of 2008 quickly stepped along the sunlit sidewalk leading to St. James Cathedral for their commissioning May 17, echoing St. Paul’s words: “How beautiful are the feet of those who came to share the good news.”

Close behind them were their families, friends and supportive parishioners and priests of their 15 different parishes.

Three years earlier, responding to God’s call, they entered the San Pedro Center program in Winter Park with only a glimmer of what was in store.

“For me, it was like Mary’s, ‘Yes – I don’t understand, Lord, but I trust you,’” said first-year facilitator Joe Gassman, a parishioner from Holy Name of Jesus in Indialantic.

Now, the day of commissioning had come.

In the cathedral, all rose as the lay ecclesial ministers processed with Bishop Thomas Wenski and their priests. Music and voices echoed through the holy space: “We rejoice to be God’s chosen, not through virtue, work or skill … we are pulled by heaven’s dynamic to become, not just to be.”

And the Mass began.

In his homily, Bishop Wenski charged the ministers to subject all that they do to a simple examination of conscience.

“Does this activity help us to know and love Christ?” he asked. “Does it serve Christ in the person of the poor, the vulnerable, the needy? Does it increase our awareness of the gifts we have received from Christ and challenge us to develop and share them with joy as an effective, authentic witness of Christ?”

After the lay ministers were presented with medallions of their new office, Bishop Wenski thanked them for their demonstrated generosity and spirit of service, and exhorted, “Act in the name of Christ with my blessing. You are my co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord. Keep your priorities straight. Make Christ known, loved and communicated to all.”

Karen Agnello, 47, from the Church of the Nativity in Longwood and who was alphabetically up front, said she entered the program to get closer to God. “Now my goal is to help others in my parish do the same,” said the telecommunication systems engineer, who left her job to be a full-time wife and mother.

Agnello works with intergenerational religious education in her parish. “I pray to help others see the Holy Spirit living within; to bring that excitement into their homes, talk about it and share it every day,” she said. “Not everybody’s in the same place and I’ve learned to present opportunities – facilitate, not regurgitate. I’m comfortable listening; I don’t always have to teach.”

Newly commissioned Ruthven Jakie, 46, liturgy and music associate at Holy Family Church in Orlando, confessed to feeling sad. “I wish my dad could be here to see this, but he’s in Trinidad.” Suddenly, Jakie’s wife and daughter appeared at his side with hugs of pride. Then he was all smiles.

Pastoral minister Armand Carpentier, 56, also from Holy Family, who has worked in the youth ministry for 16 years, approached a white-haired gentleman who was seated in a wheelchair, kissed him on the cheek and placed his medallion around the neck of the visibly touched man – his father.

Gloria Pagan, lay ministry program coordinator, said, “For six years I’ve been blessed. Not only do I get to meet so many gifted pastoral ministers of the Diocese of Orlando who are all serving our God and his mission, but I’ve had the privilege of being part of their formation. It’s awesome to see such empowered and alive people.”

The three-year Foundations for Lay Ministry program meets at San Pedro Center one weekend per month. Through courses in Scripture, liturgy, ecclesiology, sacraments and church leadership skills, as well as engaging in human, pastoral and spiritual formational experiences, men and women are led through discernment of their call to lay ministry. Next year, the formation program will also be offered in Spanish.

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Lay ecclesial ministers receive commissions

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