Heart For Mission Episode 6: Patty Breen

Patty has been working in lay ministry for over ten years and is a freelance writer and speaker. She has a Masters in Pastoral Studies from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and currently works as a Pastoral Associate. She is passionate about messy conversations at the intersection of faith, culture, and ministry.

Time at Sacred Heart: 2:10

Patty graduated from Sacred Heart in 2015 with a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (M.A.P.S.). 

While a student at SHMS Patty’s go-to study spot was the commuters lounge where she would eat dinner and read between her day-job and night classes. If you ever visit the seminary, Patty highly recommends giving the chocolate chip cookies a try.

Patty’s Ministry Work: 4:08

Patty worked in the Youth Ministry for 10 years and is going into her third-year as the Pastoral Associate at St. Michael the Archangel in Livonia. Patty’s work at the parish covers a multitude of programs from RCIA to being newly trained as a Lay Advocate for people going through the annulment process. She likes to summarize her diverse role as being her pastor’s “side-kick”. 

Patty’s ministerial gifts extend beyond her parish doors. She writes a blog and freelance writes for Blessed is She, Catholic Match, Grotto Network, and other Catholic online platforms. 

Ministry Amidst the Pandemic: 11:30

Patty shares her love for working with the RCIA program at St. Michael’s and what a privilege it is to have conversations with individuals interested in learning more about the Catholic faith. With Covid-19, Patty experienced the challenge of moving the RCIA program to an online platform and having to delay the catechumens entry into the Church until after Easter. The necessary adjustments to the RCIA program and all the other hardships of the pandemic required Patty to practice radical dependence on Jesus. Patty speaks about how uncomfortable and challenging it is to relinquish control and trust in the Lord but how important it is to allow Christ to use our circumstances to teach us radical dependence.

Later in the episode Patty shares her deep conviction for creating a space in the Catholic Church for everyone and her desire to acknowledge that each person’s unique life experiences matter to God and as Catholics we are called to share the mercy of Jesus with others no matter what.

Concluding Remarks and Prayer: 26:19