Institute of Lay Formation (ILF) 

The INSTITUTE OF LAY FORMATION (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. 

Institute of Lay Formation Cohort of 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foundations

The ILF arises out of the vision of the Second Vatican Council that every lay believer is called to be "at the same time a witness and a living instrument of the mission of the Church" (Lumen Gentium, para. 33).  This call of the laity to discipleship and evangelization finds powerful affirmation in the U.S. Catholic Bishops' statement, "Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium."  The bishops write: "Through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist every Christian is called to participate actively and co-responsibly in the Church's mission of salvation in the world."

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). 6 of these ILF sessions will be day-long gatherings that occur on Saturdays. The other 3 ILF sessions will be weekend-long retreats, and these occur in specific months of the formation year (September, January, and May). Below 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.

Diocesan Commissioning

Participants who successfully complete all three formation years and their requirements of the Institute are commissioned by the bishop for "lay missionary discipleship" in the DOW-R. This commissioning is a recognition of the lay person's formation in the ILF and an affirmation of the knowledge and skills for evangelizing and discipling that they have received through their participation in the Institute. It expresses the diocese's expectation that they will use the fruits of their formation experience for active evangelization as lay missionary disciples bringing, "...the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new" (Evangelii Nuntiandi, para. 18).

ILF Outcomes

ILF participants...

• Are provided with opportunities to pray, to reflect, and to grow in personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and to deepen their spiritual foundations that nurture and animate their lay missionary discipleship.

• Receive a solid, introductory formation in the Church's history, teaching, and tradition.

• Are provided with opportunities to develop and enhance their knowledge and skills of evangelization and discipling individuals.

• Build relationships with other lay people who are committed to being transformed by their Catholic faith and allowing Jesus Christ to be the center of their lives.

• Become part of a supportive, prayerful, and life-giving community of Christians comprising fellow ILF participants and alumni.

Parish/Church Institution Sponsorship

Lay formation is carried out within the context and with the support of a faith community. In light of this, applicants to the ILF are asked to seek the formal support and sponsorship of a parish/church institution. The sponsoring parish/church institution is asked to...

• Arrange for the pastor/institution director to meet with the prospective ILF participant to discuss his/her involvement in the ILF before submitting an application.

• Provide formal approval from the pastor/institution director, in support of the prospective ILF participant's application.

• Assist, if possible, in the payment of the ILF participant's tuition and/or other expenses related to his/her formation in the ILF.

ILF Tuition and Expenses

The tuition for the ILF is $400.00 per formation year. Tuition covers all formation-related expenses—instructional expenses (e.g., books, journals, and handout materials), prayer and worship materials, speaker/formator expenses, weekend retreats, food, etc. Sponsoring parishes/institutions are encouraged, if possible, to assist their ILF participant in covering Institute expenses. Tuition assistance is also available from the diocese and may be applied for at the beginning of each formation year.  The Office of Evangelization works to ensure that financial constraints do not preclude anyone from participating in the ILF.

An applicant who receives admission into the Institute, will then be required to fulfill their tuition payment process. ILF participants will have three payment options available to them when paying for their tuition expenses:

• Payment Option #1: ILF participant pays for their tuition expenses by themself and in full (i.e. $400.00) via an online payment form which the participant will receive in their acceptance email. 
• Payment Option #2: The sponsoring parish/church institution pays for all of the ILF participant's tuition expenses (i.e. $400.00). Once the participant receives their acceptance email, he/she will open the online payment form inside the email and then select the "Bill Parish" option.  A Parish/church institution that agrees to fully subsidize their ILF participant's tuition expenses will then be billed separately by the DOW-R and pay those funds to the diocese by a prescribed payment deadline. 
• Payment Option #3: The sponsoring parish / church institution pays for only a portion of the ILF participant's tuition expenses. Once the participant receives their acceptance email, he / she will open the online payment form inside the email and is then responsible for paying their portion of the tuition. Then, there will be an option for the participant to request that the Institute bill the remaining tuition balance to their parish / church institution. A parish / church institution that agrees to partially subsidize their ILF participant's tuition expenses will then be billed separately by the DOW-R and pay those funds to the diocese by a prescribed payment deadline.

For ILF participants who may need to pay their tuition expenses by other methods (i.e. Cash or Check), please contact Brian Hansen, Director of ILF (see below).

Entrance Guidelines for ILF Applicants

Participants in the ILF...

• Have the desire to encounter Jesus Christ and develop a personal relationship with Him.

• Have the desire to become a lifelong missionary disciple.

• Have the desire to proclaim the Gospel to individuals and actively disciple them.

• Are active participants in the sacramental life of the Church.
• Are living in accord with and accepting all doctrinal and moral teachings of the Church.

• Have the support of their spouse, if married, and family.

• Have the support of their pastor (or the leadership of their particular church institution).

• Are able to commit to the requirements of the formation experience.

• Are in reasonably good physical, emotional, spiritual health.

Relation to Diaconate Formation

Participation in the ILF serves as a prerequisite for application to diaconate formation for the DOW-R.

A Lay Person's Participation and Commitment to ILF

ILF participants are expected to ...

• Participate actively and constructively in all of the formation sessions, activities, and retreats held each year. [If serious reasons preclude a student from being able to do so, then he or she may be excused with the consent of the director. Reading and writing assignments will still need to be completed.]

• Complete the reading and writing assignments relating to ILF sessions.

• Meet with their spiritual director on a monthly basis during the formation year to seek spiritual support and guidance, and to discuss their experience in the ILF.

• Participate actively in the prayer and liturgical life of the Institute.

• Assist in building up a spirit of Christian fellowship and community among all ILF participants.

If a participant is not fulfilling these responsibilities, the Director of ILF (after careful consideration and after discussing the concerns with the participant) may request that he or she discontinue their participation in the Institute.

ILF Cancellation and Refund Policy

We understand conflicts arise, and sometimes participants, for various reasons, will be unable to commit to the ILF formation experience. Cancelations should be promptly submitted via email to Brian Hansen (bhansen@dowr.org), our DOW-R Adult and Lay Formation Coordinator. If an ILF participant chooses to cancel their participation in the institute, they must then know and understand the ILF Refund Policy (see below):

• Cancelations submitted before August 15 will receive a full refund of their tuition expenses.

• Cancelations occurring between August 16 – 29 will receive a 50% refund of their tuition expenses.

• Cancelations on or after August 30 will, unfortunately, not receive any refund of their tuition expenses.

Apply Online

Admission to the ILF is currently open! Click here to begin the application process. The Institute has a rolling admission policy. There is limited space, so apply now!

Application Deadline: Friday, August 15, 2025

Formation Year: Begins Friday, September 19, 2025.