The Saint John's Seminary community offers heartfelt congratulations to our five Lay Formation Programs graduates.
Saint John's offers a Lay Formation Program open to laity, professed religious, and deacons. The lay Formation program offers two fully accredited graduate degree programs in Catholic theology. These two degree programs are faithful to the Catholic intellectual tradition and are carefully crafted to provide an integrated and thorough study of Catholic theology.
Deacon Jim Hyatt-MAM
Deacon Jim was ordained on October 2nd, 2021 and currently serves at the Matthew 13 Collaborative in Walpole, MA. He is the father of five children and has four grandchildren (so far). Deacon Jim is actively involved in the Eucharistic Adoration and Pastoral Visitation ministries in the Collaborative. He also enjoys skiing with his family, hiking, traveling and retreat.
Eileen Patricia Klapprodt- MAM
Eileen Klapprodt lives in Topsfield, Massachusetts with her husband and five daughters. She is a member of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Topsfield. She has been involved in catechetical ministry for the past 26 years and is currently a level one catechist for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for her parish’s collaborative.
In addition to being a catechist, Eileen is a facilitator for Catholic in Recovery at Our Lady of Hope Parish in Ipswich. This role enables her to put into practice the many skills she acquired from her field placement as a chaplain intern at Lawrence General Hospital as well as her training as an iTHIRST spiritual companion. Eileen is also a member of the women’s retreat team for the Ignatian Spirituality Project.
Eileen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theological Studies from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. She is also working towards completing the certification to become an alcohol and drug counselor (LADC II). Her past work includes teaching high school theology, coordinating faith formation, and serving as a campus minister. She feels called to continue pastoral care work, with a special interest in the field of addiction and recovery.
Deacon Jack Minch-MTS
Jack has been married to his wife Pauline for 28 years and counting. They have two grown children and a grandson. Jack was ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Boston in October 2020 and assigned to serve with St. Veronica Parish in Burlington. St. Veronica includes St. Malachy and St. Margaret churches.
After getting out of the U.S. Marine Corps, Jack spent most of his working career as a newspaperman in New Hampshire, Florida, and Massachusetts. He left newspapers after 24 years to join Merrimack College’s administrative staff in its communications office. Jack separated from the college at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. He later joined St. Michael School in Lowell as a part-time phys-ed teacher. After a year as the phys-ed teacher, he transitioned to the classroom as a homeroom teacher for the eighth grade, teaching theology to junior high school students and social studies to eighth graders.
Jack previously earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with concentrations in philosophy, English, and history from the State University of New York at Stony Brook; and a master’s degree in public affairs from Merrimack College in North Andover.
Deacon Jim Rice- MAM
Jim was ordained to the permanent diaconate on October 2, 2021 and assigned to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted in Waltham, MA. He greatly appreciates the SJS MAM/MTS Programs, and will miss the exceptional instructors and classmates. Professionally, he is a researcher and educator. Jim’s first vocation is as husband and father, married to Ellen in 1995. Ellen and Jim have been blessed with four children, Brenda (27), Caoilin (24), Blayney (22) and Tommy Rice (20).
Bridget Kathleen Whyte- MAM
Bridget Kathleen Whyte lives in Foxborough with her husband Sean, her two children, and her parents. At her home parish of St. Mary’s in Foxborough, she found a spiritual home which has nourished her faith and inspired the first of many conversions. It was here that she first fell in love with God, and first recognized that He loved her too. Though she had only meant to introduce her children to one Mass, she promptly realized that her life had changed the moment she sat in the pew.
Bridget soon felt called to prepare for her Sacraments. She also felt called to devote her whole life to God, in whatever way the Holy Spirit guided her. She volunteered in several capacities at her home parish; and eventually was led here to the MAM/MTS Programs at St. John’s Seminary. This has been an exercise of trust, as she has no insight as to where this journey will take her. It is also an exercise of patience, as it has been a slow journey indeed.
Most recently, Bridget has joined the staff of the Brockton Tri-Parish Collaborative. Bridget still does not know what she wants to be when she grows up; but God knows, and that’s good enough.
