Already considered a flagship program of the Diocese of San Bernardino, the MFI became one of nine ministerial departments as of September 1. It had previously been part of the Ministry of Educational Services (MES) Department.
Leading this new department will be Maria Sedano, a nationally known expert in catechesis who began her ministry in the Diocese on Sept. 1. Sedano, who goes by “Maruja,” says serving as Director of the MFI Department lines up perfectly with her experience and her abilities in ministry.
“Formation has always been my passion,” says Sedano, a native of Valencia, Spain. “Giving people the qualifications to be leaders in their own right.”
Created in 1997, the MFI offers two certificated programs, the four-year Coordinator of Ministries Formation Program (CMFP) and the one-year Parish Ministers Formation Program (PMFP), designed to form laypersons for ministry participation and leadership. The MFI also coordinates local access to master’s degree and certificated programs through Loyola Institute for Ministry – New Orleans.
Sedano most recently served as Director of Catechesis and Youth Ministry for the Archdiocese of Chicago. She also worked in catechetical ministry at the parish and diocesan level in Archdiocese of Los Angeles for more than 20 years. It was there that Sedano began to forge a national reputation.
“She was a pioneer,” said Diocesan Catechetical Ministry Director Maria Covarrubias, who worked with Sedano in the National Organization for Catechesis with Hispanics. “She brings many years of affirming and developing the ministry of catechesis with Hispanics across the nation.”
During her 13 years in the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sedano successfully expanded the scope of her catechetical work to include people of all cultural backgrounds, Covarrubias said.
In the rapidly-growing Diocese of San Bernardino, which has a challenging ratio of one priest for every 7,548 laypersons, formation of lay leaders is seen as essential. This mindset began with creation of the Straling Leadership Institute, a precursor to the MFI, in the early days of the Diocese. Sedano says the need for greater empowerment of the laity applies to the entire Church.
“I see that the Church is not complete without the involvement of the laity,” she says. “We need to be involved. Vatican II told us that.”
Many in the Diocese of San Bernardino have answered that call through participation in MFI programs. There are 315 people enrolled in the CMFP program, which is offered weekly during the school year at eight diocesan distance learning sites. Last year 1,012 people completed the PMFP program, which was offered monthly at 63 parishes in the Diocese. Ministers from as far away as Australia have come to the Diocese to observe the MFI as a model for forming lay leaders.
“It has grown to be bigger than we could have ever dreamed in terms of lay leaders,” said Sister Sara Kane, CSJ, Chancellor of the Diocese. “It has grown into this Institution that is nationally known for its competence and its spiritual formation of leadership.”
As a department director, Sedano will serve as a member of the Diocesan Curia, a primary advisory body to Bishop Gerald Barnes.