Patrick Dorsainvil of Holy Family parish, Canarsie, knows his journey is just beginning.

He was one of 88 graduates of the diocese’s Lay Formation Program who were commissioned for service last week.

The new leaders were completing a three-year program conducted by the Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis that included theology courses, workshops and ministry projects that were offered in English and Spanish.

The Commissioning Mass was celebrated by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church, Jamaica. Lay ministers marking special anniversaries also were honored.

“I heard the call. I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of,” said Dorsainvil. “I knew it would take some years to complete the course but I knew I was being called to do it and to give back. This is just the beginning of my journey and even though we have all worked hard to get here our true work is just beginning.”

Maria del Pilar Diaz of St. Clare parish, Rosedale, hopes to be involved in youth ministry.

“I want to give back to the youth,” she said. “These days so many of them are on phones and playing video games and they are missing out on the love that God is always giving us. I plan on helping the parish any way that I can but do think we need to focus on the children. I am excited to get started and want to help as much as I can.”

Mary Jolley of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Queens Village, was thanked and honored for her 45 years of dedication and service to her parish and diocese.

“It is so special to be recognized and to see so many new members,” she said. “They show that our work will continue. Any advice I have for them is to just keep going. It may seem difficult in the beginning but every day will get easier and the work is obviously worth it.”

Bishop DiMarzio was proud to see so many new members, but also thanked those celebrating their anniversaries.

“Tonight we honor those that have completed the program and they join so many celebrating anniversaries,” said the bishop. “This is our way of training lay leaders for their parishes. They lead in many different ways and are able to help and provide their parishes and the diocese with so much help. The program focuses on giving them the theological background they need to continue their work and of course we are happy and proud to see so many new members.”

The newly commissioned lay leaders and their parishes are:

Guillermo Aguirre, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jamaica

Angela M. Alvia, Most Precious Blood, Long Island City

Agnieszka O. Ambroziak, St. Matthias, Ridgewood

Rufino Amigon, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Astoria

Julio Arthur, Blessed Sacrament, Cypress Hills

Glenda R. Bain, St. Matthew, Crown Heights

Marie C. Barthelmy, Holy Cross, Flatbush

Leselle M. Belfon, St. Matthew, Crown Heights

Martine Carmelia Bello, Our Lady of Refuge, Flatbush

Josefina Cabrera, Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians, Woodside

Rocio Castillo Siegel, Our Lady of Angels, Bay Ridge

Nelson David Chacha Tipantasig, All Saints, Williamsburg

Marjory Cham, St. Vincent Ferrer, East Flatbush

Christopher J. Chasteau, St. Matthew

Delia Lili Chirinos, St. Joseph, Long Island City

Bertha L. Cordova, Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Celiflora Cruz de Leon, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Patricia Daniel, St. John the Baptist, Bedford-Stuyvesant

Maria del Pilar Diaz, St. Clare, Rosedale

Patrick J. Dorsainvil, Holy Family, Canarsie

Marvin E. Dubon, St. Rita, East New York

Teofila R. Flores, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Diane E. Fugalli, St. Robert Bellarmine, Bayside

Juan Emilio García, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Rosa Garcia de Gallardo, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Doris E. Gonzalez, St. Teresa, Woodside

Joel A. Gonzalez, St. Rita

Paula Gonzalez, Holy Cross

Aura J. Gordon, Our Lady of Grace, Gravesend

Dulce M. Gutierrez, Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Leticia Hernandez, Blessed Sacrament

Mario Hernandez, Holy Cross

Rosa Hernandez, Holy Cross

Raul Huerta, Most Precious Blood

Marcos Jacobo, Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Kyle H. John, St. Matthew

Russell B. Johnson, Our Lady of Light, St. Albans

Lynda D. Jones-Johnson, Our Lady of Light

Gabriela Juarez, Most Precious Blood

Lauro Juarez, Holy Cross

Danilo P. Lacan, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Juliet E. Lagura, St. Sebastian, Woodside

Berta Y. Lopez, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Sergio Lopez, St. Patrick, Long Island City

Virginia Maldonado, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jamaica

Jenny Marin, St. Patrick, Bay Ridge

Martin E. Marin, St. Patrick, Bay Ridge

Ycelsa A. Marmol, Most Precious Blood

Alberto Martinez, St. John the Baptist

Horquidia Medina, St. Rita

Juanita Medina, Blessed Sacrament

Mary E. Melo, St. Elizabeth, Woodhaven

Virginia L. Navarro, St. Boniface, Downtown Brooklyn

Reynaud A. Oliver, St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Jamaica

Silas P. Ollivierre, St. Matthew

Michelle Papillon, Our Lady of Refuge

Maria Paulina Parada, St. Joan of Arc, Jackson Heights

Dianne D. Pascall, Holy Cross

Celia R. Peralta, Most Precious Blood

Anatolia Perez, St. Rita

Justiniano Perez, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Silvia E. Pluchinotta, St. Thomas the Apostle, Woodhaven

Jose A. Pretzantzin, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Soraida Puente, Our Lady of Angels

Joaquin Ramos, Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Maria Soledad Ramos, Holy Cross

Veronica Ramos, Holy Cross

Guadalupe Rescalvo, St. Michael, East New York

Martha Patricia Rios, Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians

Evelyn Rodriguez, Our Lady of the Cenacle, Richmond Hill

Lourdes A. Rodriguez, St. Rita

Reyna E. Rojas, St. Rita

Delma Rosario, Our Lady of Light

Ana R. Saldana, Queen of Peace, Kew Gardens

Maria A. Santos, Our Lady of the Angelus, Reo Park

Tracey M. Smith, Our Lady of Light

Angelina Spampinato, St. Francis of Assisi, Prospect Lefferts Gardens

Marcia Stennett, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Ana Silvia Tavarez, Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Flavio L. Tipantasig, All Saints

Eugenia Tlaxcantitla, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Sunset Park

Rolando Tzunun, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Miguel Angel Valdez, St. Joseph, Astoria

Leobarda Valencia, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Josefina Vazquez Diaz, St. Dominic, Bensonhurst

Gloria T. Wilson, Holy Cross

Teresa A. Zwosta, Resurrection, Gerritsen Beach