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Saint Vincent College and Seminary will inaugurate its new Mental Health and Pastoral Counseling Program this summer with the introduction of a Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Care, offered through the Seminary’s Institute for Ministry Formation (IMF).

Saint Vincent Seminary is seeking comments from the public in preparation for its comprehensive evaluation visit by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools.

The Institute of Ministry Formation at Saint Vincent Seminary is excited to welcome Father Dan Carr to the faculty!

The Institute of Ministry and Formation at the Saint Vincent Seminary is excited to welcome Father Matthew Lambert, O.S.B., to the faculty!

Katie Novosad graduated from the IMF in May 2024. She was in the Spiritual Direction program with the FOCUS alumni track and is from Houston, Texas.

Lilly Endowment Inc. Awards $1 Million To Saint Vincent College & Seminary for New Degree, Certificate Programs in Mental Health and Pastoral Counseling

Is the Church in the Twenty-First Century Entering a Golden Age or a New Dark Age? Dr. Jenkins, distinguished professor of history at Baylor University, addresses the topic at the Pope Benedict XVI Lecture of Saint Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, Pennsylvania on Nov 8, 2019.

Mary Martin graduated from the IMF Spiritual Direction program in May 2023. She has been in parish leadership for over 20 years, working in parishes, the diocese, and local non-profits. She has been a spiritual director for 10 years but felt a call from God to raise up spiritual directors for the Archdiocese of Detroit. Mary and a small group researched the Spiritual Direction program at the IMF and decided it would give them the most complete formation.

From Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, 2023 with a special preview session for the Chrism Mass, the Institute for Ministry Fo

In November 2020, the Institute for Ministry Formation established a study group for ongoing spiritual director formation. For decades the number of spiritual direction programs has grown and the number of trained spiritual directors has grown, thanks be to God! Unfortunately, there are few opportunities for spiritual directors to keep growing in their knowledge and few opportunities to talk with other spiritual directors about their experience. The IMF’s study group fills that gap.

Jocelyn Perez graduated from the IMF’s Spiritual Direction program in 2023. She heard about the program through FOCUS, She finished the FOCUS program in 2020 and started working with campus ministry in Texas. She has been on mission there for the past four years. On campus, she has the opportunity to walk with college women discerning their vocation and learning how to pray.

LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA—Saint Vincent College Corporation (Saint Vincent College and Seminary) has received a grant of $1 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. to develop master’s degree and certificate programs in Mental Health and Pastoral Counseling. The new degree program will develop education and training to prepare licensed professionals schooled in pastoral counseling to support clergy in dealing with mental health issues such as addiction, depression, suicide and troubled relationships, problems which affect nearly one in four of all Americans.

Karen Monro Walker graduated from the Institute for Ministry Formation in the spring of 2024 from the Spiritual Direction program. She lives in the North Hills of Pittsburgh and works as the Pastoral Minister at Saint Luke the Evangelist Parish.

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.

In this post we will be featuring Angela Rosson, who graduated from the Institute for Ministry Formation in May 2024. She completed the Spiritual Direction certificate and currently lives in Vancouver, Washington State. Angela is a lay Franciscan affiliated with the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. She works as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, providing therapy support to individuals and couples in a private practice. Angela also helps with seminary formation at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon. She also does life coaching and has continued to provide spiritual direction.

Patty Chase graduated from the Spiritual Direction program at the IMF in 2023. She currently resides in Michigan. Patty found the IMF with friends after they experienced a calling to make spiritual direction more available in their diocese. As the group progressed through the program, they added more people from the Archdiocese of Detroit.

James Van Matre is a FOCUS alumnus and graduated from the IMF in 2023. He was a part of the Spiritual Direction program. He currently resides in Houston, Texas. James will be launching his own counseling practice in the coming months. Additionally, he is glad to have had the experience of attending Divine Mercy University. The program there prepared him well to embark on his “little v” vocation as a counselor.

Annamaria Rodrigues, a student at the University of Houston, shares the transformative experience of a group of college students from The Catholic Newman Center at the University of Houston who journeyed together in making their Marian consecration, using Fr. Boniface Hicks O.S.B.’s book, The Fruit of Her Womb: 33-Day Preparation for Total Consecration to Jesus.

Sheila Dwyer Grove graduated from the Spiritual Direction program at the Institute for Ministry Formation in 2023. Sheila is from Erie, Pennsylvania, and recently celebrated her 40th wedding anniversary with her husband Bill. They have three children and two grandsons. She is enjoying retirement from her career as a licensed psychologist. Before retirement, Sheila worked briefly with the Diocese of Erie in communications. Sheila owns a small spiritual direction practice, paints with pastels and watercolors, and happily volunteers in her parish, Saint Peter Cathedral in Erie.

Mark Richards graduated from the IMF in 2021 with a certificate in the Spiritual Direction Program. He resides in Calgary in Alberta, Canada with his wife, Patricia. Between them, they have six adult children. Mark has his own consulting company focused on leadership development for executives. As he begins to transition into retirement over the next few years, Mark hopes to do more spiritual direction, ministry, and volunteer work with his newfound free time.