Catechetical leaders from the Joliet Diocese find laughter in their ministry Jan. 24 at the Hickory Ridge Marriott Conference Hotel in Lisle. The Joliet diocesan Religious Education Office presented the day with featured speaker Mike Patin.

LISLE—About 260 religious education leaders in the Diocese of Joliet gathered Jan. 25 at the Hickory Ridge Marriott Conference Hotel in Lisle and the group’s noise could be heard throughout the entire second floor of the building. The priests, deacons, religious and lay people on staff at various parishes in the seven counties were not huddled in prayer and they were not reviewing the logistics of implementing a new program; they were simply laughing. The reverberations were loud and gave the impression to passersby that the group—identified as “Diocese of Joliet” on the hotel’s information sign—was a jovial one.

Stepping away from the solemn environment and relaxing was the point of the staff leadership day, said Tom Quinlan, director of Religious Education for the Diocese of Joliet. During a discussion with the Catholic Explorer, he expressed satisfaction with that impression. He said the day’s purpose was to “give them a day to laugh and feel pampered.”

Quinlan reviewed the previous occasions when the agency has offered leadership days for clergymen, religious education directors, youth ministers, adult faith formation directors, principals and other parish staff members. They have discussed curriculums, new techniques and trends in formation, but REO veered from tradition on this occasion to offer “A Time to Refresh, Reignite, and Rediscover.”

After 18 years of being an ordained clergyman, Deacon Bill Murphy of St. Irene Parish in Warrenville acknowledged that he needed a small reminder of his motives and how he was living out his ministry. He told the Explorer, “It’s a time to open our eyes and look at our ministry.”

A former youth minister for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, high school religion teacher, campus minister and coach—Mike Patin—led the reflection process during the leadership day. The Catholic inspirational speaker used his animated and humorous delivery to affirm, challenge and encourage the ministers that are helping people every day.

Ministry is a challenge, acknowledged Patin. He pointed out the biblical story of the loaves and fishes as an example of how the church always finds a way to use few resources to satisfy the great hunger of the faithful.

Patin applauded the small miracles ministers perform on a daily basis and recognized the struggles they endure. For example, Patin reminded the crowd of Jesus’ moments of being a human. He joked, “Even he sent away the disciples for two weeks because he was tired of the idiots he worked with.”

Among the people enjoying the humor was Rhonda Lundgren, youth minister at St. Dominic Parish in Bolingbrook. Lundgren told the Explorer that she appreciated stepping back and looking at her ministry in a lighthearted manner, even though the day-to-day work of religious education is serious business. She also appreciated the camaraderie spirit of the day. She said, “We all get in that place where we think we’re alone.”

Even those who are on the frontlines of ministry, such as the parish support staff members, enjoyed the mini-retreat for one day. Carol Clishem, who is often the first contact that people have at Christ the King Parish in Lombard, acknowledged she needed to take a break from being a receptionist. She said, “I have to remember not to take the job home. You have to let it go.”

Meanwhile, others attending the conference realized they need to follow their own advice. Viatorian Father John Peeters, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Kankakee, told the Explorer that the day prompted a new enthusiasm for his ministry. He pledged, “I’m going to try to see the positive and not negative.”