Institute of Lay Formation

The INSTITUTE OF LAY FORMATION (ILF - formerly the "Institute of Lay Ministry") was founded in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester (DOW-R) in 1998. The ILF seeks to be a resource for DOW-R parishes and other church institutions in discipleship formation of lay people. 

The Purpose of ILF

The ILF exists to bring lay people into personal relationship with Jesus Christ so they can become His missionary disciples, who go forth proclaiming the Gospel and forming new disciples for the Church.

The Mission of ILF

The ILF will "Form Disciples." The institute's intention is to form a lay person into a missionary disciple who is capable of confidently preaching the Gospel, drawing others into relationship with Jesus, and discipling them in the Christian life.

The ILF accomplishes its Mission by:

1. Fostering Prayer ~ To enable laity to communicate and commune with God. 
2. Utilizing Spiritual Direction ~ To assist laity in discerning and realizing God’s presence in life.
3. Developing Authentic Friendship ~ To show laity that relationship is key to forming disciples.
4. Providing Retreats ~ To remind laity of the need for prayerful silence and theological reflection.
5. Modeling Discipleship ~ To cultivate in laity the character, disciplines, and virtues of a disciple.
6. Teaching the Kerygma ~ To train laity on how to proclaim the Gospel.
7. Practicing Evangelization ~ To send laity out to fulfill their call to make disciples of all nations.

The Vision of ILF

The ILF seeks to cultivate new generations of lay missionary disciples for the DOW-R and to establish the diocese as an exemplar of intentionally forming and preparing lay people for lifelong missionary discipleship.

The ILF envisions its lay disciples immersing themselves in their local world and embracing their preeminent responsibility as Christians to, “make the divine message of salvation known and accepted by all men throughout the world,” and to, “penetrate and perfect the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel” (Apostolicam Actuositatem, para. 3 and 5).

ILF Formation Years

The ILF consists of 3 major formation years. Each formation year begins in September and concludes in May. During a formation year, ILF participants will gather on a monthly basis (i.e. A total of 9 sessions per formation year). The following are the names and descriptions of the ILF formation years:

Year 1—Encounter & Trust in the Lord

• A formation on prayer and communing with the Lord.

Year 2—Follow & Listen to the Lord

• A formation on discipleship, the Lord's teachings, and the ability to know, understand, and articulate the Kerygma. 

Year 3—Witness & Remain in the Lord 

• A formation on witnessing the Gospel, intentionally discipling another, long-term accompaniment, and knowing Jesus' Christ's identity and way in the face of secular and religious distortions.

ILF Practicum Project

During formation year three—Witness & Remain in the Lord—all ILF participants are required to complete the Institute's practicum project. The project includes the following components:

• Through prayerful discernment, each ILF participant will identify one person in their personal life/sphere of influence whom the Lord is calling them to proclaim the Gospel to.
• ILF participants are then tasked with inviting and forming that one person to become a lifelong follower of Jesus Christ and His Church.