From Parishioners to Parish Leaders: Aaron & Adriana’s Story
When Aaron Bernabe and Adriana Vital first walked into St. Pascal Catholic Church (Our Lady of the Rosary), they were searching for a place to call home. What they found was more than a parish community—it was a call to serve.
Today, the couple is actively involved in parish life, helping lead the Sunday Spanish Mass, coordinate a growing Rosary group, welcome parishioners, serve as Eucharistic ministers and lectors, and support the parish through digital outreach.
As their ministry grew, Aaron and Adriana recognized the need for deeper formation. They enrolled in the Ministerio Laico program through the School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization (SPLE) at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake, where they have gained practical skills and a stronger foundation for serving their parish.
“The School [of Parish Leadership and Evangelization] actually helped us have more of a format, more organization… and how to talk to people and understand them,” Adriana said.
For Aaron, formation is about more than learning how to do ministry—it’s about preparing others to serve. “We’re also training them so it’s not like I just go there and do the work.”
Their experience reflects the mission of SPLE: to equip lay Catholics with the knowledge, skills and spiritual formation they need to lead, serve and strengthen their parish communities.
Through education and formation, Aaron and Adriana aren’t simply doing more ministry—they’re becoming leaders who help others discover their own gifts and call to serve.
Their vision goes beyond their own church. They work with nearby parishes like St. Bartholomew, help with local events such as carnivals and food drives, host summer World Cup viewings on the parish lawn, and are now helping start a Spanish-language Ministry of Care training for the Archdiocese.
“It’s from the moment they walk into the door until they leave… Be there with them because we don’t know their story.” — Adriana Vital
