Lay Pastoral Ministry Program
Welcome to the Lay Pastoral Ministry Program of the Ballarat Diocese
“The VLCFF is a pioneer in the e-learning field, delivering 24/7 remote classes to dioceses worldwide long before the Covid 19 pandemic prompted schools to go online and offer hybrid learning.”
Eric F. Spina
University of Dayton President
The Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF) is a growing initiative to offer adult religious education and faith formation anytime and anywhere via the internet. The goal is to support the church’s professional ministry of religious education and faith formation in cyberspace. The VLCFF is coordinated and sponsored by the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives (IPI) at the University of Dayton.
Take a look at the subjects available in each cycle. Cycle 7 is the final cycle for 2025, registrations are now open. There are 35 subjects on offer in this 5-week cycle. Find one that suits you! Cycle 7 begins October 27, 2025. See below for further details …
The Lay Pastoral Ministry Program offers opportunities for formation, support, study and certification for lay pastoral employees and volunteers in the Ballarat Diocese in partnership with the Virtual Learning Community, Dayton University.
Information about the Ballarat Diocese Lay Pastoral Ministry Program is in the documents attached below.
Please contact us to talk about your current ministry situation, or what you hope to do, to enable us to assist as you discern your formation pathway. Explore the Virtual Learning Program here
Information for participants in the Lay Pastoral Ministry Program:
New participants wishing to register to study in the Lay Pastoral Ministry Program should complete the Application Form
If you’d like to sample a course before you commit, you can do so here.
Documents for download:
Dates for 2025 Cycles:
- Cycle 5: Jul 21 – Aug 24 closed
- Cycle 6: Sep 08 – Oct 12 closed
- Cycle 7: Oct 27 – Nov 30 Registrations open Sep 10 – Oct 23
Dates for 2026 Cycles:
- Cycle 1: Jan 19 – Feb 22 Registrations open Oct 29
- Cycle 2: Mar 09 – Mar 29 Registrations open Jan 21 (3-week e-seminars only)
- Cycle 3: Apr 13 – May 17 Registrations open Mar 11
- Cycle 4: Jun 01 – Jul 05 Registrations open Apr 15
- Cycle 5: Jul 20 – Aug 23 Registrations open Jun 3
- Cycle 6: Sep 07 – Oct 11 Registrations open Jul 22
- Cycle 7: Oct 26 – Nov 29 Registrations open Sep 09
Click the links above to view subjects available in each Cycle.
Participant reviews:
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For more information please contact:
Lay Pastoral Ministry Program Facilitator
Djurdja Klaric
Ph: 5337 7121
email: djurdja.klaric@ballarat.catholic.org.au