Bishop Barry C. Knestout will commission seven women as lay ecclesial ministers on Friday, June 27, 6 p.m., at St. Patrick, Richmond.
The diocesan Office of Christian Formation created the Lay Ecclesial Ministry Institute (LEMI) in 2011 at the request of the late Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo. Bishop DiLorenzo wanted to help lay leaders better serve our diocese by giving them an opportunity to develop in human, pastoral, intellectual and spiritual formation.
The candidates took part in a Catholic university’s master’s degree in theology, or certificate study in a related field. They also attended formation workshops and spiritual retreats.
Since 2016, 67 lay leaders have been commissioned in the diocese.
In anticipation of their commissioning, the candidates shared their experience with LEMI and how the formation will impact their ministries.
For more information about LEMI, email Tracy Brookmire at [email protected].
Name: Marissa Ayala
Parish: St. James the Greater, Hopewell, & Sacred Heart, Prince George
Role: Coordinator of Religious Education/Coordinator Hispanic Apostolate
Course study: M.A. in Theology, St. Leo University
Through the LEMI formation and the master’s degree studies, I have experienced significant personal and spiritual growth. This journey has deepened my understanding of the Catholic faith, ethics, and our calling to live as one body in Christ. I have learned the importance of solidarity, the truth that we are created in God’s image and likeness, and the need to uphold the dignity of every person. These lessons have profoundly shaped my ministry. I am now better equipped to support catechists in delivering meaningful, family-centered faith formation and to assist the many ministries we have developed within the Hispanic community within our parishes. LEMI formation has also empowered me to help organize leadership opportunities within the Hispanic community, allowing others to grow in and live out their faith. This formation has not only transformed me but continues to impact those I am blessed to serve.
Name: Ana Cristina “Cristy” Barton
Parish: St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Yorktown
Role: Bilingual Associate Director, Diocesan Office of Christian Formation
Course study: M.A. in Theology, St. Leo University
My LEMI experience fulfilled my dream of earning a master’s degree while getting to know the Lord intellectually (my heart wanted to fill the gaps with the richness of our faith). LEMI helped me grow as a person while falling deeper in love with the Lord. It helped me make time to grow spiritually, and to be more compassionate and understanding of the needs of God’s people. LEMI helped me be a stronger woman while providing an example of resilience and perseverance to my two boys and my community. I hope they can see that nothing is impossible with God.
Name: Mrs. Jennifer Gonzalez, OP
Parish: St. Thomas More, Lynchburg
Role: Volunteer, Perpetually Promised Lay Dominican (LFSD)
Course study: Certificate in Catechesis, University of Dayton
LEMI’s human, pastoral, spiritual, and intellectual formations have strengthened my skills in God’s mission to bring truth, love, and mercy to those I serve while deepening my relationship with Christ. “Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours” (St. Teresa of Ávila). This quote reminds me of what I am called to be within the Body of Christ and in my domestic Church. As I enter this new phase as a lay ecclesial minister, I am now more equipped theologically and spiritually to confidently bring truth to others in their lifelong conversion toward Christ and their calling within his Body.
Name: Jo-Ann Chauvin LaClair
Parish: St. Thomas More, Lynchburg
Role: Coordinator of OCIA
Course study: M.A. in Theology, St. Leo University
LEMI formation has made me more confident in my work as OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) coordinator. I am better able to answer the many questions Catholics and non-Catholics have. I know definitively that God has called me to work with adults who want to join our faith or those who want to learn more about Catholicism. In addition to OCIA, I started facilitating a workshop through “Formed” about the Eucharist. I am looking forward to continuing to work with my fellow parishioners as we journey toward God’s kingdom. I look forward to where the Holy Spirit is going to take me.
Name: Yenni Leon
Parish: Sacred Heart, Richmond
Role: Director of Religious Education
Course study: M.A. in Theology, St. Joseph’s College of Maine
LEMI has been a life-changing journey of growth and purpose. It helped me discover my God-given gifts and integrate them into my ministry as director of religious education, serving a vibrant, predominantly Hispanic community. LEMI’s holistic formation deepened my spirituality, sharpened my pastoral skills, and gave me the courage to lead with compassion and cultural sensitivity. I now walk more confidently alongside catechists, families, and parishioners, helping them encounter Christ in meaningful ways. LEMI’s formation has not only transformed my ministry – it has transformed me, grounding my service in love, discernment, and a continual openness to the Holy Spirit.
Name: Patricia A. Pabis
Parish: St. Thomas More, Lynchburg
Role: Coordinator, Religious Formation K-5 and Sacramental Preparation
Course study: M.A. in Pastoral Theology, St. Joseph’s College of Maine
I am humbled by the experience and will be forever grateful to the Diocese of Richmond for accepting me into the LEMI program, encouraging me to receive a master’s degree in Pastoral Theology, and accompanying me on this incredible journey of intellectual, pastoral, and spiritual growth. This journey has affirmed my ministerial call and provided me new insights to utilize as I accompany my parish family to live out and proclaim the joy of the Gospel through word and deed.
Name: Melanie Weser
Parish: St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Yorktown
Role: Teacher, Network Administrator (Peninsula Catholic High School, Newport News); OCIA team member (St. Kateri)
Course study: M.A. in Theology, St. Joseph’s College of Maine
LEMI formation came into my life at just the right time, as I was growing in my faith as a recent convert and deepening my vocation as a Catholic educator. Through LEMI, I gained the spiritual grounding and practical tools to support both students and teachers more intentionally. It’s helped me see leadership as an invitation to serve: to walk with teachers as they integrate faith into their curriculum, and to create spaces where students encounter Christ through learning. Whether it’s designing an Economics of Social Justice course that invites students to see the dignity of every person, or helping teachers integrate AI in ways that uphold truth, creativity, and Catholic moral teaching, LEMI has shaped me into a leader who listens, accompanies, and leads with purpose and hope.