Alumni Feature: Jomel Brondial

Jomel Brondial graduated from the Spiritual Direction program at the Institute for Ministry Formation in 2023. She is originally from the Philippines and currently resides near Bloomingdale, Ohio. She is a part of the Apostolate for Family Consecration (AFC), where consecrated lay people take private vows and dedicate their lives to mission. Jomel has been part of the AFC for over 30 years.

Accompanying those in all walks of life, Jomel helps provide spiritual direction for individuals and spends time with families to strengthen and protect them in the faith through consecration to the Holy Family. She sees transformation in those that she’s directing, all through God’s grace. “IMF’s mission is truly being brought out and I’m seeing it firsthand!” Jomel said.

She first found out about the IMF’s program when she went on a personal, silent retreat at Saint Emma’s Benedictine monastery in Greensburg, PA. She saw the book written by Fr. Boniface Hicks, O.S.B. and Fr. Tom Acklin, O.S.B., Personal Prayer: A Guide for Receiving the Father’s Love in the bookstore and used it for her retreat. She then saw a brochure for the Spiritual Direction Program and knew she wanted to participate. “This is my dream, and I want to take this if God wills it, if He allows it,” Jomel emphasized. Shortly after, an opportunity was born in the AFC, so she was able to attend the IMF program.

Jomel maintains that the IMF’s Spiritual Direction formation was a very rich, excellent program. It’s broad, and covered important aspects of spirituality and gave her a holistic, integrated view of prayer. One of her favorite classes was Principles of Prayer and Catholic Spirituality with Fr. Boniface, as it gave her a richer understanding about her relationship with God, which is the foundation for everything! Jomel also greatly enjoyed the Practicum for Spiritual Directors courses with Fr. Nathanael. These classes gave her more confidence with spiritual direction, in part because Fr. Nathanael was a good listener and had a gentle, listening spirit.

Thank you very much to Jomel for sharing her experience with the IMF and for her work with families with the AFC!

To see Fr. Boniface’s recorded talks on the principles of the faith at the Apostolate for Family Consecration, click here.