Never Alone By Erin Reder
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s she looks back on her years of ministry as an educator and counselor, S. Patricia (Pat) Dittmeier says that she sees a common link between them. A teacher and healer to those she has ministered with, S. Pat has provided deep listening, encouragement, guidance and support to students and clients, assuring them that they are never alone in their journey in life. Her positive, loving presence has blessed many throughout her 28 years as a Sister of Charity. S. Pat began her years of service as a youth minister at St. Peter’s Church in New Richmond, Ohio. The formation process eventually moved her out of that ministry and into novitiate. At the end of that year she was hired again as a youth minister; this In her current role at IKRON, S. Pat Dittmeier is a clinical supervisor, individual counselor, and also responsible for IKRON’s Getting Out of Depression group. time on the east side of town, in a more suburban parish. After seven studying full time to become a licensed professional clinical years, and as the ministry became more demanding on her counselor.” physically, S. Pat began asking God what was next. “At the It was during S. Pat’s studies, in 2009, that she began time there was an opening for director of religious education serving as a practicum student at IKRON, an organization at the parish,” she recalls, “and I had my master’s degree in that provides integrated quality behavioral health services to religious studies. The pastor at the parish said it’s yours and I the Greater Cincinnati area. After six months she was offered transitioned into religious education. I had always loved the teaching side of things, even as a youth minister. Moving into an internship and eventually hired full time. “I felt that was where I was meant to be,” she says. “I felt like my skill set was religious education seemed like a logical move.” being used, and it was meaningful to me to be able to help After six additional years S. Pat began to once again people living in poverty and improve their lives. Everybody discern what was next. She thought hard about what she has their barriers, their own limitations, and we all have our loved most about her ministry and what stayed with her own abilities. Every client is unique, it’s about seeing each were the long, meaningful conversations she was having with meet their own goals that is life-giving.” those around her. She recalls God would send her people S. Pat continues in this role today. In addition to being who needed to talk, and what started as short, five-minute a clinical supervisor to three young interns, she has her own conversations would turn into hour-long, deep discussions. individual counseling list of clients and is also responsible “I realized I was getting out of my depth,” she explains. for IKRON’s Getting Out of Depression group, which “I called a friend that I had known as a youth minister and meets weekly. What feeds her soul is seeing clients grow and who was head of the pastoral counseling program at The succeed. So often when her clients first come to her, they are Athenaeum of Ohio and said I needed training. I started feeling hurt and broken, and have been dealing with such taking pastoral counseling classes there and eventually began 6
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