Lots of laughs as Liverpool parishes take a lighter look at ministry
By Charlie Young
Contributing writer
The mood at the parish center at Pope John XXIII Church in Liverpool was more “night club” than “night prayer” on a recent Friday evening. Nearly 70 people turned out for a Couples Therapy Comedy Night hosted by the Respect Life Ministry of the linked parishes of Pope John XXIII and Christ the King.
The term “respect life” conjures visions of groups coming together to promote the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. Prayer, education, and social action are the typical primary tools of the ministry.
So, then, what does a comedy evening have to do with respect life ministry?
Chris Padgett brought his unique brand of Catholic humor to the Liverpool event.
“It has everything to do with it as far as making our church community a welcoming place for married couples and families,” replied Laura Ryder when that question was posed to her. “They’re the future of the church, and by creating social events, it allows them to connect with other married couples and just have a good time.”
As coordinator for the linked parishes’ Respect Life ministry, Ryder is responsible for raising awareness, and she is utilizing every means at her disposal.
“Last April, we had a cocktails, dinner, and conversation evening,” she shared, “and we had about 20 couples at that event.” Many of those couples returned for the comedy night. “We are trying to build community,” Ryder added, with a focus on married couples of all ages as well as singles and families. The parish did all it could to make it an easy night out by providing childcare for parents seeking a little R&R.
“In this particular event, we opened it up to singles as well, because we felt that comedy was something that’s for everyone,” Ryder said. Even though the focus was on the lighter side, Ryder never lost sight of the underlying mission and the four pillars that are foundational to Respect Life Ministry.
“The first pillar is the beginning of life, and the last pillar the end of life. The pillars in between are marriage and family, and those pillars are sometimes forgotten when we speak of Respect Life Ministry,” she said.
The task of putting the spotlight on the ministry fell to Chris Padgett, an internationally known but locally grown talent. He is a Catholic speaker, musician, author, and professor — and, oh yes, a great comedian.
“I know it’s kind of funny to imagine that Catholics have a sense of humor, but we’re going to have a good time tonight. People are going to laugh!” Padgett predicted. And, of course, he was correct.
“We’re going to have a good night. It’s going to be a reminder that our faith is not just serious, and not just something reverent, which is awesome, but it also adds a joyful silence. So, we’re going to tackle that with things that everybody can really hear. It’ll be a fun night!”
Padgett is busy — this event was sandwiched between presentations in Chicago (before) and Denver (after). “And when I go to Denver tomorrow, I’m going to do a little mission, so we’ll have a mix of the serious and the comedic. You’ve got to know your audience,” he added.
Many local residents know Padgett, who, with his wife Linda, is the primary presenter for the diocesan Pre-Cana program for couples preparing for the sacrament of marriage. They blend lighter moments with foundational faith facts in that setting as well.
Wendy and Chuck Infantino were married at Pope John XXIII in February, and they first met Chris Padgett during their Pre-Cana experience. “Laughter, warmth, love, connection,” was how Wendy replied to the question of what they were expecting.
The Infantinos are experienced veterans of marital bliss when compared to Sydnie and Ethan Spellicy, who tied the knot this fall after they, too, attended Pre-Cana with the Padgetts. Ethan shared that they also knew Chris from an earlier Respect Life encounter.
“We did the ‘Walk for Life’ in [Washington] D.C.,” Ethan said. “He [Padgett] was actually at the stadium, gave a speech, and the whole comedy show there, and it was really funny.”
Even though she is very newly wed, Sydnie recognizes this as an opportunity to keep on track.
“I think it’s important to keep dating, even after you’re married,” she said, “and maintain the flow you had that got you to marriage. You know, keep the spark alive!”
That’s a practice that Paula and Peter Piciotto highly endorse, with 47 years of marriage to prove the value of ongoing marriage maintenance.
“I thought it would be fun to experience the lighter side of being Catholic on a Friday night,” Paula shared with a laugh. Peter agreed that the comedy night provided a nice opportunity. “Now that we’re both retired, we spend a lot of time together, and I thought it would be nice to get out and laugh,” he said.
A wine and cheese event pre-show, Mr. Padgett, and coffee and dessert to wrap up the evening made for a great night. One unique ingredient made it special.
“It’s the Holy Spirit,” Ryder observed. “It is. I have nothing to do with it. I’m just saying ‘yes’ to the Holy Spirit, and it’s going. It’s a team effort.”
