By Kyle Page
Staff writer

Plattsburgh - The Plattsburgh Regional Center for Christian Formation has undergone dynamic changes in recent month as the Diocese of Ogdensburg has named Pamela J. Ballantine as the Assistant Director of Education for Catholic Schools and Christian Formation.

“Though I was very comfortable in my ministry at St. Alexander’s and St. Joseph’s I knew in my heart that I was being challenged once again to answer the call of where God wanted me to be,” Mrs. Ballantine said. “When the opportunity arose with the retirement of Sister Elizabeth (Menard) from her position at the Regional Office of Christian Formation in Plattsburgh I applied for the position.”

Mrs. Ballantine is no stranger to the region or the Catholic community. “My husband Dan and I moved to the Plattsburgh area in 1982 when he was transferred to Plattsburgh Air Force Base,” she said. “We were assigned to the base until my husband’s retirement from the military in 1989.  “As a favor to the Air Force Chaplain Father Dan Cassiero, I volunteered to help him with the Religious Education Program on the base until he could find a director for the program,” she said. “Two years later we were still looking for a volunteer, but it was time for us to move from the base.”

“Since both my husband and I were from the New England area, we decided to stay in the Plattsburgh area to raise our two youngest children,” Mrs. Ballantine said. “Our sons attended St. Augustine School in Peru, then on to St. Peter’s for Junior High and were both graduates of Seton Central High School.

In 1990, Mrs. Ballantine was hired by Father Richard Sturtz as coordinator of the Religious Education Program at
St. Alexander’s Church, a position she held until 1998.

In 1998 due to the elimination of the parochial vicar for the parish, Father Stephen Gratto and the parish staff developed the Pastoral Associate position for the parish community of St. Alexander and St. Joseph. “Through a lot of prayer and discernment, I accepted this new challenge on my faith journey,” she said. “I was accepted into St. Michael’s College in the Theology Program and graduated in 2003 with a Master’s of Art degree in Theology with a concentration in Pastoral Ministry and Spirituality. She held the pastoral associate position until assuming her new role in the diocesan office.

Mrs. Ballantine has many  plans for her new position. “As religious education catechists and Catholic school teachers, we all have an essential responsibility for the spiritual development of youth within the framework of the Gospel and the tradition of the Catholic Church,” she said. “My hope is to assist our catechists and teachers to reach their full potential as catechetical leaders in our schools and parish programs.” “Throughout the year we offer formation training and enrichment of catechist and Catholic School teachers so they use their knowledge and catechetical tools to guide and empower our youth to experience their spirituality and prayer life,” she said.
Mrs. Ballantine’s responsibilities extend beyond the walls of her office.

She will visit all the Catholic Schools of the Diocese to work with the teachers, especially new teachers in terms of Catholic identity in the classroom environment and strategies in teaching and assessing the religion curriculum. “I also look forward to meeting all the parish catechetical leaders within the Plattsburgh region to offer services, guidance, and opportunities to enroll in the Growth in Faith Program,” she said.

The Plattsburgh Regional Office is offering two Confirmation Retreats for candidates who will be confirmed in the region this spring. Diocesan education programs associated with Formation in Ministry, Virtus, RCIA Training, Adult Faith Facilitators Training, Catechist Certification and Catechetical Leader Training will also be promoted “We oversee the implementation of the Religion Curriculums in the Catholic Schools and the Tools for Parish Catechesis in the parishes,” Mrs. Ballantine said.

The office also offers many resources for sacramental preparation, scripture study, liturgy training, RCIC and RCIA programs. There are also books for a person on spiritual enrichment that may be borrowed or purchased.
Mrs. Ballantine is excited for any one to stop in and see the office and take advantage of what it has. “The resource materials in our office can be borrowed at no cost to the parish or schools,” she said. “ We are in the process of updating some of the catechetical material.  “All are welcome to stop by and browse though the materials offered here.”

The office, located at Seton Academy, is open from 8:45 until 4:00pm Monday through Friday.

Pam Ballantine, left, new Assistant Director of Education for Catholic Schools and Christian Fomration for the diocese works with Andie Page, the administrative assistant in the Plattsburgh Formation Office.