Meet your director Joan Root

Joan Root serves as Director of Encounter’s Lexington Campus after working in full time ministry as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Lexington and then as Eastern Regional Director for Life Teen International. Prior to full time ministry, she served 23 years as a police officer in Lexington where she became passionate about bringing the love of Christ to a hurting world. Feeling a call to ministry, she retired as a Sergeant and began seminary studies, obtaining her Master’s degree in Roman Catholic Pastoral Studies. She is married to Paul who serves as a deacon at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Lexington. They have two children and two grandchildren.

Tuition & Application

The Encounter School of Ministry is open to Christians of all backgrounds—disciples who believe God calls them to demonstrate His supernatural love in their daily lives. Our curriculum and content is rooted in Catholic Tradition and faithful to Catholic teaching.

See Bishop Approvals >

Featured Teacher: Lavinia Spirito

Lavinia Spirito is the Founding Team Teaching Leader for Catholic Way Bible Study, currently distributed in over 42 states and internationally.

Though she grew up in Rome, Italy, Lavinia received her B.A. in Anthropology and Spanish from the University of Michigan; obtained her J.D. from The University of Kentucky College of Law; as well as a Masters in Theology from The Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado. She is also Adjunct Lecturer for the Saint Meinrad Permanent Deacon Formation Program.

Lavinia prepares and delivers all the lectures for Catholic Way Bible Study, an in depth study of the Scriptures as applied to daily life. She travels and speaks nationally and internationally giving retreats, Priest Retreats, Parish Missions, and Days of Reflection.

She is co-host of “Real Living” a weekly podcast on Breadbox media on relevant issues facing today’s Catholics, as well as blogging and writing articles for various websites. Lavinia collaborates with Renewal Ministries in various ways, including id916. Finally she leads groups in pilgrimage to Rome, the Holy Land, and other interesting places.

She and her husband Michael live in Lexington, Kentucky and have two adult daughters.

News & Events:

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Socially Distanced, Powerfully United

Having to stay safely masked and distanced due to Covid protocols can’t slow the power of the Holy Spirit or dampen the faith of those with a burning desire to bring the Good News to a hurting world! Gathering both in person and virtually on Zoom for prayer, praise and a powerful teaching on evangelization from Samuel Awuah, the Lord is making a way!

Summer Intensive: Dates TBD

The Summer Intensive Conference is an evening school that provides a survey of the content offered in the first four quarters of the Encounter School of Ministry over a fast four day period. The content covered includes Identity & Transformation, Power & Healing, Hearing God & The Prophetic Gifts, Inner Healing & Freedom. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Mary Healy. ***Registration Coming Soon***